A good friend of mine said the other day as we were sitting by a camp fire on the beach laying down our hopes for the year that new years resolutions were a joke... and... I couldn't agree more. They're all the same, I'm gonna lose 10kgs this year or I'm gonna join a gym or I'm gonna get all A's at uni or I'm gonna be happy this year. And of course they never come into fruition, you've gone to the gym 10 times for the whole year, you got a couple of B's, you gained another 5kgs - but that's ok, you needed the extra fat for winter. Are new years resolutions good goal makers? Or do they just set us up for that sick feeling on the 31st of December when you realise the whole year was a sham.
2008 for me was 'the year of the body', 'the year of thank you', 'the year of something else' - I even typed it up and put it on my wall at the expense of jokes by flatties. Needless to say I never gained the 10kgs I was supposed to, nor was I grateful enough to warrant a pat on the back at the end of the year. So the year in my eyes was a sham - even though I had accomplished quite a lot in that year. So 2009 was 'the year of the body, part 2': gain 5 kgs - and even then I only gained 4, then lost it again... failure. 2010 was the year of nothing, I didn't really make any resolutions, all I did was decide that I was going to move to Auckland, and I did... tick... success!
I'm not saying goals are bad, or new years resolutions are from the devil. But sometimes I think we are setting ourselves to fail because they are just rediculous. Being a size 8 isn't all it is made up to be, and you're not going to find security lifting a bar bell everyday... but maybe every second day?
I don't really know what I am trying to say in this post, I'm definitely not saying don't make goals, or that you shouldn't make resolutions for the year. I guess I'm saying make them realistic... you're not a failure, 'nothing' years are normal and each year there is always growth, something to learn. So may this year for you all be fruitful, amazing, heart breaking, joyful and most of all, may you know that you are significant and so loved in the Father's eyes - and if you don't believe it, there is someone in your life who thinks you are the bees knees... honest.
So this year I probably won't gain any weight, but if I do - great, if I don't - who cares. I probably won't save 10 grand, but if I do - that's awesome, if I don't - maybe I'll enroll in a money saving course. Thank God we are not what we do or accomplish!
if we are not what we do or accomplish then what are we?
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant with that sentence is that I don't think our identity should be based on what we do, eg our jobs, or our charity work, or our domestic prowess. I base it on character - when I think of friends I think of their humour, or their empathy or kindness.
ReplyDeleteDoes that make any sense?
I like this, and I know what you mean. I have never really made resolutions because they do often lead to disappointment when not met. The only resolution I have made (and it's not a New Years one, just a general life one), is that my 30's will be better than my 20's were!
ReplyDeleteThat's all,
loving the musing too, by the way,
Naomi.
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI think that's a great 'resolution', and I'm sure your 30's will be great.
You are great :)