Resolution:
1. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.
                 
2. mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.

Synonyms: resolve, determination, perseverance, tenacity, strength, fortitude.


As a culture, we crave new beginnings: a chance to change, to start fresh, to put the past behind us, to become better people, yet we are afraid of change; if not, wouldn't we just change the instant we saw the need for one? We always wait for a "better time."
I am soooo guilty of this. "Oh, I'll start my new diet on Monday. I'll work out more next month. I'll make more art next year..." and so on.
And, as a culture, we are also never satisfied with ourselves. We feel the need to be more creative, more organized, healthier, skinnier, fitter, happier, less stressed, better with money...
The icing on this cake is that, although we expect much of ourselves, there are few people who really commit to a resolution and stick to it all year...or even all of January.


2011 was pretty big for me. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about my little family. As I type this, I can look to the right of my screen and see the sweetest little face, head covered in fuzzy curls, snoring because he fell asleep on the blanket while watching Toy Story 3. Does it get any better than that? And then, I still want more. More happiness this year and less fighting, less stress, less sadness. More time spent at the gym and in the kitchen cooking healthy meals and less time in the drive-thru, less animosity for my body.
Can't I just resolve to be healthy and happy?
A friend told me today that her resolution was to "do something I wouldn't normally," and I thought to myself It's not allowed to be that simple!! Cheater!


But, wait, hello!! That's exactly what I need: simple! How many changes do we go through in 365 days, anyway? Should we really expect ourselves to also lose 100 pounds, become as organized as Martha Stewart, cook like Emeril, and rear bilingual-organically-fed-never-sick-perfectly-scheduled children...and still want to sit on our couch and enjoy the delightful combination that is hot tea, tacky pajama pants and a sweet baby sleeping on the floor?


Anyway, with that said, I do still want to lose a bunch of weight, get rid of a lot of the crap and clutter in my life, and be a perfect mom. But...there's only so much time in the day. I'll keep you posted as to how it goes...

and there's the baby, awake now :)


Happy New Year to you and yours, and I hope 2012 brings us all tenfold the joy that 2011 did.


xo