Revolution against the Resolution

I have given up on New Year's resolutions.

It happened three years ago. I was so disenchanted with following the trend: Make promises to ourselves that we never keep and then berate ourselves for not following through. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

I decided that instead of adding so much pressure by setting my sights on specific goals, I would pick a theme and make all my decisions for the following year based on that theme. Every decision would be made by first -as best I could- filtering it through my theme. The first year, I decided I was going to nurture myself. This could be done a multitude of ways, and as the year went on, I discovered more ways to nurture myself than I ever expected. I thought it would translate to eating better, exercising more, and getting regular massages... but it turned out to be so much more... I started asking myself, "Is this what I NEED right now? And if not, what DO I need?" Sometimes, it meant canceling plans to rest. Sometimes it meant planning activities so I could go out, have fun, and socialize. Sometimes it meant planning time to run errands so they wouldn't cause unnecessary stress in my life by hanging over my head. Sometimes, it simply meant NOT exercising and being gentle with myself for that decision... you get the idea. As a result, I came into 2010 feeling stronger and more capable than I had in a very long time.

Last year, I decided to follow the still small voice within. You know the one I'm talking about... that one that says, "I wonder what so-and-so's up to... I haven't talked to them in ages. I should give them a call." Or tells you to do something you don't want to do but you know will be good for you in the long run. I had been ignoring this voice for a variety of reasons... fear being the main one. In re-connecting with this voice, I let my inhibitions go... I took my first surfing lesson, ran my first half-marathon, did my first triathlon, made new friends, and nourished relationships that had been starving for attention...

The things I accomplished as a result of these themes seemed almost effortless, because they simply became a part of my routine. This experiment provided beautiful learning experiences, as well as a flurry of love, laughter, and adventure. And by choosing one theme, it has allowed me to embrace and implement new behaviors and thought patterns into my life. Much more effective and efficient than some arbitrary resolution that averages about a two week lifespan, eh? A wonderful side effect has been the others that have been postively motivated in my wake... the friends and patients who had been inspired to change or act based on what they saw me doing... Like ripples in the pond... It really has been a beautiful year...

So I invite you to join me in my Resolution Revolution. What's YOUR year going to stand for?