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[/custom_frame_center] According to a 2014 study written by the University of Scranton, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75 percent of Americans keep their New Year’s resolution for a week. That percentage significantly decreases with time, with only 46 percent keeping their resolution after six months.
This year, instead of trying to beat the odds, don’t play the game. Be your own success story.
Make kindness your number one goal
Every person has a story. What you see on the outside (their clothing, their expression, their social media posts) may not reflect the true person. If you find yourself thinking an unkind adjective when you see someone, think of something positive. Not only does it make you a better person to others, it helps you. Do you ever project your own negative self-view onto others? Practice positivity – it becomes a habit. Let it be your un-resolution resolution.
Surround yourself with good
What you see, hear, immerse yourself in…it all affects you. In Rebecca Solnit’s “Men Explain Lolita to Me” (December 17, 2015), she says, “It is the argument that art has no impact on our lives, that art is not dangerous, and therefore all art is beyond reproach, and we have no grounds to object to any of it, and any objection is censorship…Photographs and essays and novels and the rest can change your life; they are dangerous. Art shapes the world.” You are what you eat with media and relationships – so consume wisely.
Be okay with not being okay – You’ve probably heard the word “mindfulness” a lot this year. It’s easier said than done, but the reality of it is alluring. Being aware of thoughts, feelings, the environment around you – practice this and you will be able to accept who and where you are. Then you can move forward.
Move forward
There is a saying that “Jesus met people where they were, but He didn’t intend on them staying there.” This means we go forward in learning, the pursuit of peace and love, and accepting our personal evolution in life. Peace is not found in being stagnant.
Any given Tuesday can be a holiday
I found a beautiful yellow skirt at the mall. The sales associate said it was a great item to have in my wardrobe. Skeptical, I wondered how often I would actually wear it. She said, “How about on a Tuesday? Any day is a good day for a beautiful skirt.” When you spice up a non-sanctioned “regular” day, you start to see the beauty potential in every day. Life isn’t about the holidays listed on the calendar. Despite what retailers may tell you, Christmas is not the pinnacle of the year. Make a random day into something extraordinary – it’ll become a habit.
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By: Melissa Hardin Baysinger
