4.1.11

resolve

It's a new year and everyone's got a resolution. Everyone is vowing and promising and crossing their heart but is anyone really going to succeed? One time on our way home from a Christmas vacation Michael and I sat behind a woman on a plane who was listing her New Year's Resolutions. It read something like this:

Read a book a month
Run a marathon
Lose 10 pounds
Learn Spanish
Learn French
Learn Italian
Travel more
No more sugar

We both sat behind her anxiously watching as another completely unrealistic goal was scribbled down. We couldn't help but snicker and roll our eyes. Honestly, three languages?! Psh. Yeah. Right.

Anyway, my point is, there are over achievers who, sadly, force themselves into the corner of becoming the under achiever. Those people who take on the world on January 1st are inevitably setting themselves up for failure. Not that there's anything wrong with that as long as you're cool planning on becoming an astronaut every year and never getting to the moon. The more I think about it the more this person sounds like Michael Scott from The Office. Ie: The Michael Scott Paper Company. I digress. Let's just call the shoot-for-the-mooners Michael Scotts.

Then there are the Scrooge McDucks. People like me who don't like making resolutions because the whole idea seems contrived and under appreciated. I like to say things like, "I should be working on myself year round" and "why is this day any different than any other day for making special goals?" and "bah humbug!" Okay, okay that last one was a joke. In fact I find I'm way more of an optimist than most but my point is this, isn't my mentality just as lame and cliche as the Michael Scotts?

How can I feel good about saying, "screw it," when I have the perfect opportunity to improve myself? It's true that goal making should happen year round just like we should try to keep the spirit of Christmas all year long. It's also true that cliche doings will always be cliche and sometimes that feels uncomfortable. BUT! Just like I follow the spirit of Halloween by costuming my family and passing out candy. Just like I stuff a flimsy colorful basket full of horrid plastic grass and candy filled eggs at Easter and just like when I confess my gratitude at the Thanksgiving dinner table, I should embrace the New Year's Resolution. It's the only part of the holiday that a married, Mormon, mother can truly celebrate.

So what are my resolutions this year? Who the spank knows? That's the horrible trick of it all isn't it? We struggle to find something worth publishing and also something attainable. There's this fine line between flossing everyday (no offense Liz, seriously, no offense) and learning every Latin based language. The Michael Scott's and the Scrooge McDucks leave little room for the Mary Poppins.

I do have a few ideas. Things like:
run a half marathon
read the whole Book Of Mormon
teach Jack to read a little
stay in my budget
be a better, more reliable friend

These are all good and fine but none of them hits the tally of "practically perfect in every way" like I want them to. The list is a mish mash. I think New Year's Resolutions must be an art. Are any of you artists in this way? What's on your list? Shake me from my bah humbugs and give me some ideas. One of you mentioned via Facebook, having regular family home evenings. I like that one, on the surface it seems too simple but when you get down to the brass tacks of a real weekly schedule it becomes quite a challenge. Personally, I go in and out with FHE and I think that's a happy medium goal. Not too hard and not too soft. Like a good poo. ;) Haha! Sorry, just had to throw that in there.

So yeah, let me know what you're doing. I'd really like to know.

9 comments:

Heather B said...

Well guess I will have to come back to read everyone elses resolutions but my dad once gave me a great suggestion and that was to set at least one resolution in each of four categories: spiritual, emotional, physical, and social. So some of mine are templ attendance once a month, clean for an hour a day, give my kids my full attention for an hour a day, go to bed before midnight, print off 2 blog books/journals, and be a better wife by complimenting and touching Samuel more, and complaining less. Oh yeah and start back up with my Jillian michaels DVDs at 6 weeks postpartum. And can I just say that I didn't get around to setting any resolutions last year and I regretted it the whole year and felt like a lazy schmuck.

Eevi said...

If you really want to run a half-marathon, I am thinking of doing the same..maybe we can be training buddies. No pressure or commitment yet since I have to have to deliver this baby and get rid of some sweet extra pounds before I can hit the pavement. Just an idea:)

Amy said...

I like the idea of doing simple things and just a few. Your a mom, you work and already have a lot "to do"

I always try to just be better than the year before in everything. I actually started my change at the end of last year.

One "specific" goal that I think is really worth while for every latter day saint woman is make your visiting teaching a priority. I know it sounds lame, but so many blessings come from it, and I think it really balances people out.

Maureen said...

"Loose 10 lbs, finish 3rd grade, and Michael won't have buck teeth." Oh wait those were the predictions we made! Sorry Michael had to throw that in there ;)-and you've never had buck teeth by the way. Lots of love!
Mine? I really liked the talk by Utchdorf past conference-slow down, when things get busy we tend to speed up, when really we should slow down-I'm trying to find my pace with 4, they really grow up too fast, I want to love all the moments! Love ya!
Maureen

Carmen said...

I dont do the whole resolution thing, not because I'm against it or anything, I just don't take the time to actually think that sort of thing through...besides I was going to get clever and think up a few for you to ponder and then I read your poop comment...now all I can think about is poop and how sad I am that pregnancy makes it impossible for me to take one...TMI right?! I know, but you're the one throwing out all the poop comments, blog and FB (totally nasty about the playground btw). ah well

Jeanette & Jason said...

Well I think the lady was off to a good start but probably should have stopped at #3. I made a resolution last year and totally stuck with it. Nothing this year though, but I can't say I've had the time to sit and think about it yet. I'd like to say it's to have a lot more patience with my kids, but like the lady trying to learn 3 languages, some things are just not possible!

Jessie Eyre said...

I love making new year's resolutions. Mostly because I see it as a temple recommend renewal....in the sense that its a new commitment to do the things I already know I want and should be doing. So its just a time to write down what I'm working on and see how far I've come since last year.

There is certainly an art to them, as you said, but more importantly, there's an art in DOING them. :)

Kim said...

When I first looked at your post, I thought that lady's goals were your goals and I wanted to punch you in the face. I also realized that I didn't make any resolutions so maybe I should get on that.

Mel said...

I have only one: only buy whats on the shopping list. It may kill me, but if I can master it, it will save us some money and give Todd some peace of mind when I go grocery shopping. I am a realist and dont make goals that I wont keep and will thus make me feel like a failure. I fail at enough daily...why pile on more. I CAN DO THIS!!!!