Tuesday, December 27, 2011

A Slower Path to New Year's Resolutions

The gap between Yule and New Year's always feels a bit fluid; like we're all holding our breath waiting for something spectacular. It's the time of introspection, the inbetween of announcing new aspirations willynilly and reviewing our lives.

As a rule I've always avoided New Year's resolutions. They're like dieting: they never work nor are they realistic. Falling off the New Year's Resolution Wagon can cause a plummet beyond your previous levels, also like dieting. I am not a fan of dieting (re: self-loathing, self-restriction).

Every year, predictably, I'm tempted. To make sweeping environmental plans like: "I will make soups and freeze them!" or "We will significantly decrease our energy usage!" or even "I will only buy clothing second hand or made from organic cotton". It never works.

My Yoga/Health plans sound vaguely like: "I will practice at a studio more than once a week" or "I will begin meditating every day" or "I will read a whole crapload of yoga books" or "Coffee and Yoga will take on a whole new level this year".

My other life plans sound like: "I will play the guitar more often" or "I will actually write another song every month" or "I will start my voice and piano practice up again"...

Yep- all completely overwhelming and a lesson in guilt tripping. I really wish I had time (and money) for ALL of them!

I do think that this fluid space between now and New Year's is a nice time for some thoughtful redirection towards what could be a mindful adjustment on the path of life.

As many of us are enjoying the lull of inbetween limbo, now is the time for more journal writing, guitar playing, singing, yoga practicing... all with the purpose of accepting who you are right now, where you'd like to direct your sails in the wind and a few possible tools to get you there.

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

5 comments:

  1. YES!!! Thank you for writing this post! It is exactly what is going through my mind. And is exactly why I bought *myself* a brand new journal for Xmas.
    I am being kinder and gentler with myself during this end of 2011; writing a lot, and yes, lots of introspection....and feeling my way this time to figure out a better, less stressful way of setting and reaching my goals.
    Hope you had an awesome Christmas!

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  2. Lovely - just something I wrote about today, too! LOL. I'm trying to think of my goals as ever-changing and evolving, rather than having them set for specific times (like for New Year's). Nope. No more of that!

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  3. What a wonderful post. I will be making some New Years commitments though. I need them. My fathers passing has made me reflect on my life and things that need to be "tweaked" so to speak.

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  4. Ah, yes, so many of these rely on money - I would love to have private pilates lessons to sort out my back, have flute and piano lessons again. Not going to happen, unless my little business takes off in a major way. Why set yourself up for guilt?

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  5. Very thoughtful post. Being in another country around people that speak a different language that although you understand, cannot fully participate in (especially when I am tired) allows for a lot of time to think. I realized that I needed a break from the last 2 years of constant work. So I took a few days to enjoy the people I am with and my surroundings. I also realized that it is really easy to climb onto the resolution wagon and grand thoughts of doing more this coming year started entering my head. I took a step back and focused my thoughts on one goal for 2012, finish my PhD, everything else is a bonus. Luckily, this is an achievable goal since I am 2 chapters away from finishing. On that note I should get back to work! :)

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