Resolutions for the New Year and New Decade
I’ve been reading the other blogs and I’m amazed by the diversity of women here. There are so many hopes and fears expressed, so much courage in putting yourselves out there. This is also my first time blogging, and in particular, exposing myself through my writing is truly difficult for me, so I'm glad to find such a supportive place in this community.
There’s something wonderfully synchronous doing this challenge not just at the start of a New Year, but at the start of a new decade. I remember New Year’s Eve 1999 very well, and not just because I was at party in a high-rise and everyone was worried about getting stuck in an elevator because of Y2K. In those final months of the year, I changed jobs, leaving one that I loved but didn’t challenge me to join a startup, and I vowed to stop backsliding into a hopeless situation with an ex-boyfriend. By the end of 2000 I was at yet another new, hastily taken job (the startup I joined failed), and I’d just met some guy on a blind date. But that job led to the part-time work I now have that lets me spend time with my family, and I have the family because the blind date turned into my husband.
If I had a resolution back then, it was probably something amorphous like, “Be braver.” All my resolutions are usually terribly poofy like that. Last year’s was “Be more curious,” and it worked pretty well, although honestly the resolution, “Do the things you know damn well you’re supposed to do when you get into a slump, like exercise, eat right, journal and meditate” would probably have been a better one.
But knowing now, 10 years later, that nothing quite turned out the way that I expected, but ultimately worked out pretty well anyway, definitely gives me a sense of perspective about this Whole Body challenge. At 42, I’m no longer the ingenue or the whiz-kid. But I still feel young enough, anyway, for plenty more plot twists, if I am both brave and curious enough to follow them through. So although there are many things in the Action Plan that admittedly make me groan (no coffee, no wheat, no dairy, exercising 4-6 times a week, kale and leeks — gah) I can’t help but feel it’s an adventure. Making it through, however imperfectly, is keeping a promise to myself, and these kept promises are like little seeds planted in my soul that might bloom at any time, any place over the next year or the next decade.
So I’d love to hear your New Year’s resolutions, and I confess right now if it’s good I’ll borrow it. I vividly recall one year having a truly unattainable resolution like “Figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life.” Thankfully I ditched it for my friend’s “Floss every day.” Were it not for her my teeth would have fallen out by now — although on the other hand, I might actually have a career if I'd kept my old one, but, you know, whatever. I think I’m going with “Staying hydrated”, as I have a wicked dehydration headache at the moment. What’s yours?
There’s something wonderfully synchronous doing this challenge not just at the start of a New Year, but at the start of a new decade. I remember New Year’s Eve 1999 very well, and not just because I was at party in a high-rise and everyone was worried about getting stuck in an elevator because of Y2K. In those final months of the year, I changed jobs, leaving one that I loved but didn’t challenge me to join a startup, and I vowed to stop backsliding into a hopeless situation with an ex-boyfriend. By the end of 2000 I was at yet another new, hastily taken job (the startup I joined failed), and I’d just met some guy on a blind date. But that job led to the part-time work I now have that lets me spend time with my family, and I have the family because the blind date turned into my husband.
If I had a resolution back then, it was probably something amorphous like, “Be braver.” All my resolutions are usually terribly poofy like that. Last year’s was “Be more curious,” and it worked pretty well, although honestly the resolution, “Do the things you know damn well you’re supposed to do when you get into a slump, like exercise, eat right, journal and meditate” would probably have been a better one.
But knowing now, 10 years later, that nothing quite turned out the way that I expected, but ultimately worked out pretty well anyway, definitely gives me a sense of perspective about this Whole Body challenge. At 42, I’m no longer the ingenue or the whiz-kid. But I still feel young enough, anyway, for plenty more plot twists, if I am both brave and curious enough to follow them through. So although there are many things in the Action Plan that admittedly make me groan (no coffee, no wheat, no dairy, exercising 4-6 times a week, kale and leeks — gah) I can’t help but feel it’s an adventure. Making it through, however imperfectly, is keeping a promise to myself, and these kept promises are like little seeds planted in my soul that might bloom at any time, any place over the next year or the next decade.
So I’d love to hear your New Year’s resolutions, and I confess right now if it’s good I’ll borrow it. I vividly recall one year having a truly unattainable resolution like “Figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life.” Thankfully I ditched it for my friend’s “Floss every day.” Were it not for her my teeth would have fallen out by now — although on the other hand, I might actually have a career if I'd kept my old one, but, you know, whatever. I think I’m going with “Staying hydrated”, as I have a wicked dehydration headache at the moment. What’s yours?
Comment
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Comment by Missy Vollmer on January 5, 2010 at 3:00am -
Audris, your writing is beautiful...how encouraging! Thank you so much for your posts!
My resolution this year is to live more consciously.
Originally, I just wanted to eat more consciously. But, that just didn't seem like enough. I think our society has become so automated that we rarely stop to actually think about what we are doing.
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Comment by Terri Trespicio on January 3, 2010 at 11:34pm -
Wait--I must interject here to talk to Jennifer Killpack-Knutsen: MY DEAR, these are enough New Year's resolutions to take you into the next millenium! I'm not a certified life coach, though I do play one from time to time, and I must encourage you to consider paring down that list to a doable size, like maybe, one or two at best! I think few people learn a new language, move, meditate, lose weight, and become better, more compassionate people all in twelve months' time! Part of the fun of NY's resolutions and this action plan is to set yourself up for small, doable victories. It's good to dream big, but not to expect yourself to change so much so quickly. But here's to your spirit!
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Comment by Audris Wong on January 3, 2010 at 10:39pm -
Jennifer -- what awesome resolutions. I love the read a book that's been sitting on my bookshelf -- totally stealing that one!
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Comment by Leah Gross on January 1, 2010 at 9:06pm -
Whoa -- mine is actually to floss every day! Glad to hear it worked for you. :)
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Comment by Jennifer Killpack-Knutsen on January 1, 2010 at 8:41pm
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Great post - I'm 40 this year and could identify with your experience.
Here are the 10 goals I've set for 2010:
1. learn Spanish.
2. move our family to an apartment which better suits our needs.
3. acclimate myself to eating veggies, miso, rice, tofu and other healthy foods for breakfast.
4. train myself to meditate on a regular basis.
5. get down to a size 14 or lower by the end of the year.
6. work on practicing compassion and "being the change" I want to see in the world.
7. spend quality time with the kids as much as possible
8. become skilled at biking, as well as learn how to repair, changes tires, and other bike maintenance.
9. become more proactive on taking care of home projects, keeping up on things rather than letting it get to a crisis or work overload situation.
10. Read one book per month that is sitting in my bookcase that I haven't managed to read yet.
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Comment by Kathleen MH Alton on December 31, 2009 at 12:55pm -
Wha !!! That was a great post.
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Comment by Robyn Hoffman on December 31, 2009 at 11:27am
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I love it....keeping a promise to yourself is like a seed planted in your soul! Beautiful!
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