Happy New Year Family & Friends! 2016 is here...and its going to be here for a while...so you better get used to it :) Hopefully you're feeling as optimistic about all that the New Year could possibly offer as I am.
So...what is it about a new year that gets everybody so excited? It's certainly not the painful task of needing to remember to change the date on every check or paper you write, and I'm convinced it doesn't circulate around the looming, approaching tax season. So what is it? From what I can tell, the appeal of a new year to most people is the idea of a fresh start. The chance to put the past behind you and become a NEW you. Maybe a better version of you? Maybe become the YOU you've always wanted to be....
I make resolutions every year, just like a lot of us do. Usually not many. Like, every year for as many years as I can remember, I've vowed to floss more (I'm really bad at it and don't do it as often as I should). I usually start out strong during the first part of the year, doing it every day (sometimes even twice a day), and then the flossing starts to dwindle as the months roll on. And then there's the traditional "eat healthier/exercise more" goal that I think most people on the resolution bandwagon adhere to. That's certainly on the list this year again too, but again, past years have shown that as the year progresses, my goals and resolutions slowly fade out of sight. And that's discouraging and disappointing. And, after asking around, I've learned that I'm not the only one that this happens to. So, that made me think: WHY do we even make resolutions and WHY do we continue to do it year after year if we know that we're just going to fail and give up after a while?
I was pondering this question the other night in bed while reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin, and I came across a passage that really stuck with me that she quoted from the book "Happiness" by William Butler Yeats: "is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing". And Rubin concluded that "contemporary researchers make the same argument: that it isn't goal attainment, but the process of striving after goals - that is, growth - that brings happiness".
And that really struck a chord with me. I absolutely believe that GROWTH is an essential key to greater happiness. It made me think back on moments in my life when I was happiest, and all of them have contained substantial growth. For example, many of my happiest moments have been while I have been traveling, which is certainly a time when you go through lots of growth and change. You are learning SO much when you are traveling: possibly another language, how to live in a new environment, co-exist in a new culture, how to cook and eat new foods you've never seen before, possibly co-exist in tight quarters with other travelers and you are learning many new things about who you are as a person, too. I've also thought back on my career and the various jobs I've had, and I've certainly been happiest in the ones where I've been challenged the most, and have had the most opportunity to advance myself both personally and professionally.
So after having that revelation, I decided that New Years resolutions aren't such a bad thing after all, and have made a few 2016 New Years resolutions for myself. Not with the intention of giving up...I KNOW that that is never the intention when setting a goal, but also knowing that I don't have to necessarily finish or reach any finish line with my goals. My overall goal is to GROW. If I don't floss every day for the rest of this year...so what? At least I will be flossing MORE than I was last year, and that's a great start. So, without further adieu, here are my growth & happiness goals for 2016:
-Exercise more: I want to immerse myself in Yoga, which gives me balance, introspection and inner peace, and pushes me to become more flexible, stronger, and all around more grounded and fit.
-Drink less booze: I don't want to drink out of boredom or "just because", but drink only on certain occasions or when I want to celebrate. I'll use my downtime now instead to work towards new career goals or to work on current or new crafts or music (specifically the piano and ukulele)
-Drink more water: I never drink enough. Always a challenge :)
-Get outside more: I am happier and more inspired when I spend more time outside in nature, away from my digital devices. Take even more time this year to unplug.
-Read more: Always a struggle for me. Go to bed an hour early a couple times a week, and take the time to read.
-Volunteer more/help others: I re-joined Rotary in October 2015, and am now a member of the East Portland Rotary club. My goal through Rotary is to become more involved and connected to my community and volunteer more of my time to people who need it.
-Kindness & compassion first: Try to understand where other people are coming from and THEIR story before you make assumptions, come to conclusions and react to them.
-Listen better: I hate to admit it, but sometime with all of the ideas and "to dos" rushing through my head throughout the day, I forget to really focus in and pay attention to what people are saying. Not all the time, but sometimes. Make an effort to close off my own thoughts and focus attention on others while they're talking and sharing their story. It's an important one.
-Last but not least, start each day with an open heart: Put the day before behind you, and start fresh.
Doesn't sound too hard, right?....wish me luck! And whether you have a blog or a piece of paper, I encourage YOU to write down a few GROWTH goals for yourself. They don't have to be New Years goals....but rather life goals. What are some things you want for yourself? What makes YOU happiest, and what would you like to do more of this year?
So...what is it about a new year that gets everybody so excited? It's certainly not the painful task of needing to remember to change the date on every check or paper you write, and I'm convinced it doesn't circulate around the looming, approaching tax season. So what is it? From what I can tell, the appeal of a new year to most people is the idea of a fresh start. The chance to put the past behind you and become a NEW you. Maybe a better version of you? Maybe become the YOU you've always wanted to be....
I was pondering this question the other night in bed while reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin, and I came across a passage that really stuck with me that she quoted from the book "Happiness" by William Butler Yeats: "is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing". And Rubin concluded that "contemporary researchers make the same argument: that it isn't goal attainment, but the process of striving after goals - that is, growth - that brings happiness".
And that really struck a chord with me. I absolutely believe that GROWTH is an essential key to greater happiness. It made me think back on moments in my life when I was happiest, and all of them have contained substantial growth. For example, many of my happiest moments have been while I have been traveling, which is certainly a time when you go through lots of growth and change. You are learning SO much when you are traveling: possibly another language, how to live in a new environment, co-exist in a new culture, how to cook and eat new foods you've never seen before, possibly co-exist in tight quarters with other travelers and you are learning many new things about who you are as a person, too. I've also thought back on my career and the various jobs I've had, and I've certainly been happiest in the ones where I've been challenged the most, and have had the most opportunity to advance myself both personally and professionally.
So after having that revelation, I decided that New Years resolutions aren't such a bad thing after all, and have made a few 2016 New Years resolutions for myself. Not with the intention of giving up...I KNOW that that is never the intention when setting a goal, but also knowing that I don't have to necessarily finish or reach any finish line with my goals. My overall goal is to GROW. If I don't floss every day for the rest of this year...so what? At least I will be flossing MORE than I was last year, and that's a great start. So, without further adieu, here are my growth & happiness goals for 2016:
-Exercise more: I want to immerse myself in Yoga, which gives me balance, introspection and inner peace, and pushes me to become more flexible, stronger, and all around more grounded and fit.
-Drink less booze: I don't want to drink out of boredom or "just because", but drink only on certain occasions or when I want to celebrate. I'll use my downtime now instead to work towards new career goals or to work on current or new crafts or music (specifically the piano and ukulele)
-Drink more water: I never drink enough. Always a challenge :)
-Get outside more: I am happier and more inspired when I spend more time outside in nature, away from my digital devices. Take even more time this year to unplug.
-Read more: Always a struggle for me. Go to bed an hour early a couple times a week, and take the time to read.
-Volunteer more/help others: I re-joined Rotary in October 2015, and am now a member of the East Portland Rotary club. My goal through Rotary is to become more involved and connected to my community and volunteer more of my time to people who need it.
-Kindness & compassion first: Try to understand where other people are coming from and THEIR story before you make assumptions, come to conclusions and react to them.
-Listen better: I hate to admit it, but sometime with all of the ideas and "to dos" rushing through my head throughout the day, I forget to really focus in and pay attention to what people are saying. Not all the time, but sometimes. Make an effort to close off my own thoughts and focus attention on others while they're talking and sharing their story. It's an important one.
-Last but not least, start each day with an open heart: Put the day before behind you, and start fresh.
Doesn't sound too hard, right?....wish me luck! And whether you have a blog or a piece of paper, I encourage YOU to write down a few GROWTH goals for yourself. They don't have to be New Years goals....but rather life goals. What are some things you want for yourself? What makes YOU happiest, and what would you like to do more of this year?
