I hate resolutions.
It started when I spent the better part of my young adult life* attempting, every year, to quit smoking. I just could not make it happen, no matter how many times or how hard I tried. Good intentions are meaningless without will power, wise people say.
But I can tell you from experience that will power is impotent without the necessary courage to infuse one's power with action. (It may seem subtle, but there is a difference - I assure you. Think of the phrase 'some talk, others do'.)
What finally did it for me? I got pregnant. The moment I discovered that a life was taking form inside of me, it was no longer a petty struggle between my will power and my courage. There simply was no other option before me. My first step towards motherhood was to just not pick up another cigarette - a clear action - in the name of my child's future. That doesn't mean I don't think about smoking, or crave it even to this day. I most certainly do. But the reason for action finally outweighed the inertia. The fear. The what if's.
And I'm one of those people that once I make up my mind, nothing stops me. Nothing gets in my way; nothing can distract me from my set course. Nothing. A word often used to describe me is driven (and spaz, but we aren't talking about that today).
The problem is how to get to that place of Steeled Certainty. In the case of quitting smoking, it was divine destiny that interceded on my behalf. Therefore, when I consider what resolution(s?) I will have this coming year, the first thought that comes to mind is: what will bring me to a place of doing? What removes any obstacle in my heart or mind, and ignites the fire of clear action?
While I'm pondering such fine existential points, let's have a little round up of other resolution how to's and why's by people or authors in the blogosphere:
I was very inspired by Julie Weather's post about cultivating vision for the New Year.
Carol A. Spradling chooses to call them goals, not resolutions (I kinda like that, takes the pressure off, right?).
Sandra over at The Serendipitous Life scooped some of my goals! So I wish her a lot of luck in the coming year, we both need it. [lol]
Here's a lovely morsel from Sarah Hina, a brief glimpse into a couple's first morning of the year.
And bless you, Sarah, this post has nothing to do with resolutions.
Over at Simple Mom, she gives you an inspiring list to consider when making your goals (I'm going to have to do this one. I envision a new post coming on...). And by the way, if you are looking at getting more organized in 2009, this site offers some wonderful ways of getting it done. (Dominique, thanks for sharing Simple Mom with me. )
This is a great post by Tricia Molloy, for those of us who don't want to go the traditional resolution route. I got this link from the above post on Julie's blog (thanks!), but Tricia's commentary is so good I wanted it to have it's own shout out.
And I will end with my current Crush Blog, Elizabeth Stark's (almost) New Year's Eve post about one's mindset and how this effects our writing, attitude and life. Great post.
Happy New Year, everyone. I'm signing off to go write a little, work on taxes and dream up some GOALS for 2009.
~ K
* this is a euphemism for the more irresponsible years in my lifetime - I have a colorful past, someday you may get to read about it - and while, as I matured [cough] into my 30's I was no longer so out of control, I continued to struggle with smoking until I was 36.
