This year as I reflect on all of the things that happened in 2017 and decide what I want to focus on in 2018, I have three themes that I noticed bubbling to the surface at the end of this year: paying it forward, unplugging, and changing my perspective. So rather than create a fitness, food, and health goal this year I’m going to work on these three categories – don’t get me wrong, I will still be working on the other stuff but that’s already something I naturally do so I don’t need the new year’s nudge to keep me focused.
Paying it forward
I love this concept, it can be little or big. The small act of returning someones’ shopping cart for them, picking up something that is dropped, sharing something with someone else who needs it. I got started on this concept a few days ago – I have a toddler who no longer will drink anything other than water, and freezer full of pumped milk that was just sitting there. I donated about 150 bags of milk to two mamas in need ~600 ounces of milk, I was fortunate to have enough for my baby and have extra and it felt great to be able to pay this forward and help some new mamas that needed it. I also realized how easy this is to do, you don’t have to make it complicated and have decided to commit to doing this more often – paying things forward where I can.
Unplugging
I have had a mindfulness meditation practice for the past 4 years, Jan 2018 marks my 5th year practicing. I have struggled with fitting it into my lifestyle going from a person with no kids and a train commute, to a mom with a train commute, to a mom of two with a 45 minute driving commute – I used to be able to find time to do my practice on the train, at home, when I woke up in the morning….and now I’m struggling to find a time to fit it in. We recently lost a great guy in the Philadelphia endurance community to cancer, he was taken from us way too soon, but one of the things he had been sharing and talking about was unplugging and being present. Being present is what I focus on in my meditation practice as well. So for 2018, to honor his memory and evolve my meditation practice to something that I can continue, will benefit me, my family, friends, and everyone around me I am going to focus on unplugging – being more present, and practicing my mindfulness mediation practically, in action, in life.
Changing my perspective
One of my good friends is amazingly generous, full of energy, and always upbeat – and she is contagious to be around. One thing that she seems to do naturally is always find the best in every situation. Not to the point of being naive, but in a refreshing way. This year I want to be more like that. I want to try to focus on the 9 positives instead of the 1 negative. It’s human nature to give more weight to the negative things around us, so this will probably be the most challenging goal for me. Things won’t always be rosy or easy, there will be many many challenges that I hope to learn and grow from, but I want to try to take the positive view of them – the growth, the challenge, the test, and use that to change my perspective on life.
What are you going to focus on this year? Do you set goals or do New Year's resolutions? What do you want to learn more about that I can help share with you?