Resolutions

This year, I decided to go resolution free.  That's not to say that I don't have things I want to improve in my life, or things that I'd like to change....

But, making a resolution just seems so NEGATIVE to me.  You spend all this energy finding something WRONG with yourself, and then you try to find a way to fix it. 

And every year, so many resolutions focus on weight loss, or exercise or something similar.  I can't really commit to a weight loss program until May (although I'll be blessed with SOME weight loss at the end of April... ), so I had to rethink the whole resolution thing this year.

Some of my other girlfriends from the internet realm decided to do the "One Word" tradition this year. I first heard of while reading Ali Edward's blog. Essentially you choose one word that you want to focus your attention on, or that symbolizes your goals/hopes for the year.

This year, my word is

APPRECIATE:

ap⋅pre⋅ci⋅ate  

-- verb, -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing.  1. to be grateful or thankful for: They appreciated his thoughtfulness.

– verb (used with object) 2. to value or regard highly; place a high estimate on: to appreciate good wine.

3. to be fully conscious of; be aware of; detect: to appreciate the dangers of a situation.

4. to raise in value.

I have so much in my life to be grateful and thankful for.  I want to spend less time wanting, needing, wishing, or thinking that I need to have something I don't have already.  I am blessed to have so MUCH in my life:

1.  A loving, caring and nurturing husband (who does dishes and vacuums, is a GREAT daddy, loves me and isn't afraid to tell or show me on a daily basis, and who works hard to support his family *usually* without complaint).
2.  A smart, wonderful, curious and beautiful child -- who never ceases to amaze me with something new he has learned, or how much love he has in his heart.
3.  The blessing of another child in our family -- I can't wait to meet this lil boy and for him and Max to become best buds (fingers crossed).
4.  Wonderful and supportive parents who I can go to for ANYTHING, who love my husband like he is their own son, and who are wonderful grandparents.
5.  Loving and awesome in-laws -- we wish there wasn't the physical distance between us, so that we could spend more time with them.  Lil Max ALWAYS enjoys spending time with them.
6.  A comfortable and spacious house with a mixture of old and new.  We've built so many wonderful memories and had so many 'firsts' here, it will be sad to leave this house (and that time will eventually come).
7.  A challenging and rewarding career and job.  (Sometimes too challenging...).  I love the feeling that the work that I do during the day teaches my child about being responsible on so many different levels -- and I especially love the feeling that I make a real difference in the world by doing what I am doing.
8.  A healthy (mostly) family and, so far, two non-eventful and easy going pregnancies.  If the worst I can complain about is someone tap-dancing on my bladder, I've got it pretty darn good!!
9.  A strong and reliable support system of wonderful women who I am blessed to call my friends.  Grade school, high school, college and beyond.  I love these ladies, and they have never let me down.

My goal for the rest of the year is to find the 'silver lining' -- to try to not complain so much or to focus on the negative -- but instead, to find the aspect of the situation that I can APPRECIATE.  And, every night ( or at least a couple of times a week...let's not set ourselves up for failure here...) I'd like to journal what I am most appreciative of.

Maybe I can even get big Max to pick his 'One Word' this year....if he does, maybe I'll even let HIM blog about it!  ***GASP***