Truth time: I’ve never had a very good track record when it comes to making — and keeping! — New Year’s resolutions. Over the last couple decades or so, my resolutions have looked something like this…
* In 1996, my 15-year-old self vowed to get more exercise. I was bright-eyed and determined. I was set to tool around in my house every morning on my walker.
*In 1997, I vowed to become Ms. Social. I thought that with a little bit of work, I could morph into the outgoing person I wanted to be. With a little smile and a friendly hello to everyone I passed in those hallowed high school halls, I stood by and waited for the magic wand of change to swoop down and grant my wish.
*In 2000 and 2001, I resolved to tell Crush Boy how I felt about him. And it wasn’t just to say, “Hey, I like your shirt,” although he did have this one shirt that made his cute blue eyes sparkle. Yes, this was the real thing. True Love. I was sure of it, apparently, and I couldn’t live another day without telling him. He had no idea how I felt, but things would be different by the end of the school year. The year rolled by, and I continued to turn into a blubbering idiot every time he came my way. So I didn’t say anything. And I didn’t say anything. And I didn’t say anything, still, until 2009, when So About What I Said sort of, well, did all the talking for me.
These resolutions aren’t exactly the stuff self-help books are made of, are they? And then, maybe by some sort of divine magic, I began seeing a trend on Facebook last week. Instead of making resolutions that you’ll forget as soon as the last of the Christmas ornaments are packed away for the year, people were choosing a “special keyword” for the year. It could be “organization,” like the word my mom chose. It could be “simplify,” if you’re looking to pare down your life and get back to basics. Or, it could be “calm,” if you want to add more quiet moments to your day and eliminate unnecessary stress.
The key here (no pun intended…) is to choose a word that will give you inspiration all year long — one that will guide you in how you make changes and how you live your life for the next 365 days. There has to be something that will truly benefit your life. Think outside the box and work hard to find what it is. Giving a voice to your keyword is the first step of the journey. The journey is magical, and maybe your life isn’t in need of the vast makeover you’ve artfully devised. I once thought that New Year’s resolutions are our feeble attempts to rewrite the past. In 2015, I see them as simply a good way to write your future and have a say in how your life turns out. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. This can be your year. I challenge you to look at this year as a blank book. The fresh, crisp pages are white as snow, not yet littered with ink. They’re just waiting for you to begin the story and the journey. You’re in charge of writing the book of your life. Don’t you want it to have a happy ending?
So, friends, what’s your keyword for the year? Is it similar to last year’s? How will you work on the keyword throughout the year? Let’s get inspired, shall we? xoxo
P.S. See my keyword in the comments! :)
[Photos via We Heart It]
