Originally posted in January 2009 Samhellion
Confessions of a Resolution Junkie
I have a deep, dark secret. And a game.
The secret? I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions.
Sacrilege! I hear. If you don’t set goals, you are a worthless pile of dung, says the tiny, pinched voice of my sixth grade teacher, Miss Abbie Neezer-Skruge (not her real name).
What resolutions do you make? Diet? Exercise? Giving a speech in front of people without peeing?
Me too. Great resolutions, laudable goals. If you actually do them.
I mean to. I have the best intentions, but there’s this new romance to read, or extra hours at work, or my kid needs to talk, and I’m just flat worn out.
So what’s the point? Well, that’s the game.
Let’s list three resolutions together. I’ll write mine, and leave a space for yours.
1) _______________________ 1) I resolve to do a marketing plan.
2) _______________________ 2) Next year I’ll do my Christmas shopping early.
3) _______________________ 3) I will stop eating like a pig (unless my husband buys me chocolate, ‘cause come on, it’s chocolate).
Okay, now we do a modified Sesame Street. One of these things is just like the others…what do your resolutions have in common? For me, they’re all things I avoid. Because they hurt, or I don’t do them so well (honestly? Marketing plans just scare me).
The thing is, my life probably would be better if I did them. A marketing plan would help my career. Christmas shopping connects with family and friends. I’d feel better eating less.
How about you? Did you list your dreams, your fears? Now look closer. Are they about your job, your family and friends, yourself? The core that’s you?
Resolutions tell you what’s important to you.
What’s behind them tells you who you are.
All right, you’ve caught me. I do make resolutions. But I make them, then throw them away. Because it’s not the resolution that’s really important.
It’s discovering the soul behind them.
And that’s something worth a New Year’s celebration.
Mary Hughes is the author of Biting Nixie, just released. You can visit her website http://www.maryhughesbooks.com
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