Friday January 22, 2010
Resolutions 2010 Part 1
I thought for a long time about the resolutions I'd make in the new year, both big and small. The big ones are really big and have to do with recognizing and not repeating patterns and behavior I've perpetuated in the past - there's a big long list of those that I will endeavor to keep to myself and work on on my own, hopefully distilling them down to what is probably their common root. I'll just have to wait and see how that shakes out, but so far, so good. I have more to say about resolutions but will break up what I've written on the subject and put it up in easily digestible chunks over the next week or so.
Regarding last year's resolutions:
- I gave up those sites I used to read every day and this year, I gave up a few more
- I gave up giving up red meat after about a week and after losing a significant amount of weight. I need to eat red meat and I do so with gusto
- I gave up giving money away when I swore as I became more mindful of my language and the impact it has. My language affected my thinking which then affected my behavior which then affects my language, and so on. It has improved
- I kept a journal for the year and have continued to do so. I learned a great deal from reading over it and noting events and patterns both obvious and subtle. I plucked my recap of last year from my journal and I'm noting things as they're happening now (another example of improving mindfulness), wondering if they'll make it into next year's recap. I intend to read this year's journal month by month instead of waiting until the end of the year when it's too late
- I gave up the New York Times Magazine and still never got around to reading the ones I hadn't gotten around to reading. I did, however, start taking the New Yorker which might seem like a step back, but I find far it more satisfying, less expensive, and I don't feel the compulsion to read every issue cover to cover.
- I spent the money and got the furniture but not quite the furniture I'd planned, which is OK. I also put up the TV, had the shelves built, and then spent the last 3/4s of the year enjoying my home by myself
- I continued to not smoke. I continued to try to do things differently. I continued to improve
Parts of last year were better than any year that came before and I look forward to saying the same thing about this year, next year. For now though, I'm still taking a bit of time to look back while enjoying the present. (This January is blowing the doors off of the last one). Here's to 2010, again. I'm glad it's finally arrived and hope it stays a while.