Each year I rethink New Year's resolutions. They never seem to result in real changes in my life for one reason for another. This year it occurred to me that the resolutions we make tend to be very selfish. Each year we find occasion to pick ourselves apart and highlight what we perceive to be our worst qualities. While we only have control over our own intentions and actions, thinking more broadly about our relationship with the world might help us to transform on a deeper level.
My first resolution this year is to revere the earth. I am going to be in continual awe of the beauty and blessings that surround me. I will appreciate the potential and uniqueness of every leaf, branch, bud, and ray of light. I will flow in harmony to the sacred rhythm of our planet, delicately restoring balance to affirm the sanctity all living things.
My second resolution is to appreciate each and every moment that I have been given to be alive on this planet. Every in breath will be filled with gratitude and every out breath will radiate the precious peace that can only be sensed in the present moment. As moments weave together into days, weeks, and months, I will be comforted by the contentment of a life fully lived.
My third and final resolution is to be compassionate and understanding. I know that I can only express these feelings towards others if I truly feel them toward myself. And so I am letting go of all of the traditional resolutions which typically involve changing myself in favor of seeking a better understanding of who I truly am and loving myself regardless of what I find on this journey. I will not only acknowledge, observe, and contemplate my deepest desires; I will honor them by integrating them into my life through my thoughts and actions. Similarly, I will appreciate and value others for who they truly are, and freely share my compassionate love with them without judgment or conditions.
These resolutions represent a shift in my mindset, or at least an attempt to more consistently think in a certain way, but will likely result in real tangible changes in my life. I will make better choices and do so because I am intrinsically motivated to live a purposeful life. I will create, moment by moment, a life that reflects the most magnificent essence of my inner and outer worlds.