Years ago any resolutions I made were centered around my weight. I’d spend the end of December and beginning of January planning out the workouts and diet regimen that I was sure would bring me my “perfect” body. But these rules and restrictions were impossible to stick to long-term and pretty soon I’d end up feeling like I had failed.
As I began to become more intuitive and less rules-based in my eating and my life, these goals, and their inevitable “failure” thankfully started to fade away. A couple years ago I made no resolutions at all which was just what I needed after years of frustrating New Year’s resolution experiences.
Last year I made a new kind of resolution — I made a commitment to myself to spend more time with good people and experience new things. And I certainly did. I saw more live music than I ever have before, went camping with friends, saw family, and went to beautiful Churchill, Manitoba with some of my favourite people. It was a simple focus — but one that brought me great joy. I got far more from focusing my year on connecting with others than I would have committing my year to any kind of diet plan.
So as this new year approached I began to wonder what I wanted my focus to be. What would bring me joy and happiness and help me to continue to grow? And it all seemed to be summed up in one word: CURIOSITY.
I think I am inherently a pretty curious person. But I am continuing to realize there is no end to how curious we can be and if we stay open, there is no end to what we can learn and how we can grow.
There are potential experiences I have been afraid to explore and perspectives or opinions I have resisted. Whether due to fear, comfort, or simply because doing otherwise felt too darn hard.
But this year I want to challenge myself to get more curious. To keep asking why. To keep testing my limits. And to grow my curiosity, and ultimately, my understanding of myself, the world, and my own intuition.
So that’s what I have lined up for 2019. If you’re feeling like I was a few years ago — not really wanting to launch into another diet or body transformation project but still wanting a focus to recenter yourself in the new year, here are some questions I’ve asked myself at this time of year that might be helpful to you as well:
Is there something I want to feel more of this year? Passion? Excitement? Connection? What do I currently do that makes me feel that way? How can I incorporate more of those things into my life and what else might I experiment with adding?
Is there a particular area of my life I want to grow? My career? My romantic life or friendships? My hobbies or creative passions? What small steps can I take to spend more time and energy growing that area of my life?
Is there a word that encapsulates what I want to focus on this year that can help center and reconnect me?
You certainly don’t have to make any resolutions or goals around this time of year. We are each the experts of ourselves and if you want to take a pass on resolutions — do it. But if asking yourself a few questions reveals some opportunities you might like to explore within yourself and your life — it’s as good a time as any to do so!
Do you have any focuses, intentions or resolutions for 2019? I’d love to hear them! Let me know in the comment section below.