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 gifted enough, written enough, called enough, exercised enough, or volunteered enough. From holidays spent in Indonesia 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. The track in my head goes something like, “Now it is time to make resolutions to shore up the many 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, as defined by dictionary.com, 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. It takes practice but I know it is time well spent. One thing I know for sure, after nearly eight years as a nomadic family of five, is that if I focus on what is working and come from a place of gratitude, the weight begins to fall off, the bank account steadily grows, I have more time to give back, and the time to live with purpose lays out the red carpet across continents. In other words, the gaps close by simply shifting from focusing on the problem to celebrating what is …
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. Who is with me?
Here is how you can “Livit” today:
Today I am deliberate about articulating what worked in my life this past year.
- Spend a few minutes today jotting down things in your life that worked to bring you joy and fulfillment this past 12 months.
- For now, ignore any gaping holes you seem to gravitate toward, and focus only on appreciation for your experience. Be specific!
- Live with this appreciative list today and notice how it feels.
Today I am deliberate about articulating what worked in my life this past year because I know focusing on what is working will bring more ease and joy into my experience.
