Real Life Resolutions

I’m not usually a New Year Resolutions type of person. But this year, I’m making a conscious effort to work toward some real life resolutions to find more joy in my everyday. This year, I resolve…

To be kind.

Call it empathy, call it patience and love in one happy package, but kindness is what I treasure most in the people I love, and what I aspire to practice myself.

To let go.

Having a goal and a plan to achieve it is important. But what I want to work on this year is how to let go when the universe decides to throw a curveball…because how often do our goals work out exactly how we envisioned? Enjoying the process of working towards an objective can be just as rewarding and eye-opening. I’m letting go of thinking I’m in control of all circumstances this year.

To enjoy my children.

This one doesn’t need much work, but these days I feel acutely aware of how fast my boys are growing up. Extra snuggling, extra story-time, extra taking them on hikes and swims and mini adventures. For Christmas, along with the Lego (so, so much Lego), I made sure to get the boys board games we could play together, and books for reading with Mama.

To enjoy the moment.

Not every moment…I’m definitely not evolved enough to be able to see and appreciate the bright side in the really crappy moments. But I’ve been working on pausing and breathing and letting the goodness of all the lovely moments flow over me.

To appreciate my circumstances.

When something in life seems extra tough, or unfair, it’s so easy to get caught up in the negative. There are always positives, though, and while it can be hard work to try to find them, it’s worth it. I’m in a long-distance relationship, which as you can imagine, can be hard – no one likes being apart from the person they love. But what I’m trying to focus on is how lucky we are to be be able to build a strong bond through being apart. We appreciate the moments we can be together more. Because we talk so often, we’ve gotten to know each other more intimately than I think we would have if we had an in-person relationship from the start. And if something is an issue, our communication skills are honed from months of talking from afar.

To move in different ways.

I’ve already started this one, and it’s one I can’t recommend enough. My go-to workout is running and strength training and occasionally yoga. Since moving here, though, I’ve been doing more yoga, running trails, hiking, swimming, spinning, pool running, dancing, and more. I need to get out snow-shoeing and cross country skiing soon, too. It’s great to resolve to work out more, but you need to do what you love, or at least try what you think you might love, to remember that exercise is not just good for your body, it’s good for your mind and soul.

Those are my real-life resolutions…they might not be goal-driven, but for me they’re just as important, and they’ll help me achieve my goals throughout the year, whether they be big or small. Living in the moment, appreciating your circumstances, letting go when things don’t go your way, and enjoying more love and kindness can’t hurt, that’s for sure.