In 2018 I Will

We love the idea of a fresh start, don’t we? I’ve been pondering how best to articulate my thoughts for the new year. After a lot of back and forth, this is what I’ve come up with: resolutions mostly fail because they are fixed, and we are not.

We hear it all the time — something like 8% of people keep their resolutions from start to finish. Why? Because 1] they’re too broad, 2] they’re unrealistic, and 3] they aren’t relevant as time passes.

We are constantly changing, rearranging, and adapting.

In 2017, one of my goals was to become a CPT. I didn’t accomplish that goal, and while I could be sad about it, I also realized that’s not my goal anymore.

I once heard that we overestimate what we can accomplish in 1 year and underestimate what we can accomplish in 10. 2 years ago, I had some lofty goals. I met most of them, but some I didn’t. That doesn’t mean I never will.

For 2018, I’m not making any weight or food goals. I’m going to devote my time to something I value more: creating, traveling, learning, and communicating. Instead of having strict pass or fail goals, I’ve decided to approach my intentions for 2018 a little differently. I like to think I’m going to give my future self a little more grace and compassion this year.

So here it goes:

In 2018 I will….

• Travel more, within the US and outside it. There will be busy weeks and weekends (headed to Europe in March!) full of planes, traines, automobiles, new restaurants, friends, sights, and adventures and there will be quiet ones with cozy blankets, my favorite shoes, takeout or homemade pizza with those closest to me. I will give myself grace when I feel like I’m missing out on all the places or things the people I follow on social media are enjoying. I have my whole life to see the world, and I will.
• Move more as I try new studios, revisit ones I already love, and become stronger. I love movement, and I’ve been spending the last couple months trying to figure out if I used to love movement because it was fun or because it “kept me in shape.” Maybe it was a little of both if I’m being honest, but mostly the former. I love being outside, challenging my body, and the way movement makes me feel. At the same time, I will workout less this year. If I’m tired or sick or exercise isn’t going to be stress-relieving, then I won’t do it. Simple as that.
• Eat healthy….and I won’t. I’ll meal prep some weeks, take fancy pictures of my food, and maybe get more likes on instagram because of it. And some days (or weeks!) I’ll eat what society has deemed “unhealthy” because to me food is food is food is food. So I eat nutritious foods usually but I don’t set parameters for what I’m allowed or not allowed to have. And I don’t care what you think about it.
• Be more neutral toward my body….but sometimes I won’t. In those moments, I will tolerate it, give it grace, and remind myself that my body is not the most important or special part of me. I will appreciate my legs for taking me places, my arms for lifting things, and the rest of my body for supporting my life functions.
• Love more….but I’m pretty stubborn so I’m sure I’ll argue with my family fairly frequently. I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’ll never complain again in my life because 1] that’s not true and 2] the second I do, I’ll feel like a failure. It’s more realistic for me to say “I’ll try to practice gratitude when I feel like complaining” and maybe, slowly, I’ll get better.
• Learn and create more. I want to learn more languages, create more blog posts, and read more books. But life is busy, and one month may not allow for as much creativity as another. So for now, this is an intention, but it’s okay if I take it slow.

In 2018 I will stop assessing my success based on my perfection and instead focus on my personal growth, relationships, and friendship with Jesus.

I will celebrate my successes, capitalize on my opportunities, learn from my failures, and remind myself constantly that it’s not about perfection, life is not a straight line, and there is no one way to get something done. Small weekly goals will help me figure out my focus for the week, so I can keep these intentions at the front of my daily life. Life is flexible, surprising, constantly changing, and precious. It requires hard work and daily pick-me-ups. I will mess up. I will give myself grace. I will restart. I will learn. It will all be okay. Actually, it will be beautiful.

What do you want to cultivate in 2018? What are your values and intentions? What can you do today to get you to where you want to be tomorrow? And how will you forgive yourself when you fall short and need to restart?

Happy New Year!

Wishing you peace, good health, and blessings.

<3

Alyssa