I grew up in an era where New Years Resolutions were glorified, important and lasted maybe few days to few weeks, sometimes half a year. There is too much controversy around resolutions now. The world has woken up to resolutions that fail more than succeed. I blame it on over ambitious people who did not understand goal setting has to be realistic and to a life where success is imperative.
My childhood was simpler. Although I have observed that theme of resolutions hasn’t changed much. They have always been about health, wealth, reading, traveling and cooking. The new additions are quality time with loved ones and me time.
The resolutions started to fail when they became complex. For example, it was easier to keep the resolution to go for a walk after lunch or dinner than to hit the gym or reach a weight benchmark. It was easier to buy a book to read this month than to plan to read 30 in a year. I saw someone post that they read 50 books in a year. That’s nearly a book every week. I take a week to read a research paper, books are too long. To me books need to be savoured. I sometimes re-read a page or chapter just to let it sink in or just because its written so beautifully that I lose myself in it. It was easier to plan two holidays a year than to find something meaningful in life or to find ones purpose. I sometimes feel like we have complicated our lives way too much. But maybe thats something I should write in a different blog.
Like any oldish person, I do believe in resolutions that I don’t keep. Resolutions give me hope. In past decade my resolutions shifted from being about me to being about others or “us” or me with respect to others. For several years, my resolutions started to bucketise in husband, child, home, work category. In 2020, staying and working from home impacted me and my resolutions. So, in 2021, my only resolution was my health which I failed miserably. I put on more weight, my BP shot up, for the first time my blood report had something not within limits and my energy levels have been lower than ever. In fact, if anything, I felt sicker by every passing month with a new symptom presenting itself. In 2021, I did more yoga and strength training than any other year and yet my health continued to deteriorate. This year, I decided to un-complicate my resolutions. I also decided to make them about me. Make them easy, specific. They are simple, measurable and designed to bring some discipline to my unorganised life. Thanks to new age fancy planner and apps, I can track them everyday.
Here they go –
1. I will work out every day or get moving. Even if my workout is for ten minutes, even if it’s one suryanamaskar.
2. I will only eat food I love and enjoy. No non-tasty calories in my system.
3. I will meditate everyday even if it is for five minutes everyday.
4. I will accept people for who they are, focusing on good rather than what’s missing.
5. I will not bring work home. I will not discuss it in my conversations at home or with family, I will avoid working while on leave or when its my personal time unless its absolutely necessary. This was primary reason for my BP shooting up. Work set backs had major impact on me. I will treat work as part of my life and not my whole life.
6. I will journal everyday. One sentence, one minute is all it takes. Express my gratitude or what I learnt or how I felt that day.
7. Everything else I do for self care alike art, travel, books, writing is a bonus. I will capture it in my planner and not schedule. It will be mentioned post facto to document my indulgence in me.
The commitment is to work on myself consistently every day.