I just wrote a long post about how I never keep my resolutions because I make 1,000 resolutions a year anyway and I'm so forgetful that few ever stick. My tone was defeatist. I decided not to spread that vibe around. New way of saying the same thing:
I made a resolution and maybe I will do it and maybe I will do something else. Maybe I should be ok with the fact that I'm not very good at bossing myself around and predicting how I will want to spend my time for the next year.
Given that, I would like to share something that I intend to make a habit but it may very well be a spurt. Habits may be better than spurts but spurts are good too. I was just telling someone who is trying to quit smoking that if they don't succeed, they still didn't smoke for as many days as they were a successful quitter and that in itself has merit. Ten days of not smoking is always a good thing even if the intention was a lifetime of not smoking.
The thing I would like to do is become better at showing people I care about them. The tool I am using for this mission is good old pen and paper. Mom and I received many sympathy notes and letters full of good memories and I was given the care package to which all other care packages should aspire. I realized that I want to write nice notes on a regular basis. I spend a lot of time thinking how much I miss someone, how lucky I am to be their friend, how thankful I am for a favor they did for me, how I need to apologize for something. I'm going to try to write it in a note and send it when I think it.
To make this mission even more pleasurable and simple, I put all the ingredients together in a nice box I found at the thrift store. No more rummaging around for a stamp or losing the address; everything I need to send a letter is in the box and all I need are a few words to say. I rarely run out of words.
I've already written three letters this year. I think I wrote two in the entirety of 2011.
Posts
4 comments:
Fantastic idea, and what a cute way of organizing! I'm bad at resolutions, too--but I find that stating an intention, and then being gentle enough to give yourself some room with it, is most effective. Happy new year, Elise! Best wishes for a lovely and productive one!
I love that box!
And I love the goal. Writing a letter or short note is so simple. Whenever I get some real mail I am delighted - and I hope the recipients of MY mail are too!
I'm going to write to YOU.
Elise, I'm sending you good wishes and sympathynfrom the west coast. Your bravery and openness are inspiring:)
Bravo! I have a very similar resolution and I too have (sortof) tackled it already. I made a year's worth of birthday cards for everyone in my family and my close friends and I've addressed and stamped them all, and put them in order. There are 32 cards, to be exact. Wow, I didn't know my family was so big and that I had so many close friends! This is very unlike me, I'm usually scrambling 2 weeks late, etc. Cheers to us!
Post a Comment