A new year means a chance for renewal, growth, and change. Every year we make lists of what we want to do. We take maps and dot where we want to go. We make plans. And every year it seems few of us stick to those plans – we never hit those benchmarks we set for ourselves.
And I wondered why that was for so long. As Tim joked about the Resolutioners being at the gym on Monday, I reflected on all the goals I had set over the years. I looked at all the resolutions I never stuck with, trips I planned but never departed on, pounds I swore I would shed, and promises I had made to myself and others but never kept. All of these New Year New Me ideas had one thing in common: I was coming at them with the idea that the previous year had mediocre and had to be outshined.
Now, I think we can all agree that improving oneself is never a bad thing. But all of these went beyond that. They were comparing the bad things of the previous year with the good promises of the new year. And that doesn’t really seem fair does it?
We all have high points and low points in any given year. I noticed that even though some years had more lows or highs than others, the promises I made each New Year were pretty consistent, which meant that I didn’t achieve them the year before. So this year, I don’t have a specific goal or promise I am making but I still have big plans for 2018.
In 2018, I want to laugh more. Not just any laughs will do though, I want belly laughs. Laughing so hard that my side hurts.
In 2018, I want to cry more. I want to be less guarded. I want to let more people in. I want to be raw and real, not only with those in my day to day life but also with those of you who are my internet friends.
In 2018, I want to smile more at strangers. With the every day stresses of life and constantly looking at my phone to check emails or reply back to something, I’ve been smiling less at strangers so this year I want to change that.
In 2018, I want to be in less of a hurry. In every aspect of my life I want to feel less rushed (which is hard for me because I am such a go-go-go person). This means having to say “No” to things, being honest about what I can handle, and respecting my time and that of others.
In 2018, I want to talk more. I want to have more phone conversations with those I love. I want to call my grandmother more. My dad. My brother. My mom. My sister. My grandfather. My cousins. I want to have more conversations, tell them I love them, and try to shrink the physical distance between us.
In 2018, I want to enjoy the little things. I want to take my time eating a meal, savoring each bite as if it was my last while it melts in my mouth. I want to smelly my coffee before I drink it, appreciating the insane amount of craftsmanship and care that goes into making each sip happen.
In 2018, I want to live my life in the moment. Not comparing myself to others. Not seeing what I haven’t done yet others have achieved. Not focusing on the next big milestone. I want to live in the moment, enjoying the little things as I laugh more, take my time smelling the roses. I want to look back in 2019 and say “Let’s keep doing what we did in 2018, because it was amazing!”