The following are the resolutions I hope to L I V E by.
1. L I V E S I M P L Y | This resolution is multipronged for me. This simplicity is related to life in general, as well as, the material items that fill our lives. As a dietitian with a love for cooking and healthy fresh foods, I often find myself disappointed in feeding my family simple meals. However, there is no shame in simple meals. I can create a healthy nourishing meal for my family in 10 minutes or less. It may lack complication, but it nourishes their bodies and often saves my sanity on hard days. Sometimes the simplicity allows for more meal preparation participation from my adorable 3 year old, Nora. She LOVES to stir (with a SPATULA--every spoon/cooking/baking tool is currently labeled this way). I also spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying my family. As far as the material portion of life, I desire simplicity. With social media and our consumer culture, it is easy to feel like we NEED things to live a fuller life. This is the opposite of true. Life is not enhanced by things. It is enhanced by the time we share and how we choose to share it with the ones we love.
2. E M B R A C E T O D A Y | I
don't know about you, but I often find myself counting the days until
the next season, next age, or next phase of life. Living this way strips
us of the happiness of right NOW. For example, we are currently
freezing in the St. Louis winter. Instead of being disappointed we
cannot be out for walks, playing outside or even comfortably running
errands, I am F O C U S E D on the moments we having indoors. The girls
love snuggling, drinking hot chocolate (or hot apple cider), and wearing
our slippers ALL DAY LONG. This brings me to my next resolution.
3. F I N D J O Y |
Every event or moment, even the superficially tough ones, is capable of
giving us J O Y. Since setting this resolution nearly two weeks ago, I
have really found a change in my internal happiness. In my current
life, I find myself up many times at night and feeling exhausted and
sleep deprived. Now, for those moments of sleep deprivation, the ones in
the middle of the night with my sweet Clara, I find a true love and
appreciation. I recognize how fleeting infancy is and likely so is this
quiet time we have, just us. This little lady cuddles, loves to be
rocked and shares infinite smiles. She is so incredibly H A P P Y in the
middle of the night. I love this. I know, despite the constant desire
for a full nights rest, I will miss these moments.
4.
LI V E F R E E | Mommy guilt. This is the unfair result my type A
personality, the high standards I set for myself and my constant
comparison with the unrealistic images displayed all over social media
today. I want to set myself free of these feelings of inadequacy. My
children are healthy, safe, happy and well-cared for. Whether I puree
all of Clara's baby food from organic foods myself or buy it does not change this. Whether Nora is enrolled in dance class, gymnastics, or swim lessons or all of them,
does not change this. Whether we get outside to play most days or stay indoors, does not
change this. Whether Nora watches the IPAD more than the ideal amount of time, does not
change this. What matters most is that Nora and Clara feel our LOVE in
all of life's REAL moments. My best is GOOD enough. Even days that are
less than my best are GOOD enough. Accepting this will help me to
succeed in the four previous resolutions and lead a HAPPIER life for myself and my family.
In addition to ways I hope to LIVE. The following are resolutions I hope to D O/ A C C O M P L I S H in 2016.
In addition to ways I hope to LIVE. The following are resolutions I hope to D O/ A C C O M P L I S H in 2016.
1. Take a photography class
2. Cook more for fun.
3. Get outdoors more (despite life's barriers).
4. Play hard EVERY DAY.
5. Yoga/meditate most days.MOST OF ALL--I WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL OF MY LIFE'S B L E S S I N G S!
XO!
Caity
No comments:
Post a Comment