New Year's Resolutions
I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. Let's face it, we always start out strong but along the way (a month or two in) we get distracted, life inevitable gets in the way causing us to make concessions or we just plain give up because our goals begin to look to far off and lofty to really reach within a year's time. We feel bad and berate ourselves and resolve that next year will be different. And we start again and inevitable seem to fail. This isn't to say that we don't reach some of our goals but the majority of the time we slip and fall and rather than get up and start again we just get up and walk away.
On the drive back from visiting my family, I started thinking about what I would do now that I'd graduated with my master's degree. As I mentioned previously I'm sort of stuck at the moment. However, I've never been one to stay stuck or to not find something, some project, to keep me occupied while I figure out what my next move is going to be. So, while driving I thought about the things that fell to the wayside in the past three years.
I realized that in my pursuit of knowledge I've ignored other parts of my life and spirit. I've become extremely unbalanced and it's starting to take a toll on me not only physically but emotionally and mentally. So, I decided that despite my dislike of resolution I needed to go ahead and make a few for my life and not just for the year. I'm sure I'll slip up but I'm hoping that I can, at least, create some semblance of balance in my life again. Also, I figure once I get my balance back my next educational/professional move will envitebly follow.
First, I've neglected my physical needs a lot. I've weakened my body. I use to workout everyday before I started classes. it's true that I've never been my correct weight but I've been in better shape. I had more stamina, flexibility, energy and I just felt better. I've tried to stay on an exercise regime but classes and work seemed to push my health to the back burner and took center stage. I've felt it too. My back, legs and arms have ached and I've developed a sharp pain in my left knee. All this I know is not only because of my weight but mostly because I'm out of shape.
This year I'm going to start exercising again. I'm going to start walking, using my exercise bike and dusting off my Curves' membership tag. I need to start making more time for my physical well being again.
Second, I've neglected my friendships. Yes, I gain an assortment of new friends but my old friends still mean so much to me. People like Rachel, Megan, Desirae and Raychel stood by in the shadows, quietly waiting and supporting me. Don't get me wrong, I know they've been living their lives but I also, now they've missed me and wished I'd been there for some of their important moments in life.
So, this year I'm going to try and rebuild, or at least, dust off the bridges of our friendships. I want to make more time for them and be there when they need me. They're support has been one of the main things that has gotten me through the worst part of this master's program and it's time to repay them.
Third, in order to balance out my physical and emotional needs I need to start putting work on the back burner more. For the past four to five years I've worked to make our office the place that it is. I've gone beyond the call of duty on many occasions. I got so use to not having a good team or leaders that I had to step into those roles. However, I now work with two of the most intelligent and genuine people who have the leadership skills and knowledge to do their jobs and I need to let them. I don't have to be in charge anymore and even though the leader in me wants to continue to lead I need to let them lead and find a new leadership role within our office.
I think they know this and this is why they've given me a new "assignment." I think it'll be less stressful and still allow me to be more than a paper pusher and phone service. So, I need to focus on that job and not try to take on so much more that I start to neglect everything else.
Fourth, I'm going to continue work on my knowledge base. I'm going to keep writing, reading and learning. I can't stop working on my education and stay balanced. I need to keep following my dream of being a writer and a professor.
So, I guess my resolutions this year is to make more time for me. Yes, it's selfish but in the end it's my body, my mind, spirit, etc., that I have to live in and with, so shouldn't it be a pleasant space? I think we all deserve a nice place to call our self.
On the drive back from visiting my family, I started thinking about what I would do now that I'd graduated with my master's degree. As I mentioned previously I'm sort of stuck at the moment. However, I've never been one to stay stuck or to not find something, some project, to keep me occupied while I figure out what my next move is going to be. So, while driving I thought about the things that fell to the wayside in the past three years.
I realized that in my pursuit of knowledge I've ignored other parts of my life and spirit. I've become extremely unbalanced and it's starting to take a toll on me not only physically but emotionally and mentally. So, I decided that despite my dislike of resolution I needed to go ahead and make a few for my life and not just for the year. I'm sure I'll slip up but I'm hoping that I can, at least, create some semblance of balance in my life again. Also, I figure once I get my balance back my next educational/professional move will envitebly follow.
First, I've neglected my physical needs a lot. I've weakened my body. I use to workout everyday before I started classes. it's true that I've never been my correct weight but I've been in better shape. I had more stamina, flexibility, energy and I just felt better. I've tried to stay on an exercise regime but classes and work seemed to push my health to the back burner and took center stage. I've felt it too. My back, legs and arms have ached and I've developed a sharp pain in my left knee. All this I know is not only because of my weight but mostly because I'm out of shape.
This year I'm going to start exercising again. I'm going to start walking, using my exercise bike and dusting off my Curves' membership tag. I need to start making more time for my physical well being again.
Second, I've neglected my friendships. Yes, I gain an assortment of new friends but my old friends still mean so much to me. People like Rachel, Megan, Desirae and Raychel stood by in the shadows, quietly waiting and supporting me. Don't get me wrong, I know they've been living their lives but I also, now they've missed me and wished I'd been there for some of their important moments in life.
So, this year I'm going to try and rebuild, or at least, dust off the bridges of our friendships. I want to make more time for them and be there when they need me. They're support has been one of the main things that has gotten me through the worst part of this master's program and it's time to repay them.
Third, in order to balance out my physical and emotional needs I need to start putting work on the back burner more. For the past four to five years I've worked to make our office the place that it is. I've gone beyond the call of duty on many occasions. I got so use to not having a good team or leaders that I had to step into those roles. However, I now work with two of the most intelligent and genuine people who have the leadership skills and knowledge to do their jobs and I need to let them. I don't have to be in charge anymore and even though the leader in me wants to continue to lead I need to let them lead and find a new leadership role within our office.
I think they know this and this is why they've given me a new "assignment." I think it'll be less stressful and still allow me to be more than a paper pusher and phone service. So, I need to focus on that job and not try to take on so much more that I start to neglect everything else.
Fourth, I'm going to continue work on my knowledge base. I'm going to keep writing, reading and learning. I can't stop working on my education and stay balanced. I need to keep following my dream of being a writer and a professor.
So, I guess my resolutions this year is to make more time for me. Yes, it's selfish but in the end it's my body, my mind, spirit, etc., that I have to live in and with, so shouldn't it be a pleasant space? I think we all deserve a nice place to call our self.
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