 I am not a big believer in resolutions. Namely because people tend to set their sights on great ideals and they don't understand how to set up goals, tasks, and self-evaluation periods to ensure they will make those 'resolutions' happen. I see new years resolutions as a great way to set yourself up for disappointment. However I am a big fan of goal setting, so I find myself joining the yearly craze of New Years Resolutions as a fantastic time for me to check in on the status of my constant goal setting and to reflect on what needs updating or added. One of the accomplishments that I am firmly proud of was my resolve to monthly find ways to give back. Vague sounding? Yes. Open to a fair amount of interpretation? Yes. I purposefully worded it that way. I found myself living a life where any time I made a donation to a cause I believed in or I was able to donate my time to volunteer for a great charity- I felt really great. I found that I had a deep desire to do more good, but being fairly poor I was unwilling to commit to donating money monthly and being time strapped often I didn't want to commit myself to physically volunteering and then be unavailable. So I set an attainable and achievable goal for myself: Every month try to find some way to give back. I set this goal in Sept 2013 and have been in one way or another going strong. What has been fun is that every month that has meant slightly different things...and when the 30th is coming up its easy to find a way to meet that months quota:
I am not listing these things to in any way brag but to point out suggestions. If you are reading this blog, I assume there is some level of giving in your heart. So I challenge you to make my goal, your goal. Make this a SOLUTION to making 2015 love filled. What things can you do to give back this year? Once you start to brainstorm it becomes apparent that these opportunities are everywhere.... Babysit for friends, Help clean up the neighborhood garden/park, Give your nutrition bar to a homeless person, Donate $$$ to public radio/tv, Help a friend move, Volunteer to paint a neighborhood school, Give hot coffee to your postman on a cold day, Rake a neighbors leaves, Send a note of appreciation to your garbage-men Think about what your interests are. What your skills are. And what things in life you constantly take for granted. I challenge you to not walk past them blindly this year. Take some time, open your eyes, and give back in any capacity that you can. I guarantee, that far after you stop going to the gym, you will be wanting to continue giving back. originally posted on my previous blog lovesomemore, prior to combining blogs in Jan 2015.
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 The hardest times in life; the times that feel like everything is a constant uphill battle, when light is nowhere to be seen, and when it feels impossible to feel sure of your decisions; are also the times in life that are the most meaningful to your development and growth as a person. Without hardship and struggle, happiness would never feel so welcome and self-growth would never be attainable. So as much as these phases can seem never-ending and always daunting, they also provide some of the most important lessons and growth opportunities in life. As I reflect upon the challenges that I have faced in the past, as seemingly minute as they may appear to others, I can not help but to be filled with faith that all these moving pieces will fall into the correct places and that the paths to come will lead me to (continue to) grow into the person that I want to be. These reflections also make me feel incredibly lucky to have so much love in my life. The fact that I am blessed with an extended family whom I know deep down that I could always call if need be, always makes me feel supported no matter what the challenge. The friends that have helped me face adult life and have given me strength & laughter, any and every time I have needed it. And the handful of lifelong friends that I have built true bonds with, always supply me with the sense that life always goes on. No matter what the day, challenge, pain, or trouble- it always passes and you need to make the most of it. Finally I am reminded daily of what strength, support, love, and goal-setting really means because of a husband who constantly is by my side pushing me to dream, smile, and be better at everything that I aspire to. I guess that it’s just intriguing to me that as confused and wanderlust as you can feel in life, sometimes being lost in the confusion of it all, makes you remember just how great you really have it. Just how beautiful life really is. And how lucky and lovely your world is. How important it is to fill your life with supportive, motivating, and inspiring people. Maybe that moment of reflection is the first sign that the phase of difficulties is ending... #growthalwayswelcome Last night I met a man who truly loves jui jitsu but he was relocating to run a family business. Because of this he was explaining that he was not going to be doing any jui jitsu for at least 6 months. I had a former co-worker who after exhausting days at work drearily headed home to care take for aging parents. My sister calls flustered with the weight of parenthood and adult responsibilities, feeling a lost sense of self. These stories make me so sad. Yet they are the daily norm for so many of us. I understand that life gets crazy and that we often have to put others needs in front of our own, but I am a strong believer that we should never ignore our own needs. If we don't at least spend a little bit of every day focused on our own happiness, no one else will.  Step 1: Write down what makes you happy. Start to inventory it. Any time that you do something during the week that brings a huge smile to your face, add it to your list. If your truly at a loss of where to start, try things that you used to love as a kid. For me, its lots i did as a child, I still love immensely. Reading before bed, soaring high on swings, writing stories, bike rides, arts and crafts... once I started to make my list I realized how much happier my days were when I took some time including them. So now I make an effort to ensure my day has more of those things in it. Step 2: Shape your day around these things. Prioritize them! This may mean waking up 15 minutes early for some self time, going on a different route home to add in some fun at a park, changing your daily schedule (a little less tv time could be put towards a happiness activity), and explaining to loved ones that you need a little time for you. Life gets crazy. Other obligations get in the way. Don't let the stessors of life keep you from putting a little happiness into each day. You deserve YOU time. You deserve to smile and to focus on you. Especially if you are spending most of your time aiding others, don't neglect your own self love time. It's never too late in life to try something that your makes your heart sing. My grandmom started tai-chi at the ripe age of 84! So turn off the computer, go grab that hula hoop & shake yourself a little smile. You deserve every second of smiles. |
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