Life Resolutions

Happy new year!

Ok - maybe I'm a little late. Nevertheless, I hope 2012 has started off on the right foot for you!

I originally wrote this, recorded it actually, on my phone on January 1st, technically the 2nd because it was past midnight.  I'm not sure where to begin, there seems to be a lot of room for improvement these days, as far as new year's resolutions go.  What is a New Year's resolution? I feel like I need to italicize or bold or quote the phrase "New Year's resolutions". There, I did all three! But is it simply to lose weight, to eat better, to read a book a week, to know God? What about your own heart? What can He tell you about your own heart?

We spend so much time being criticized by people, society, ourselves. What is good and what is bad; what is right and what is wrong? Who we should talk to and who we shouldn't talk to; who we should be friends with and who we shouldn't be friends with...it's as though high school never ended sometimes. But who cares what others say...what about our person? Do you even like who you are as a person? There have been  SEVERAL moments, more than I can count, when I didn't like who I was or became someone I didn't even recognize.  Not because I was depressed or had a poor self image during these times, but because I realized I wasn't being the best me I could be and should be.

But really, do you like who you are as a person? Would you make you smile? Would you be there for you? Do you take care of you? Would you put you first? Would you LOVE you?

Here are a few resolutions I plan to adopt and maintain. Surely there will be tweeks along the way, possibly with each new year:

- Less hospital visits
- Less doctor visits in general, if possible
- Living a healthy life style
- More time with family and friends
- Traveling more...maybe taking a trip alone somewhere! (I know about 10 people will shake their head at this one)
- Worrying less (and this one)
- Less car accidents (oh man, and this one and the next one!)
- Less cell phone mishaps...Less cell phone, period.
- Making wiser decisions
- Living in the moment so that it can all soak in
- Not focusing on the future TOO MUCH
- Setting goals and reaching them - never becoming complacent or comfortable with what I"ve "done" or "contributed"
- Making plans and following them through
- HA! Not making plans and being more spontaneous
- Making new friends and keeping old ones
- Building authentic and real relationships with people
- Learn to love everyone as though they are family including, but not limited to, the guy on the street corner, a coworker, even a new friend
- Not being afraid to try new things
- Learning how to say no
- Weeding out the negative and focusing on the positive
- Following God's plan, the will for my life
- Don't try to busy myself with "things" but with meaning
- Become filled with the love of God and allow His light to shine through me to others
- Address issues as they arise; don't hold grudges
- Forgive, fix, move on
- Give someone a second or third chance...or fourth or fifth if I believe in them and our relationship (friendship)
-Help other people be better...don't "change" them; enable and empower them to see the true potential they possess
- Walk the walk and talk the talk - in everything I do, believe, and stand for
- Sing karaoke with my BFF
- Send a card. Heck! Get a Hallmark card subscription!
- Call someone because I have 5 minutes
- Be ok with having been let down and know that at some point I've let others down too - minimize let downs!
- Actually being ok with things not going according to "plan"
- Learning how to deal with things when  they don't go "right"
Be the best person you can be.

You only have one thing to work with and that's you; you aren't going to find what you're looking for in other people.  We are all here for a reason. To do something great. Even if no one notices, God does. So for 2012 and beyond, be the best person you know how to be. Be true to yourself and what you believe in. Love you for you. And COUNT EVERY  BLESSING YOU HAVE!!!