With the coming of each new year one is expected to come up with some new resolution, or give birth to an old resolution. I know we’re 36 days into the new year, but it’s never to late to make resolutions. Here are 14 resolutions for 2014 (yeah, I know its cheesy. Whatever!):
1. Start a blog
2. Develop a daily yoga practice
3. Do a forearm stand
4. Hand write letters to my “soul mates” to spell out why I am grateful to have them in my life
5. Do an allergy cleanse
6. Go on a meditation retreat
7. Run at least once per week
8. Plan a backpacking trip
9. Set off on said backpacking trip
10. Find an exciting, interesting, and slightly obscure internship.
11. Go Abroad
12. Host a family dinner for all my “soul mates”
13. Avoid yelling, screaming, and various other abusive behaviors
14. Don’t expect perfection from anyone, especially oneself
Resolutions, or goals in general, are important. I feel lonely sometimes. It’s not so much that, “I’m lonely because I have no friends and hate the world.” My loneliness is more of a derivative of not understanding my place in the world. I remember feeling especially lonely just a few months ago and my friend, Thom suggested I start a bucket list– to simply keep a small notebook and pencil near my bed to scribble done any silly thing that I found interesting to experience. I felt/feel comforted by this list of resolutions, my bucket list, if you will.
The sang goes, “you are what you eat.” I said this once to my mother and she retorted that, “you are the choices you make.” But even that doesn’t resonate with me because a choice, or choices, are always in the past. A choice represents the being we once were when we made the choice, not who we are now in this present moment. To try to understand oneself, or “find oneself,” is a self defeating task. You don’t find yourself, you build yourself. I think making resolutions, setting goals, even if you don’t accomplish them, creates a blueprint for building the person you want to be. The person who you want to be is more indicative of who you are than who you are… if that makes sense.
I have a new favorite mediation mantra. It starts, “I know I am breathing in. I know I am breathing out. Breathing in, I calm my body. breathing out, I smile. I dwell in the present moment. i know this is a precious moment.” (Rogers, Holly and Margaret Maytan, Mindfulness for the Next Generation) After repeating this mantra twice, it is shortened to, “In. Out. Calming. Smiling. Present moment. Precious moment.” If I am having trouble concentrating in class or being present and in the moment, in flow, mindful, I quietly chant this mantra to myself in my own mind. My friend emily introduced it to me. It’s nice I think. It’s important to stay present, otherwise life will pass you by.
Nomads Land 