“The way we experience the world around us is a direct reflection of the world within us.” ~ Gabrielle Bernstein
New Year Resolutions
We are almost half way through January…
Wait. Pause.
Not to sound like a broken record, but how the HECK has time flown by so darn quickly? 2019 SLOW down!
Okay now that I have said my piece because of COURSE Father Time is going to listen to lil ol’ me, now that we are ahem half way through January, this is pretty much when people fall off the resolution bandwagon.
Okay, Susan Kate, how cynical can I possibly be?
It might be cynical, but people think a new year and new beginnings, instantly translates into a new them. They put so much pressure on themselves, because of a date, setting resolutions that aren’t attainable because the expectations are to high and the steps to vague. Frustration sets in and the bandwagon everyone jumped on, they are now jumping off.
High and lows
I am all for positive thinking, but I also don’t live by the motto that a new year means all the miseries of the prior year have been erased. It would be lovely if it did, but we can’t erase chapters out of our story. Life doesn’t work that way.
I am no stranger to tough years. Some years have sucked. Some years have made me wish I was a time traveller and could go back to erase and change life events.
But I am not.
And I can’t.
And the truth is would I really want to? Because amongst the suckiness, were also some pretty amazing moments. Moments that gave me hope and got me through to the next day and eventually to the next year.
Our struggles make us who we are. They are what makes us appreciate life and want to embrace it and live it to the fullest.
Life is like Chapters. Some chapters are more difficult and harder to get through then others. But you do get through them and you come out more knowledgable and mentally stronger then if you had skipped them all together. You can’t ignore a chapter, for if you do, you lose part of YOUR story and it will no longer make sense.
The Next Chapter
Failure is a part of life. That bandwagon we jump on is going to crash some times. Life isn’t blissfully perfect all the time. Failure doesn’t mean we automatically just give up. Instead those crashes give us the strength and wisdom to rise up and become stronger if we so choose to learn and grow from them.
That isn’t the beauty of the new year, but is the beauty in waking up every morning to a brand new day. A new day to achieve goals, and work a little bit more towards our desires. That is what success is.
WE are the ones who write it and are in control. Paragraphs that complete a chapter, and the compilation of chapters that complete a novel. No one, but you determines when it is successful and no one but you decides when you write the end.
How are the first couple weeks fo 2019 going for you? Do you make New Years Resolutions? How do you write your story?
Great insight!
I always love your musings and observations, Kate, but with this post I found myself nodding along as if I’d written every word myself. Life is infinitely more difficult and complex sometimes than we ever could have imagined … but if we let ourselves embrace the failures and valleys, that’s often where we find the greatest growth. Or so I keep telling myself. 🙂 I do hope 2019 brings you lots of happiness, though, and good health! xx
Such a great post with incredibly insight! So far I’ve had lot’s of ups and downs to start 2019 but I’m hopeful! Thanks for sharing! xox
You are right… this year is going soo fast. I don’t remember what I did during my first couple weeks. I guess.. busy studying. ha..ha.. New Year resolution is to get slimmer as I was ballooning – eating too much duriing a holiday:)
I was literally just saying yesterday to my mom this is the quickest January everrrr. It’s just flyin!! Ah preach girl- you are SO spot on- struggles do make us and form us into the present us we are. They allow us to reach a new level of empathy too <3 I love this reminder that life is like chapters that we do write. And even when events out of our control happen we have the power to respond how we choose. Thank you for sharing this girl! This is a great reminder & sooo well written as usual. xo
I agree, I wish the new year meant leaving bad chapters behind but you know I’m carrying my December chapter and sadness into 2019. I made quite a few resolutions this year. I think I’m quite good at keeping to them and it spurs me on😊 xx