Normally, I sit and brainstorm an elaborate, fantastic list of resolutions for the New Year. It's often divided into several categories: spiritual, physical, financial, intellectual, etc., and I include details as to how I will achieve each goal. Examples of items that frequent my list might be: keep a stricter budget, have a weekly date night, be on time to church, exercise however much, floss every day (which I usually keep until a dentist appointment), cut down on screen time, blog more regularly, and so forth. Sometimes the goals become nice habits, sometimes I forget about them. Sometimes my list turns up a long time later and I wonder at my aspirations.
Time to simplify. I only have two resolutions as we begin 2012, and they came to me without so much as a brain-rustle-of-the-wind. Lovely.
1) Read my scriptures every day. For many reasons (there are always reasons), this scripture-loving girl has let this priority slip into shoddy irregularity. I recommit to reading every day. It doesn't matter how much, who's around, or what time (the other night it was just a couple verses by the light of a cell phone). So far, I'm 10 for 10! I dare say, I see a difference already.
2) Go to bed at 10:00 PM. Last January, I heard Ariel say that she only had one goal. This was it. She added, "I figure everything else will take care of itself." I pondered my own detailed list and couldn't quite see how one goal could bring about the others. BUT -- when I have managed the 10:00 bedtime, everything else is not only more manageable, but more enjoyable. As I have little to no say about being "early to rise" around here, I am determined to be early to bed. Of course, there may be times when an event conflicts, but I will remain committed.
I promise to keep these resolutions. I know that if I do, I will be abundantly happier and so will my family. After all, if Mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy.
What are the resolutions of your heart this year?
Wonderful and uplifting post, Nonie! I confess, I never came up with any resolutions this year... What a slacker am I!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love that you snatch a few verses out of your scriptures. Makes me feel good to know I'm not the only one who has days where they are caught with that. Today I read my verses while Joe cut our dinner and served... Not my ideal, but I fully believe some is infinitely better than none.
ReplyDeleteI love new beginnings! I had an elaborate scheme going on to write a vision statement and then goals based on it blah blah blah. I settled on my patriarchal blessing as a vision statement and am working on one project at a time. Last fall, I started menu planning. My current project is my morning routine, which includes getting up before my kids and requires a much earlier bedtime.
ReplyDeleteI like it. My list looks pretty much the same every year too, so I might as well pick one thing and actually do it this time. Confession: mine is also scripture study. It's like practicing the violin --- so hard to get everything ready and actually start the practice session, but once you are going the time flies. When you feel you've hardly begun it's already been hours.
ReplyDeleteRegular scripture study, which I haven't done in a longlong time, makes the rest of life feel much more balanced.