This year I wanted to take a different approach. I am an avid journaler, not just a bullet journaler. I have one where I write down all my feelings and the things I normally would never say out loud. I decided to look through it from all of 2016. I broke it down by month and picked out what I had been learning. Then I looked through all my pictures on Instagram to see what kinds of things my family had been doing the past year and I wrote down our milestones. Once I did that, I looked at my year as a whole and thought through how I wanted to do my life differently. It sounds like a long process but if you like reflecting like me, then it’s very enjoyable and interesting.
There were some things that I forgot I learned and some things I would rather forget, but reflecting through them all gave me a fresh perspective on how I want to change my heart rather than just make a change in how I look. Based on this exercise I came up with six New Year's Resolutions:
-Be Present in my life. I tend to check out when things get tough or zone out on my phone. I want to make a real effort to bring myself back to what’s going on at the moment. One thing I realized is that I spend a lot of time worrying and that has prevented me from being present.
-Be honest in my relationships. I am a people pleaser, I want everyone to be happy but that usually comes from me not saying what I want or how I feel. It sounds like a selfless thing but it’s not. I’ve realized that its lying and I don't want to lie. I want to be authentic and that means saying how I feel.
-Do Yoga! I love the meditative exercise that yoga can be and how it brings your body and mind together. It’s a way to relax, which is what I need more of in my life!
-Study the wilderness/desert times of the people in the Bible. I think there is much to be gleaned from them and I want to grasp it as I go through this dry season in my life. I want to stop grumbling and start learning!
-Stop comparing myself to other people. This has been a struggle my whole life and it is really self-defeating, I’m currently brainstorming ways I can combat this…I’ll let you know if I figure out some good ones because this is easier said than done.
-Be a fun mom! I want to spend more time playing with my kids than worrying about how big of a mess we are making.
Those are it! I feel excited to work on these things this year. Have you spent time reflecting on 2016? Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions?
I like your suggestions about studying the histories in the Bible of people's times of struggle. Many things in life can be learned from those who've gone before us. I like that!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I can't wait to see what I learn from them.
DeleteYou're seriously adorable. I want your boots. Like now.
ReplyDeleteThe comparison trap is awful. It's so hard to not compare yourself to others when we are all online and sharing stuff instantaneously. As far as your suggestion for Yoga... do you have a program you use? I'd really like to try doing some Yoga before bed at night to see if it helps me sleep better. I don't really want to follow a DVD though because I find that distracting to clearing my mind. Thoughts?
Thanks :) I sent you some resources through pinterest, but I think having a post about ways to relax would be awesome!
DeleteI'm a people pleaser as well, I have even found myself telling outright lies to please people. I have been trying to check myself!
ReplyDeleteI also try really hard to be the person people want me to be. I keep telling myself "be Candace"
That's something I tell myself often too, "Just be you!" It's hard!
DeleteThese are great resolutions. I can definitely relate to them especially not comparing myself to others. We just gotta do what we need to do for us! Have an awesome 2017!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Hope you have a great year as well! :)
DeleteThis is great - I love the idea of a year-end review. Reflection is so important and we don't do enough of it in our busy, distracted times.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Thank you!
ReplyDelete