I’ve had an extra week to think about what direction I want my 2015 to take. I started out my New Year with a sinus infection which morphed into the flu (it’s reached epidemic proportions in Georgia). I hope the adage about how you spend your New Years eve/day sets the tone for the upcoming year isn’t true… if it is, then I’m spending 2015 bed-bound and watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I didn’t even get collard greens and black eyed peas! But, while lying there, mentally flagellating myself for not posting sooner, I was able to really reflect on the whole resolution concept, in general.
Have you ever made a New Years resolution to which you have stuck? For a whole year? In looking back on my 34- year history, I can’t remember a one. I’d like to think that I have the fortitude to do anything to which I set my mind… but, judging my track record finds me often coming up a little short. With that in mind (and not wanting to immediately set myself up for failure/disappointment), I wanted to throw out some general directions in which I want my life to move this year, instead of staunchly specific. This year, I wanted to focus not JUST on things I wanted to do, but also things I wanted to STOP doing. Bare with me.
My continuously stunning friend Erica used a word on her blog in her New Years post that really resonated with how I was hoping this new year would proceed. That word is, “quality.” Quality time. Quality experiences. Quality activities. Quality nutrients. Quality over quantity. The word (to me) connotes a state of mindfulness that I want to strive to achieve in all things. Life is full of a lot of down time… and sometimes down time is the most quality of time… but, this year, I’m choosing to keep this word in my forefront- to strive for quality Leigh.
I want to make writing a focus. All successful writers attribute setting a designated time everyday to focus on their craft. There are times when writing for the blog takes my writing momentum away from other projects on which I should be focusing. I want to change that this year. Now that Coralie and I are on a once-weekly schedule, this should be easier. I want to schedule more posts in advance as I greatly dislike living under a deadline- although often the deadline is the only thing that provides results. Looking back at the breakneck schedule that dominated the first year of our blog, I am grateful for this new, less-stressful framework.
I want to be a better photographer. I got an amazing camera for Christmas this year (Nikon D3200) and am really going to try and up my photography game. Not just for the blog (though mainly for the blog) but also to better document MY life. I have mentioned before how good Coralie is at being the one with the camera and how that is an attribute I wish to cultivate. This year, imma gonna try and do it. Any recommendations on DSLR guides for idiots are appreciated.
This past year has seen some pretty big medical calamities for my brood. One positive thing about that, though, is it really brings a new state of perspective; making priorities crystal clear. Taking care of myself, preventively, is going to be a focus this year. I’m not going to resolve to lose 400 pounds this year, because it seems that when I do, there is a lot of back-sliding with no long-term success. I want to find a better outlet for my feeling than repression through food. As this is a lifelong problem, it will not easily be resolved. But, I resolve to work on it… for future Leigh.
This year, I want to focus on the “-ers”. To be kind-er. Smart-er. Healthi-er. To pull out existing attributes and hone them. I want to focus on the “mores”. More thoughtful. More available. More honest with myself and others. More me. Isn’t that what life is about? Striving to be a better YOU?
Happy New Years, y’all. I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for all of us! Cheers!
Do YOU make resolutions? Have you ever successfully kept one? Do you have any photography tips? As always, let us know in the comments!
I have actually kept ONE New Year’s resolution!!! Although, I love your thoughts and strive for each of those things as well, I actually am much more successful when I set VERY specific (and manageable) resolutions. The one that I kept was to not buy any gossip magazines for a year. I did occasionally read them if at a nail salon or a friend’s house, but I did not buy one for a full year. I met another at about 90%. That one was to only use my own cloth bags at the grocery store. I only forgot my bags about 5-10 times that whole year. Needless to say, I didn’t make any specific resolutions this year…sigh. Guess I’ll just try to not do any worse than I’m already doing!!
I know how much you love gossip magazines (or maybe Matt is the one who reads all those US Weeklys…) so, that is huge! And your comment made me think. Although setting vague resolutions makes me feel better when nothing is really accomplished, the only way to really beget change is to set really specific ones. If only my resolution was, “instantly have willpower…”