July’s a great time to talk about New Year’s Resolutions, don’t you think?
I didn’t even make a resolution this year. Did you? How is it going?
December and January were difficult enough for me without the added pressure of trying to add a new goal or routine to my life, but over the past few days I’ve really been pondering one of the most life-changing resolutions I ever made.
It’s been at least 15 years now. We were living in Calgary at the time and I remember sitting in the parking lot one evening at the mall when the radio announcer started talking about his resolution to become a more positive person. The originality of the idea hit me. I mean, most people go for the same old, boring ideas of living healthier, stopping smoking, eating better foods, losing weight, exercising. You know… the stuff we never follow through on, really.
But this one was different, and I immediately felt challenged to do the same.
So, it started.
It wasn’t easy! Becoming a more positive person isn’t something that you can set a goal for or put it in your calendar, like working out. It’s something that permeates your entire life. It’s a literal change in mindset, 24/7. A renewing of the mind, you could say.
Not easy! But so worth it.
I’m sure that very night after I went home I had plenty of negative thoughts before bed. At that time in my life I was an angry person. Others may not have thought that, but inside that’s how I felt. I was just mad at the world, mad at life, mad at everyone, and looking back, I don’t really know why.
Over the course of the following weeks and months I started to catch negative thoughts as soon as they’d pop into my head and I resolved to turn them into positive ones. I’ll be honest, there were times that it just didn’t work. There were days when I didn’t feel like turning those thoughts around. I wanted to wallow in my negativity and self-pity and FEEL my anger. Trying to be positive in those moments felt like I wasn’t being honest with myself – and I didn’t want to live as a phony. I wanted to be REAL. Welcome to my pity party! Everyone’s invited!
Over time, and with practice, things changed and it became easier. One day at a time. One thought at a time. Eventually the change started happening naturally. Internally.
One of the best practices to come out of my resolution that year was my “Today I am thankful for…” posts on Facebook. At the end of every day I would look back and find one thing that I was thankful for and write it down. I started sharing them on FB and at times have been overwhelmed by the response from others. Everyone has something to be thankful for and hearing others’ gratitude magnifies my own. I still enjoy making these posts occasionally. I’ve found it’s a wonderful way to turn a tough day around and quite frankly it’s hard to wallow in negativity and self-pity when you start looking at life through the eyes of love and gratitude.
Am I the most positive person on the planet? Oh heavens, no! I still have bad days, (and that’s okay!) the good ones outnumber them now! Life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but I am light years from where I was back then. I guess I was just at a point where I desperately wanted and needed the change, so I went for it. It was by far the best New Year’s resolution I ever made!
Since I didn’t make one this year, and it’s been on my mind lately, I think I’m going to jump on that one again and see if I can’t take it even further. Want to join me?
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