Resolutions

SweetErika

Fingers Crossed
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Posts
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Do you make resolutions around the New Year? If so, do you tend to keep them? What generally leads to success or failure for you? Care to share any you're thinking of for 2005?

If you don't make resolutions, why not?

Do you have any other rituals or traditions around this time of the year?
 
SweetErika said:

If you don't make resolutions, why not?

Do you have any other rituals or traditions around this time of the year?

Most of my resolutions, if you want to call them that, involve around improving my health. Lose weight, eventually give up smoking etc..

No specific rituals for me. I gave up on them when they made it illegal to toss virgins into volcanos to appease the mountain. Besides, didn't they put virgins on the endangered species list? Or was that Virginians? I get the two mixed up. :D
 
I was just thinking about this tonight while I was doing the dishes. (I do a lot of really creative thinking doing the dishes.) I always look back on the ending year and take stock of where I was when the year started and where I want to be, in terms of personal growth, by this time next year.

2004 has been quite a year for me. I've dealt with physical and mental health issues, big bumps in the road for my marriage, my oldest moving out totally on her own, and making some new friends that mean a lot to me.

I am learning how to be comfortable with the real me, the one who occasionally swears like a drunken sailor, and the one who loves to putter aound the kitchen. I hope to continue that journey. At the half-century mark, it's high time I got to know the real bobsgirl.

Edited to add: Bob, didn't you get the memo? Virgins aren't being used anymore for volcano tossing. they've switched to goats...It's a joke, people...
 
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bobsgirl said:
I was just thinking about this tonight while I was doing the dishes. (I do a lot of really creative thinking doing the dishes.) I always look back on the ending year and take stock of where I was when the year started and where I want to be, in terms of personal growth, by this time next year.

2004 has been quite a year for me. I've dealt with physical and mental health issues, big bumps in the road for my marriage, my oldest moving out totally on her own, and making some new friends that mean a lot to me.

I am learning how to be comfortable with the real me, the one who occasionally swears like a drunken sailor, and the one who loves to putter aound the kitchen. I hope to continue that journey. At the half-century mark, it's high time I got to know the real bobsgirl.

Edited to add: Bob, didn't you get the memo? Virgins aren't being used anymore for volcano tossing. they've switched to goats...It's a joke, people...

That was very nice to read...thanks for sharing! :)
 
Re: Re: Resolutions

Bobmi357 said:
Most of my resolutions, if you want to call them that, involve around improving my health. Lose weight, eventually give up smoking etc..

No specific rituals for me. I gave up on them when they made it illegal to toss virgins into volcanos to appease the mountain. Besides, didn't they put virgins on the endangered species list? Or was that Virginians? I get the two mixed up. :D

Rest easy...I'm sure there will be an overabundance of virgins when every school in this great nation stops teaching about sex and starts a great abstinance only program! ;)

Rituals...I was more thinking along the lines of writing down all of the things you want to leave in the past and burning the paper...it's very cathartic, and I think I'll try that again this year. I thought other people might have some ideas I could pick up.
 
bobsgirl said:
I am learning how to be comfortable with the real me, the one who occasionally swears like a drunken sailor, and the one who loves to putter aound the kitchen. I hope to continue that journey. At the half-century mark, it's high time I got to know the real bobsgirl.


Bobsgirl, I've had a similar year. I've made a LOT of changes in my life and have gotten to know the real me much, much better. For 2005 I want to continue that... really knowing who I am, what I want out of life and what I want to give to life. I want to continue to improve myself as well. Not to be too "Oprah Winfrey" but I want to live my best life. And, like the quote in my signature line, I want to live not just the length but the width of my life. There are things we can each give to the world that are uniquely us. And I believe my contributions to the world will be better the better I know myself...

I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling 2005 will be a year full of good things for me. Not pain or stress-free by any means, but full of good things. In many ways, good things are happening all the time - I just need to have eyes to see them.

Whatever your goals for 2005 are, everyone, I hope many good things find you in 2005.
 
SweetErika said:
That was very nice to read...thanks for sharing! :)

Thanks, Erika!:)

Jacuzzigal, I will always remember 2004 as the year I started to feel more at peace with the person I am, instead of always trying to be what I thought someone else wanted me to be. It's a constant struggle, but I am learning to be more comfortable in my own skin.

And if that means I am a cookie-baker who more than occasionally drops the f-bomb, well I think that's pretty cool.;)
 
I stopped making resolutions a long time ago - I'm not sure I ever did it actually.

Somewhere along the line I decided this new year thing was a bummer to me. I would look back at what I didn't do instead of what I did, look at what was lost instead of what was gained. I still can't seem to let that mentality go just yet.

This past year has been the most amazing in my life thus far - for good reasons. I was able to move past some difficult obstacles and really feel the sunshine on the other side. I began to see myself through others eyes, it was tough at first, but I met a few very trustworthy people and started to listen. It helped me feel more at peace with me - on the inside. I would have thought it would be the other way around but it wasn't..... I needed to know how the world saw me and I heard words to describe me that I'd never heard before.

Some of those people only know me via online or phone, we've not been in the same room and their thoughts were interesting. It made me wonder if I'm different online then off until I met a bunch of people from Lit and I really started to understand a very important thing - people will react to me with the energy I give off, the way I project myself - you get back what you give off.

Like Bobsgirl and jacuzzigal, I'm more peaceful inside, I know myself far better - part of that is just getting older I think. (And no I do not mean that young people don't have that peace.) I have found the older I get the easier life can be to live - maybe it is because I'm not as concerned with some things as I used to be, what matters is different - not better or worse - just different, that is the way life is, our interests change, our priorities etc.

I like it this way, I feel so much less pressure as I get older. There is more responsibility but less pressure from the inside.

I wish the best to everyone for a happy and peaceful new year.

:rose:
 
Re: Re: Resolutions

Bobmi357 said:


No specific rituals for me. I gave up on them when they made it illegal to toss virgins into volcanos to appease the mountain. Besides, didn't they put virgins on the endangered species list? Or was that Virginians? I get the two mixed up. :D


Hey now...;)

I don't think I'd like it in a volcano...
 
I don't make resolutions. Never did. I doubt I'd stick with them anyway and that would only foster images of failure. Nope, can't have that!

But virgins in volcanos? Hmmm....interesting. That would guarantee a good year, right? Now we would just have to find a virgin......
 
Cathleen said:
Like Bobsgirl and jacuzzigal, I'm more peaceful inside, I know myself far better - part of that is just getting older I think. (And no I do not mean that young people don't have that peace.) I have found the older I get the easier life can be to live - maybe it is because I'm not as concerned with some things as I used to be, what matters is different - not better or worse - just different, that is the way life is, our interests change, our priorities etc.

I like it this way, I feel so much less pressure as I get older. There is more responsibility but less pressure from the inside.

Less pressure and more peaceful - who doesn't want this?

I believe you're correct, Cate - much of it has to do with age. The older I get the less concerned I am with justifying everything I think or say.... maybe I am concentrating on myself a bit more. Does this mean I'm becoming "set in my ways" like they say of older people? lol

Whatever it means I feel as if I'm living my life better than I was before. Less defined by others and more defined by me. That kind of freedom is personal and priceless.
 
jacuzzigal said:
Less pressure and more peaceful - who doesn't want this?

I believe you're correct, Cate - much of it has to do with age. The older I get the less concerned I am with justifying everything I think or say.... maybe I am concentrating on myself a bit more. Does this mean I'm becoming "set in my ways" like they say of older people? lol

Whatever it means I feel as if I'm living my life better than I was before. Less defined by others and more defined by me. That kind of freedom is personal and priceless.
Set in your ways - don't you just love that phrase - lol

I agree that with age there comes an ease I never expected. If I knew 20 years ago that there would come a time I wouldn't care about every little thing in life..... what a bunch of energy I wasted.

I see my niece and nephew getting all bent out of shape and anxious about small things and I try to let them know it is ok, you won't fall off the earth .....

One day we were all out and I noticed a new neighborhood development and pulled in to look. There was a sign on one of the trees about 'no trespassing, police take notice'. My goodness the anxiety level went up 100 notches with them.... 'Auntie you can't do that, you're going to get in trouble......' I tried to tell them it really was ok, I was just looking and yes there was a sign but explained that we were behaving responsibly and meant no harm..... it was an interesting conversation. But man oh man did they freak......lol
 
JacuzziGal, Cate, Bobsgirl, thank you...your words are great reminders and very thought provoking! :rose:

I don't make resolutions, but I like to take some time to look at where I've been, give myself some praise, and think about how I can apply what I've learned. I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned so much about myself in the past year, and I'm excited about the continued growth and happiness to come. :)
 
I never keep them. Never once have I followed through. Really don't think I will have any this year.
To be honest, I'm pretty happy with the way my life is going right now anyway. Hopefully 2005 will continue with my life going up.
 
The biggest problem with resolutions is we are too influenced by outside sources. If you're happy with yourself as you are, fine, but don't let outside influences determine who and what you should be.

Who cares if you don't look like a cover girl off cosmo, she has an eating disorder, and probably a drug habit. Not to mention her flawless skin came from an airbrush.

There are things we want to change because we don't like them ourselves, and things we want to change to please the people around us. Of the two, changing what YOU want to change should be more important than doing something just to please someone else. The only exception I'd make to this would be health related issues.

I don't make resolutions, usually because I find I don't really keep them. Additionally I find the idea of new years resolutions sorta silly. Why wait til the start of the new year to change something you don't like about yourself?
 
Bobmi357 said:
The biggest problem with resolutions is we are too influenced by outside sources. If you're happy with yourself as you are, fine, but don't let outside influences determine who and what you should be.

Who cares if you don't look like a cover girl off cosmo, she has an eating disorder, and probably a drug habit. Not to mention her flawless skin came from an airbrush.

There are things we want to change because we don't like them ourselves, and things we want to change to please the people around us. Of the two, changing what YOU want to change should be more important than doing something just to please someone else. The only exception I'd make to this would be health related issues.

I don't make resolutions, usually because I find I don't really keep them. Additionally I find the idea of new years resolutions sorta silly. Why wait til the start of the new year to change something you don't like about yourself?

That is the best post, I have read in a loooooooong while.
Totally agree. Only this year have I felt so comfortable with myself, that I don't feel like I *have* to make resolutions.
I guess this is why I always failed them also. Because I wasn't really making them for me, I was making them because I thought thats what the whole world thought of me. Tummy is too flabby. Arms are too skinny. Hair is too short. Jeez..
For now, I'll stick with those skinny arms, and flabby belly.. I'll just have to buy longer shirts. ;)
 
SweetErika said:
JacuzziGal, Cate, Bobsgirl, thank you...your words are great reminders and very thought provoking! :rose:

I don't make resolutions, but I like to take some time to look at where I've been, give myself some praise, and think about how I can apply what I've learned. I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned so much about myself in the past year, and I'm excited about the continued growth and happiness to come. :)
I am feeling the same Erika, I am so grateful for so much this year and changing the calendar won't mean anything new, other then it is a new day to keep working on what I want to change and rejoice in what I've learned thus far.

For me slow and steady makes the best method for change, to become aware of what I want or need to change and then following the process of change. Becoming aware is step one, then considering, contemplation and then integrating the change - there is no calendar in my heart or mind for those things.

I do the whole reflection thing to a fault sometimes...... just like I talk too much! lol ;)
 
Bobmi357 said:
Is it ok to make a resolution to have sex more often? :D


That could probably be the only resolution I would want and be able to keep!! Good one!
 
for 2005

I usually don't make resolutions, like one of the above posters, it seems silly to wait until January 1 to change a habit or improve on something in your life.

This weekend I plan on removing the clutter from around my computer desk area and keeping it that way. There will be times when I lapse, but there's that chance with everything.

I plan on making a more dedicated effort to take a walk every day-to help with the clutter in my head. It also gives me a chance to enjoy the sunrise or the sunset and listen to the birds chirp and see the color of nature.
 
This year, I do and I don't.

I am going to try to take better care of myself. I've been a bit more active this week, and so on and so forth. Next it will be eating better.

But I won't call them resolutions, just because of the failure stigma involved there. I feel like if I call it a resolution, it's automatically doomed.

As for why people wait until January 1, I think it's just the importance of doing something symbolic. Which I suppose has quite a bit of value, even these days.

In any case, Happy 2005 to all. Mine will be better than last year, becuase it sure can't get much worse...
 
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