I make resolutions all the time. Why wait for the new year when you can make a resolution today? Of course, that doesn’t mean I fare any better than resolvers of the new year variety. I have vowed not to buy clothes for a year (two Augusts ago), to get dressed every day for a month (in November of this year), to exercise more (just about every other day). I’m not good at following through. And the more objectives I have, the worse I am.
You know what I am good at? To do lists. I make excellent, comprehensive and yet achieveable to do lists. They live all over the house. I found one this morning that was left over from before our trip. Everything I needed to do had been crossed off, right down to clearing off the dining room table so it would be ready for Christmas dinner when we returned from our cruise after two weeks. What I can’t will myself into completing, I can usually trick myself into completing.
That said, to do lists in electronic form do not carry the same weight with me as to do lists in my own hand. I have tried and failed with many forms of electronic reminder and list-making services. I like the ignore button. And the close button. And the hide function. And anything else that keeps that undone item from staring me in the face.
So here’s my Resolution for 2013.
Of course, it’s not that simple. There are a couple of accompanying resolutions.
1) Not to beat myself up for not being able to accomplish everything on a given list on a given day.
2) Not to beat myself up for things that might exist on some mental wish list to do list in my head, but that aren’t actually on paper.
3) To add something to the list every day that accomplishes a larger goal, any larger goal. While some days taking a shower, walking the dog and eating three real meals are all I can manage to do, at least I can think about having days when I feel capable of more.
And that’s about it for 2013. If I can do that, I will feel very accomplished indeed.
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