New Year's Revolutions (LynnK)

No, that’s not a typo. I really do mean Revolutions.

Let me speak frankly. I believe in change, in setting goals, in putting away bad habits and developing good ones. I aspire to all those things. Pretty much the way I aspire to win the Lottery. I want change, yes indeedy. But not the work that goes into achieving it.

As 2007 draws to an end, I accept that the goals I set for the year did not materialize. Making up my mind accomplishes nothing. And yes, I did try. But you are what you do. As Yoda told us, “Do...or do not. There is no try.”

So I’ve given up on New Year’s Resolutions. For one thing, I have all the resolve of a goldfish. And no advice from stronger beings seems to help.
“Make a list of resolutions and go for all of them. Soon enough, you’ll zero in on the ones that really matter to you.”
or
“Don’t set yourself up for failure after failure. Choose only one resolution and stick to it.”

Yeah. Got it. Thanks, guru-guys.

But in a too-rigid, back-handed way, they’ve helped me see I really can have it all. In bits and pieces, though. In struggles and scrambles and small sighs of accomplishment.

I’ve already started by making the same old list and adding a few new items: Diet; Exercise; Work harder; Write more; Declutter; Volunteer; Sing; Relearn to play the guitar; Manage my own website; Spend more time with friends; Become much earlier to bed and not so late to rise; Brush the cat’s teeth . . . Well, whatever occurs to me. You get the idea.

But it’s the management of the list that matters. In 2008, I am resolved to become a revolutionary!

Not in the usual sense, although I’ve always been a little rebellious, if not radical. Since leaving the convent, anyway, and trotting off to grad school. Before that, I was a pious, somewhat resentful, over-achieving prude. Also, simultaneously, a rebel wannabe. A Wild One on a Tricycle.

In this case, Revolution means a Turning. Not an utter change, which seems beyond me, but a move in another direction. And because I get bored plugging away at one new direction, I’m aiming for whichever point on the compass appeals to me on a given day. To every revolution there is a season, or a week, or an hour. Some days, I’ll settle for a few minutes.

And if my theory holds water, accomplishing one thing a day will inspire me accomplish two, or three, or more. Success builds upon itself.

This is a guilt free-plan. In my experience, guilt is paralyzing. I can’t do it! I give up! This way, I have only to make one revolution to succeed. And to ensure I don’t slip-slide backward, I’ll buy a calendar tomorrow and mark every list item as I accomplish it.

If I remember to do that.

What resolutions (or revolutions) have you targeted for yourself? Let’s share ideas and mutual support!