New Year's resolutions. Such an interesting and human practice. The art of starting fresh, of setting goals, of letting go of failures and looking forward with hope. For many of us making resolutions is a successful endeavor and for others the greatest failure point. Its so easy to make big goals when you get to "start over." When you can say, "well I failed in 2019, but 2020 is my year not to fail!" I suppose it is a good practice and yet I myself have found it rather anxiety producing. I think its because I am an endurance athlete.
Making resolutions is so like signing up for a race. I mean all you have to do is fall in love with the medal, click on the link, put in your credit card, and click submit. So easy peasy. Getting there? Getting to the finish. Shoot, just getting to the start line? WHOLE. DIFFERENT. STORY. I mean, there are failure points everywhere on that journey. But it was so easy to sign up!
Last year I made the resolution to read a book a month. I did that, but it was challenging. I also made the resolution to spend less and save more. I (we) failed on that one. So I ended 2019 in both success and failure.
Bob and I came across a great YouTube video by one of our favorites CGP Grey. He talked about this very thing and that resolutions set us up to fail and that perhaps we should change the way we think bout this process. Instead of choosing specific resolutions maybe we should choose to have year Themes. I love this way of thinking and I wanted to share.
The idea of themes is simple enough. Instead of resolving to lose weight and go to the gym 4 times a week, choose to have a Theme of health. Instead of resolving to read 1 book a week, and always chose education over Facebook, choose a Theme of learning. Don't resolve to save a set amount per month, instead choose a Theme of financial transparency. You may lose 5 pounds in the first month and none the next. You may find yourself unable to save, or read, or learn for a time. You haven't failed, just remember your theme and move towards it.
It was eye opening and so great for me. I gave it some thought and decided to chose this way of beginning. So my theme this year is Awareness. Primarily in our finances (since I am the Longmire CFO), but also in my health (lets not get injured and Mono again), my marriage, and my desire to be a woman of joy.
Those of you that know us at all know that we are a TESLA family and have known without doubt that our next vehicle will be a TESLA. Its been hard to dream this dream because no matter how you slice it they are expensive. We just haven't been focused on managing our finances to some day make this a reality, but I am tired of that. Tired of not stewarding our money better and spending it where we don't need to. So this year we put a reservation down on a Tesla Cybertruck, and in 2 years when our time comes, we are going to have the money and plan to own one. I am aware and making choices to implement that awareness. One practical thing I am doing? Stopping the Amazon Prime habit. We now make a list and add things throughout the month. At the end of the month we make one purchase and check to be sure all the things we "thought" we needed we really do. Its been eye opening.
My health....what a journey. Awareness here is the willingness to truly embrace what makes me happy and whole while honestly letting go of the things that don't. Best example....Crossfit. Not only is it expensive, but after 1.5 years of injury and illness, I am finally convinced that my body doesn't like it. So instead of wishing it were different and constantly looking at Crossfit bodies that I deem look better than mine, I'm letting it go. I am aware. I LOVE Yoga, my body loves yoga, my mind and my heart and my anxiety love yoga. I LOVE to run, I love endurance, I love triathlon, I do. I am aware of the things that serve me and am letting go of the things that don't.
Being aware, quite possibly for the first time, of the ways my body actually likes to move and look and do has been empowering and honestly transcending. My yoga practice is flourishing and my body is moving in ways I have NEVER moved. The controlled strength that has come from learning to handstand and incorporate inversions into my life is new. I am discovering muscles and movement I never dreamed was possible. But its stepping back and taking an honest inventory of who and what I am. This body that God gave me is masterful and capable and incredible, but it cannot do everything. I am using this theme to let it speak. For the first time....I am listening.
I am aware of what steals my joy and aware of what brings me joy. I breathe in one, and I breathe out the other. I am aware of how my attitude, my words, and my actions influence those around me. I am aware of how we spend our resources. I am aware
2020 is the year of awareness and transparency for me. And its going to be a raging success!
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