New Year’s Revolution

As another year comes to a close, I feel that nagging pull to resolve.  Resolve any lingering issues from the past year, make resolutions for the shiny new one.  Buy a fresh pen and journal, ink a list of bullet points that will (ostensibly) keep me accountable.

But here’s the thing…it’s kind of bullshit.  Sure, it feels good to set goals.  Given the right circumstances, goals can be exactly what we need to stay motivated and on track.

There’s something about New Year’s resolutions, though, that implies we’ve failed the previous year.  We didn’t totally get our act together, but HERE’S OUR CHANCE!!  “New Year, New You!”  Finally we can be skinny, strong, calm, patient, fiscally responsible, healthy, perfect.  

Maybe this past year we ate too many cookies, watched too much Netflix, spent too much time on Facebook and not enough time in the gym, yelled at our kids too much, wasted our talents…but the coming year will be different.  We will be our best selves.  We will do all the things.  (And when we, inevitably, don’t?  Well, there’s always next year!)

But what if it turns out we’re already good enough?  What if losing ten pounds or getting organized won’t actually make us happier?  What if, instead of cataloguing our shortcomings, we embraced who we already are, our flaws and weaknesses, our shiny outsides and our tarnished insides?  What if this NewYear’s we spent time reflecting on what we’ve done well the past year?

I think this New Year’s Day I’ll spend more time reviewing the things I like about myself and my life rather than listing out how I can be “better” in 2018.  I’ll focus on my highlight reel and appreciate all the best parts of me.  It doesn’t mean I won’t strive to improve certain things or reach new goals in the coming year.  It just means I’m okay with the Me I am right now.  I’m granting myself a little hard earned grace.

New Year, New You?  I believe I’ll take a pass this go-round.  I’ll just be grateful I get to take the old me into the new year.  She’s got some pretty cool shit to contribute to the next 365 days.  Just the way she is.

xoxo

Ash