No matter what corner of the world I am in, this season often brings to light the feeling that whatever I am doing is not enough. I have not bought enough, or written enough, or called enough or exercised enough, or volunteered enough. From Christmas in New Zealand to Mexico to Italy, the feeling always arrives on time. It makes sense then that a desire to close those gaps comes along with the new year. I am going to make resolutions to shore up all the ways I am not enough!
Here is a list of the Top 10 Most Commonly Broken New Year’s Resolutions from Time Magazine:
- Lose Weight and Get Fit
- Quit Smoking
- Learn Something New
- Eat a Healthier Diet
- Get Out of Debt and Save Money
- Spend More Time with Family
- Travel to New Places
- Be Less Stressed
- Volunteer
- Drink Less
This year I say, enough is enough! We don’t break resolutions because we are not strong enough, or focused enough or because we don’t have enough time. We break them because the very act of setting them, communicates that we believe we are, in this moment of our lives, NOT ENOUGH!
I think I misunderstood the word “resolution” for many years. A resolution is, “The mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.” Nowhere in the definition does it say, “What is wrong with me and how will I fix it?”
This year, I am focusing on my resolve and my firmness of purpose to live deliberately in each moment of each day. One thing I know for sure, after over a year of continuous travel, is that if I focus on what IS working and come from a place of gratitude, the weight falls off, the bank account magically grows and the time to live with purpose lays out the red carpet across continents.
Thinking about the New Year from a place of what is going well feels like momentum rather than a contract soon to be broken. The only explanation for this is my belief that I am enough. It does not mean goals and project plans won’t get set. It means they will flow more easily and bring more joy because I am always more productive when I feel good.
To have resolve means to “transform or determine.” This New Year’s I am determined to transform my belief about resolutions from one of lack to one of appreciation.
