A New Way of Writing Resolutions

Calling all grandparents! You're never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. I love that quote from C.S.Lewis. And it certainly applies to writing resolutions. This year I'll be 76! Yowzers! I don't know how that happened. But come January, I still think about resolutions, and what changes I need to make. Or what I need to ADD to my happiness bucket. It's not always about making changes. It can also be about setting new goals or adding something new to your life that might enhance it. 

I know we're well into January now, and perhaps you think the time for making resolutions is over. But I don't think so. I actually think it's never too late to make a resolution. And I'm even of the opinion that perhaps we should write our winter resolutions, and our spring resolutions (Spring actually is a great time for new starts and new goals.), and summer resolutions--you get the idea. 

As I usually do, I checked the Internet for new ideas for writing resolutions. And I'm sure you noticed and probably read, ideas for resolutions in January newspapers and magazines. There's a wealth of information and self-improvement ideas out there. Or perhaps you had a health scare last year. You are probably approaching this new year with a goal to improving your diet or your exercise regimen. We all do that, and we all realize we need to do that. Sometimes it helps to read how other people have succeeded in making changes. 

For the last few years, there have been a ton of articles about decluttering your house. And that is often one of many people's resolutions. Perhaps it's because we've taken our Christmas trees down, cleaned the house, and prepared for the new year, the new start. So I noticed a lot of blogs about decluttering and organizing. I'll share those sites at the end of my blog. 

Maybe you had some misfortune this past year. You see a need for changes to help you get through that difficult time. My sweet daughter-in-law gave me Joanna Gaines' book, The Stories We Tell, and in it Joanna describes prejudice she experienced as a young girl. But then she said this, "I wouldn't have to change my life completely. I only needed to learn how to HOLD it all differently." I love that. We all probably need to learn how to hold our grief differently. I think we need to use it to inform our future decisions. Like the quote above says, we need to make changes based on that misfortune, so don't just throw it all away. Use it.

Another thing I noticed in my research about resolutions, is there seems to be a new way to do it. Oftentimes, articles encourage you to choose just one area to write resolutions about. Be more focused and more specific. For example, as I mentioned above, write resolutions about decluttering your home. Or just focus on self-care or self improvement. This one would seem to be for mothers of young children--resolutions about ways to simplify your life. 

I found one blog that was based on a weekly challenge; for example, a week giving up sugar, or a week wherein you're a tourist in your own town; a week of writing handwritten notes to family and friends. I liked that one. 

And there was one that was called "365 Days" with a resolution for each day of the year. Examples, buy flowers for someone, learn 10 Korean words, listen to a TED Talk, and make a list of all the things you're grateful for. 

I hope you've gotten some ideas for writing resolutions, and perhaps for writing them in a NEW way. And don't forget to write resolutions for your relationships. We all could stand to improve on those. Something as simple as paying your partner a compliment a day, or give the people in your life five hugs a day. My grandson shoots for getting 35 per day--he always makes me laugh. 

And here are some websites that might inspire you:

​www.pinterest.com/pin/282037995419218283/

​www.pinterest.com/pin/282037995419237532/

​creatingmaryshome.com/the-declutter-challenge/

​Happy 2023 everyone. With our writing of resolutions, perhaps this will be our best year ever!