Ringing in the New Year

 

Happy New Year, everyone! Well, happy 4th day of the new year! I would say that the reason this post is late is because my resolution is to live on my own schedule and not put unnecessary pressure on myself, but in all honesty, it's just because I didn't get around to posting sooner. But that's not to say I'm not all for a good ol' New Year's resolution.

I love New Year's resolutions -- I love seeing the "new year, new beginning" messages out there. It might be cliche, but if January 1st signals a new beginning for you and gives you that little burst to make a small change or do something you've always wanted to do, then what's the harm in that? Sure, the gym might be a little more crowded in January than it is the rest of the year, and you might get a little tired of seeing pictures of healthy meals all over Instagram, but any little piece of motivation, no matter how long it lasts, is a beautiful thing. So keep those good vibes going, people. Maybe an overabundance of good vibes is exactly what the world needs right now.

For the first time in a long time, there's not a whole lot I want to do differently from one year to the next. So this year, my resolution is a little more subdued. I completely understand, recognize, and appreciate what a difficult year 2016 was for many, but for us, it was one of the best yet. JR and I got engaged; he secured an amazing promotion; we celebrated friends' birthdays, weddings, engagements, and babies; and we bought a house! Our families are happy and healthy (knock on wood) and we're looking forward to our wedding in April. 

I guess there's always a piece of me that has to be reminded to be more grateful and appreciative and not stress about the little things. But for this year, my resolution is simply to be more accepting of myself and my thoughts, in whatever ways they present. My late twenties have brought a beautiful confidence and self-awareness that I didn't know existed. So rather than trying to change or push away the thoughts or things that still manage to sometimes cause me grief, this year, I'm going to focus more on acknowledging and accepting any thoughts and worries as they come. I'm going to use them as opportunities to check in with myself and my attitude and not just push them away. Aaaaaand I also want to lose a few pounds before the wedding. 

Whether you love New Year's resolutions or hate them, I urge you to take a few minutes over the next week to reflect on 2016 and project all that you're hoping for into 2017. Maybe it's more about setting an intention than making a resolution...a little mantra to come back to when you stray too far from the positivity swirling around right now. Or maybe you just want to continue to be you and doing the things that you enjoyed last year. Whatever it is, resolution or not, I wish you blessings, joy, health, love, and good fortune in 2017.