“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.” – President Abraham Lincoln
Do you hear that?
Something is quietly sneaking up on us. Like a cat, the season of resolutions is quietly sidling up next to us as we celebrate the holidays. For me, it’s this fleeting thought that appears around mid-December — a question comes to mind, asking me if I’m making resolutions this year.
Every year many of us shine the spotlight on what we resolve to accomplish in the new year, and at the end of each year we’ve missed our goals, forgot about them, or found that they were no longer relevant in our lives.
I’m thinking that this year, this beginning of a decade, will be my year for the Un-resolutions.
My resolutions of New Years’ past always read like a “to-do” list on steroids: Exercise more, work harder, write more, and so on. A peek at resolutions across the world would probably find something similar. As we pass out of this yet-unnamed, and somewhat unloved decade, I’m going to try something different with my resolutions.
How many of us spent the last year mired in woulds, shoulds, and musts? Too many of us. I’m starting an Unresolution movement, and it goes something like this:
My 2010 Unresolutions
This year, I resolve not to:
- Follow the crowd. I march to my own drummer, and she’s playing a salsa tune.
- Stress if I’m running a few minutes late. I’ll either leave earlier next time, or remind myself that every time I’ve raced to a meeting thinking I’m late, everyone else is behind me.
- Worry about what others think. As Dr. Seuss put it: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those that matter don’t mind.”
- Miss an opportunity to have fun. Life is short. I’m going to gobble up every last drop of enjoyment, every single day.
- Miss an opportunity to help others. Everyone could use a little help now and then. I won’t be shy about offering my assistance this year.
- Become so focused on my work that I forget that every business is a people business. It doesn’t matter if you sell homes or carburetors, it’s always about people.
- Miss the chance to fail. If I’m risking failure it means that I’m out there trying new things, instead of sticking with safe and familiar routes.
- Take myself so seriously. My favorite people are funny and relaxed, not tense and self-conscious. So, why wouldn’t I want to be one of my favorite people, too?
Did you notice that my Unresolutions aren’t measurable by any true standards?
Unresolutions aren’t meant to be measured. They travel with you all year long – like the encouragement of a good friend reminding you to live a good life, each and every day.
Guest Blogger: Diana Hathaway-Timmons
email: Diana@KeepYourZen.com
website: KeepYourZen.com
253.514.8892
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Love it! Perfect way to bring in 2010.