Resolution

Happy New Year!

Four days into the new year and I've been able to stick to my resolution! I am SO thrilled!!

I don't usually make resolutions, because I don't usually stick to them. I almost always resolve the do the same things (when I make them) which are: lose weight, be nicer to people, etc. I don't usually make it past the 1st day. As a result a few years ago, I stopped making resolutions.

This year, I decided I'd give it another try. However, I didn't want the "same old, same old." Everyone that knows me is always telling me that I am very hard on myself. I have been told this for years. The only people that don't tell me this are my parents (the ones that most likely taught me to be like this...only I don't see it as being hard on myself...just having high expectations). I'm also told (by my family and some times my friends) that I expect a lot out of people (I guess they are really saying that I am hard on others). I know that this is true. I do expect a lot out of others, but I expect more out of my self.

Anyway, I decided in order to "lighten up" on everyone else I need to lighten up on myself. Since I was a child, it has been engrained into me that I cannot expect someone else to do something that I, myself, wouldn't do. So, my hope is, if I can learn to be happy with where I'm at and who I am, then maybe I can learn to lighten up on myself/rid myself of some of my perfectionism. I know if I can expect less of myself, I'll expect less of others (although I don't think high expectations are truly bad thing...I probably do need to learn to lighten up).

My resolution for this year is to learn to like myself...who I am...where I'm at...to be good to myself...gentle. So far, I've been able to do this. I start to freak out that the house is a mess, that I'm going to try to squeeze 25 people into 2 small rooms on Saturday for a birthday party, that there is a TON of stuff to do and then I stop and remind myself...it's ok. It's ok if every part of the house isn't spotless. It's ok if we're a little crowded. We do this every year and it works out. Things will be ok. They usually are.

So...4 days down, 361 days left. I can do this!

Until next time...