Relax: Don't make New Year's Resolutions

Remember that resolution you made in 2012 to loose 10 pounds? Probably not. Did you make the same resolution in 2013, 2014, ...last year too? Somewhere along the line you made a New Year's Resolution of some sort. And when you set a goal because someone asked you about it, or even nagged you about it, there was a natural resistance and possibly failure. By Valentine's Day, do you even remember what that resolution was? Face it, nobody asks you in March, June or July "So, how are those New Year's Resolutions working out?"

What will happen if you don't make any resolutions for 2018? What if you just live for the moment and enjoy what is happening right here and right now? What would happen if you were mindful all year long? Perhaps clear and thoughtful actions will be the fruit of your calm and zen approach to the moment. You may experience things as they are. They may be good, they may be less than good. They are what they are. It's the present.

Can you make a resolution to be mindful? You can state that you resolve to do just about anything (be mindful, win the lottery, move to a tropical island, get a better job.) But let's just take the pressure away. Life is not perfect, we don't get everything that we think we want, and despite the best plans, life takes a direction that we can't predict. What we can control is living in the present, observing what is around us, and spend mindful moments.

Goals and resolutions are not the same thing. Goals have steps. Resolutions tend to be dreams. Set goals and take steps to achieve them. Take steps and experience the process. There is no failure with goals. Sometimes you need to take more steps to get there or adjust the timeline. The journey of reaching the goal is the success. But resolutions that start on January 1 and must be completed by December 31? Forget it.

Enjoy the New Year. Enjoy the Journey.

Peace.