Wishing and Hoping

I don’t like to make New Year’s resolutions. The word resolution feels too heavy and burdensome. When I searched resolution in the dictionary, I found words like determination, doggedness, to make a serious decision. And therein lies the problem. I think resolutions can be detrimental to our sense of self and success. Do we really want to start a new year doggedly determined to do or not to do something? And what happens when we fall off the wagon, eat the cookie, miss a workout? What if illness, or divorce, or unemployment gets in the way? I’d like us to be kinder to ourselves as we start another trip around the sun.

I suggest making New Year’s aspirations. When I searched the word aspiration in the dictionary, I found the synonyms hope, desire, and wishes. Those words feel so much lighter. I’d like us to aspire to meet our goals. Let’s desire to leave room for life to interfere and interrupt. We can wish to give each other encouragement. When we have a bad day, let’s dust off and aspire to begin again. Let’s plan to extend kindness, graciousness, and hope to ourselves and to each other. That feels better to me!

To what do you aspire?