2013 is just around the corner. Everyone usually has their normal resolutions such as stop smoking, lose weight, be a better person, be more outgoing, or landing that promotion. When I was a teenager I made a list of resolutions every year and I took them seriously. I am twenty-four now and I haven't made a list of resolutions in years.
This year I hit a wall. I realized I had some negative people in my life, negative habits, and environments I would frequent that were not helping me move along in life in a positive way. Everything in life doesn't have to be a lesson learned or something to advance you. I believe in having pure fun sometimes and being absolutely ridiculous with your friends. Those types of memories are some of my best and most bonded. I also realized I wasn't spending my alone time in the most productive manner.
2012 has been a great year, but I can say it has had it's ups and downs and it's my fault entirely for dealing with the downs the way I did. When one particular bad thing happened I would go out all night and then go to work on no sleep, working twelve hours plus an hour commute. I would stress myself out and cover it up with more partying. Besides work I was distracted from spending time with my family, dealing with my own feelings, dealing with other responsibilities, ignoring my health, and the list goes on.
I had a wake up call one night. I just wasn't feeling happy anymore. I knew I needed to do things differently. I went to the dollar store near my house and I bought a few journals. The simple black and white ones. In one I wrote my goals down for health. I made sections in the notebook. One was to track my weight-loss, another was to track my daily nutritional intake, my workouts/amount of time spent working out, and my measurements. The second notebook was to write down general things in my life I need to set straight, daily lists of goals, weekly, monthly, and so on. In the back of that journal, I made a space to keep track of websites and emails I use (personal and work related). Then I made a list of email accounts and different accounts online I wanted to delete. The next section of the journal was to keep track of my finance goals and my spending. Lastly, I bought a journal to just write down my thoughts and feelings. I make a point to write in it every week, even if it's only a sentence or two. Since starting those journals, I have lost nine pounds since December 1st, accomplished most of my daily goals, and felt less stressed from taking time to write down how I feel.
The people in my life who were negative have been cut from my life. The people I chose to stay close to understand how I feel. I have been fully honest with my friends about wanting to be more responsible in my life. These were friends I was staying out all hours of the night with. Lucky for me, I have amazing friends who fully understand and respect my feelings.
Some of my own goals now and for next year are to stay healthy, have fun in decent amounts, and to never ignore my responsibilities. I am excited to say I am going to be taking new classes in the spring and hopefully applying to start my BA degree. I should also, be starting a new job in a the next couple weeks. When it comes to my creative side I want to make sure to write articles more often, make youtube videos, and finish my book I started. The biggest goal I have is to be there for others more and to be a better role model for them. When I see others in a negative place, I want to help them move forward to a positive place.
Making my journals and writing everything down may seem extreme to some of you, however it is what I had to do to put my life back on track. I am happier now. I am discovering the passion and drive I felt for life as a teenager with the maturity of my twenty-four year old self. I like it!
I hope you all know you can achieve whatever you set your mind to and even if you don't get to where you thought, I have come to this conclusion. This is my big lesson for the year of 2012. Even if you don't succeed the first or second or even third time you set out to achieve something, that is alright. As long as you keep trying something new and keep trying good things, you will end up in a good place. A huge part of happiness is a state of mind, so decide to count your blessings, not your sorrows. When you are having a bad day, go do something go for someone else. If you don't like something, change it, and if you can't move on.
I'm going to leave you with this awesome list someone sent to me this year and I think it's a positive list to read. Let me know what you think of it.
1. Always offer someone a smile.
2. Don't sweat the small stuff.
3. Remember these simple sentences: "I was wrong."
"I am sorry." "Please forgive me." "Thank you." Say
them whenever needed and say "I love you" often—
whether needed or not.
4. Come apart and rest a while before you come apart—
stress is a killer.
5. Remember, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."
6. Don't nurse grudges: "Failing to forgive is like drinking
poison and waiting for the other person to die."
7. Carpe diem. Seize the day. "Opportunity comes to
pass—not to pause."
8. Quit the blame-game—"choice, not chance, determines
destiny."
9. Control your thinking or your thinking will control you.
"What the mind dwells on the body acts on."
10. Invest your life in a worthwhile cause by having a
noble purpose for which to live—one that is bigger than
yourself—one that will help make your world a better
place in which to live.
11. Be a positive realist. You will always see what you are
looking for: "Two men look out the same prison bars.
One sees mud, the other stars."
12. The greatest abilities are availability, dependability,
and responsibility."
13. "There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience."
What are your New Years Resolutions? How will you accomplish them? Have you started them already? Was 2012 a good year for you? What was your high point and what was your low point? What advice would you offer to others? What will you do differently in 2013?
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Love life and life will love you...