This week’s Write-of-Passage assignment: Anything about resolutions will do. Do you believe in them? Have you ever done them? Beliefs? Success? Goals?
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On a 15-hour spring break road trip in college, I was the girl who drove back on the interstate heading the wrong direction. Some things just don’t come naturally to me. Direction is one of them.
Lists, on the other hand, come very naturally to me. I am a list-maker. I make lots and lots of lists. Everything from grocery lists, to books I want to read, movies I want to watch, and projects I want to tackle. I have daily to-do lists and in-the-near-future to-do lists.
I love lists.
New Year’s resolutions mesh perfectly into my love of lists. I have learned over the years to make my resolutions more general. The finite floss my teeth every day doesn’t work as well as floss often. I try to avoid setting myself up for failure, but being mindful and making progress feels good.
Do I cross everything off my to-do list every day? Not even close. Do I have an unfinished to-do list from December? Absolutely. Will I succeed with every resolution for an entire year? Not likely. But I like the challenge. I like having something to strive for.
I also like to look back every few months at my list of resolutions. I like to see what is working and pay more attention to what is not. Since I am directionally challenged, lists works much like a compass for me – I’d be lost without them.
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Please follow the link to read some of the other entries.
Well, thank you: you reminded me to floss!
“I try to avoid setting myself up for failure, but being mindful and making progress feels good.”
I really like that line – I need to practice focusing on the progress instead of zeroing in on what could be better.
It has helped me to stick with things I would have otherwise quit. Thanks for stopping by.
Makes perfect sense, too!
Good luck!
Thanks!
Maybe I should set my goal at 10 pounds instead of 30, ya think?
It’s all about gaining momentum. Good luck!
Ditto~!!
Always lost, love my lists.
I’m so bad: sometimes, if I manage to complete something that wasn’t on a list (rare), I’ll actually add it so I can then cross it off… sad.
I tried to figure out a place to add in the “doing things, adding them to the list, crossing them off” but it didn’t work out. I am a big fan.
I think my lists would be much more effective if they got out of my head and onto paper…;)
Your thoughts about being directionally challenged made me smile; I have that gift, my daughter has that gift…but I’m married to Rand(y) McNally! Guess we balance each other well.
awe, I love the transition from directions to lists. NICE. And It’s a great analogy.