I Resolve to Evolve

New Years' resolutions don't work well for me anymore.  Goal-setting and such step-by-step planning doesn't even seem to work very well for me anymore either.  Life changes to quickly and I seem to have to turn on a dime in an instant of a second in the most graceful of all manners.  

Nothing says "Happy New Year!" like fireworks

Gone are the days and New Years' Eves where I would spend countless hours pouring over my New Years' resolutions, painstakingly spelling out every last detail of how I intended to accomplish next year's goals... of course, only after subjecting myself to the appropriate berating of myself for not having accomplished all of last year's goals first.

e·volve

 [ih-volv] verb, e·volved,e·volv·ing.

1.

to develop gradually

2.

to come forth gradually into being; develop; undergo evolution

Don't get me wrong -- I consistently make plans and set goals.  Instead of all the minute details at year-end now though, I've become more of a "road map" type of gal.  I seem to have in mind more of a destination I'm seeking and have less concern about the route I take to get there.  In my lifetime of almost 40 years (yes, 2012 will be a milestone year for me), I've learned there's usually more than one way to get from Point A to Point B. For me lately, it has become more about finding the most scenic and enjoyable route to eventually get me to the same intended destination.

Point of illustration -- one of my goals always seems to be centered around weight loss and becoming more physically fit.  I've been beating myself up over the past few weeks because I've not kept to my normal exercise routine or faithfully logged all the calories I've been consuming.  After all, over the past 3 years I've dropped almost 50 pounds and toned up quite a bit... I don't want to gain it all back after going through such hard work... which is something that I've left happen to me before (although not at that significant level)!  Still, consider the time of year and I did allow myself some much-needed indulgences over vacation-time, holidays, and festivities over the past few months.  I did let my guard down a little, but when I weighed in this morning I was pleasantly surprised.  My measurements stayed consistent and I was only 4-5 pounds heavier than when I took my last full measurements at the end of August.  That's something easily remedied with our renewed efforts during the coming new year.  Sometimes you just need a slight "detour" to be able to stay on track.

So, I've enjoyed some celebrating of 2011... it was a really, really good year that I'm thankful for because of so many reasons.  God has blessed us abundantly (as always) and I stand in amazement of His bountiful blessings and love.  Where am I going in 2012?  Well, I'm still on the same track.. my same "road map" so-to-speak, trying to gradually evolve into my ideal self.  Here is who I'm prayerfully aspiring to become:

My ideal self is a positive, cheerful woman that always looks for the best in people and situations.  She recognizes gaps and challenges as opportunities to build upon and make things better.  She doesn't make excuses and she accepts responsibility for her actions.  She is confident and doesn't sell her self short.  She helps everyone around her be better people too and offers love and friendship to all that she meets and interacts with.  She is mindful and aware of all her surroundings, her energy levels, feelings, emotions and physical sensations -- always striving to make all work well together to enjoy life and each moment to the fullest.  She is forgiving of others - and herself - helping others and herself to learn from their mistakes and grow from them.  She is creative and is always learning new and interesting things.  She builds and leaves a legacy for those that come behind her.

I'm certainly not "there" yet, but I hope to move towards these lofty goals step by step.  Happy New Year everyone!  Tell me what your hopes are for 2012 and how you hope to continuously "evolve"...