We are officially done with our first week of the New Year. So, how many of you have already neglected your resolutions? By definition, “Resolution” means a firm decision to do or not do something. I think most people who make resolutions for the new year lean towards the first part of “to do”. I have unfortunately been one of those. I made some notes on what I would like to do this year and nothing for what I won’t do (initially that is).
While being a personal blog, I am not yet ready to share everything that has happened during the end of 2021, but let’s just say it wasn’t the best year. What I can talk about is how I want to make it not better, but different. I feel if we use the word better, we are trying to improve on something that wasn’t working, almost like putting a layered bandage, and then building on top of that. We shouldn’t always try and shoot for better, but different. When we come up with our resolutions, we look back at the year and think about things we didn’t do or wanted to do and carry them over into the next year. I have never met someone who said, “I did this, and it really sucked and didn’t work out for me. For the new year, I plan on making what I did last year, and changing it”. Really, a resolution should be about how a person can not only resolve things they did poorly or not do at all, but how can they also resolve them enough to make it different and to change.
For 2022 I have made the following notes on what I am going to do. Not planning but going to do. I must for me and my family. 2022 has to be a way better and different year than last.
- I will resolve to be mentally healthy
- To relax more and enjoy all in my life
- Be positive on myself so that I can bring positivity into my family
- Act instead of reacting
- To listen more
- I will not be defined by a label, any label
- Accept only real friends and not fake ones
- To not be bullied
- Have more gratitude
- To actually practice mindfulness
And above all, to my partner, show sincere love to each other, because love brings about the forgiveness of many sins
1 Peter 4:8
When coming up with things I plan on “not doing”, I had to think about what things I did that affected the most important people in my life. Not just in 2021, but over the last several years. I wanted it to be meaningful and not something like “I will eat less dairy” or “swear less”. Something substantial.
I asked to myself “why do I want to change, what will changing these things about me or my behavior help. How will it be beneficial to me and my family?” When someone wants to change, they realize that something is not working within themselves. While you can only influence change, you cannot make a person change. They must want to change themselves.
After some thought, I have come up with a few things I plan on not doing.
- Not perseverate on meniscal unimportant things
- Think my way is the only way
- Lie. Even when you think you have the smallest lie. A lie is a lie. The truth will always be better regardless of how bad it is
- Say hurtful things because let’s face it, words hurt. Let’s stop this tit for tat business
- Focus on past mistakes as the core in order to be different. Thinking what was is not always what will be, or can be
- Taking things or people for granted
(I am probably forgetting a few things, but these are the top ones I could think about when creating this post)
I admit, I am beyond perfect, but I am not beyond fixing myself to be different. I have never been one to give up without a fight whether that fight is hard or not. As long as it’s something worth fighting for, I will always do so.
For this, lets go 2022.
