Resolutions

 So, resolutions are typically the bane of my existence.  I would always set great ones, do well for about two months, and then totally bomb it!  The problem was, when one seemed to start to go downhill, all of them seemed to do the same.  As soon as I messed up once, I felt like I had failed already because I wrote in my goal "everyday," or "every month," ect.  This was pretty discouraging for me because I tend to consider myself a fairly driven person.  I'm not one who gives up easily, but these dang New Years resolutions were kicking my rear!  So, I stopped making them all together.  Instead of resolutions I made "commitments" to myself.  These were not written, they were just things I told myself I was going to do, and I always did pretty well.  It was definitely a much less stressful way for me to go.  But now, about 5 years later, I'm giving this resolution thing another go!  This year it's going to be different.  

Now, before you all start laughing, let me tell you what I've decided to do.  So I was talking to my mom on the phone on Sunday and she was telling me about her Relief Society lesson.  She said that the teacher talked about a new kind of resolution.  Here's what you do: Pick a word that you want to describe you in the coming year.  Some that I've thought of are kind, listener, service, happy, optimistic, friendly, outgoing, and charity.  I've narrowed it down to one.  By the end of the year, I hope that this word is part of the definition of who I am.  Each morning when I wake up, I'm going to think of this word.  I'm going to try to pattern my life after what this word means by my thoughts and actions each day.  If I don't do so well one day, guess what, it's not over!  I just need to wake up and do better the next day.  I'm excited to try this new way of making a "resolution."  Instead of feeling like I have to schedule all of my new resolutions in, I'm just going to try to incorporate it into the everyday tasks of my life.  So, for any of you who struggle with resolutions, maybe this is the solution for you as well :)  

I thought this was pretty good:

Oh, and:

Happy New Years Everybody!!