I was asked the other day what my New Year’s Resolutions  for 2019 were. The truth is I don’t actually have any. I haven’t, in my life, been the best at “using New Year’s Resolutions” in the “healthiest of ways“.

What do I mean by that? Well for example, one year I resolved to do 1 hour of cardio 5 times a week. What tends to happen with me and resolutions like this is one of two things. I either beat myself up every time I experience a week where I “failed” what I told/resolved/promised myself I would do. OR I become basically a slave to the resolution and become positively rigid and inflexible, protecting it at all costs. Even if one of the costs is something dear to me like time with my Mom and Dad, or being there for a friend who is going through something and could really use to go out for coffee.

So since I seem to have some challenge with doing New Year’s Resolutions in a healthy manner…. what do I do? I kinda put together two things I learned from others – “One Day At a Time” and also Stephen Covey’s “Begin With the End in Mind”.

Begin with the End in Mind

Covey’s “Begin With the End in Mind” gives me the compass heading I want to be walking towards… the ideal.. the “True North” that I, as who I am today, want to move towards in my life – personally, physically, emotionally, relationship wise, financially… everything.

My compass headings and my “true north” can change and shift just as I, hopefully, continue to change and grow. In my life I have always been “me” at the same time …. hmmmm… this is hard to put into proper words.

I think Dr Who captured what I’m trying to say best in the following quote –

“We all change, when you think about it. We’re all different people all through our lives and that’s okay, that’s good you’ve got to keep moving so long as you remember all the people that you used to be.”

Dr Who, 11th Doctor, Time of the Doctor

In my life there have been many times where my priorities have radically shifted.  How I see myself changes. How I see myself in relationship to others changes.  As a result my compass heading for my future changes.  Sometimes radically, sometimes just simple adjustments.  Always based on who I am today and who I want to be today and tomorrow.  

So…. “Begin with the End in Mind” is the first part.  The ever shifting direction of where I want to walk toward, for who I am today.

The next part?  The footwork.

One Day At A Time

A friend of mine is in a 12 Step program. They have this saying – “One Day at a Time”. This seemed like something I could do. Take each day and try to do the best I can each and every day.

There is something I heard someone say once that really hit a nerve inside of me that REALLY made “One Day at a Time” resonate –

Our future is determined not so much by our plans for tomorrow as by our actions today.

Or as Van Halen Said

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now,
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now,
Catch a magic moment, do it
Right here and now
It means everything

Hugs!