New year’s resolutions seem to be one of those things that people are either for or against. While most are motivated by the idea of “New Year, New Me,” others scoff at the fact that most people don’t stick to their resolutions passed a month. Moreover, others disagree with the idea of waiting until the mark of a new year to make a change, when people can make a resolution at any point throughout the year. Those points are valid, I on the other hand am very fond of new year’s resolutions and setting new intentions with the start of the year. At the same time, I make new goals for myself throughout the year as needed. But in the spirit of “New Year, New Me,” I have set some resolutions that not only help my personal development, but also help me be a better person for others.
At the beginning of every year, I set an intention. This intention is more of an overall theme for the year and it’s centered around a spiritual practice I would like to implement into my life. This year I set my focus on the practice of letting go. Whether that is letting go of the future and staying present, or letting go of the things I can’t control, or digging deep to understand why it’s hard for me to let go in certain situations.
Along with my broader, long-term goal, I also wanted to set a more specific practical goal that will help me in my day-to-day. One of my resolutions is to be stricter on the time I wake up and go to bed. At the current moment I don’t have a consistent sleep schedule therefore the times I wake up varies. I want to create more structure and be able to get more done throughout the day. Having a consistent time to wake up and go to bed can contribute to this goal in significant ways.
Self-improvement helps me show up better for myself and others. I focus on the importance of self-full-ness as a means to show up fully as myself, but also be present and available for others. Self-full-ness seeks to fill my own cup first i.e., taking care of myself, healing, and growing. Not from a selfish place, but in a way that will allow me to function optimally without feeling drained with nothing for myself. Then, from that space when my cup is filled, I can fully be available for others physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially and any other way someone might need me in the moment. Of course, this process takes time and requires boundaries, discipline, and practice, but setting realistic, personal goals is always helpful for our daily lives.
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