Well friends, here we are; 5 days into the New Year. 2017 was a wonderfully memorable year in so many ways, and I’m looking forward to seeing what new adventures this year brings. It seems that New Years ‘resolutions‘ have gone by the wayside, in favor of words like ‘goals’  but I still love the sentiment behind evaluating things you want to change, improve, or adjust in your life and being very intentional in that process and follow through. While that can be done on any of the 365 days, there is something fresh and rejuvenating about implementing those changes when a new year rolls around. All this to say, I’m still a fan of the good ‘ol fashioned resolution, and also a huge proponent of goal setting at any stage. Today I am sharing 3 of my resolutions for this year.

I think the reason that most people dislike the word ‘resolution’, is because it’s very absolute. “I will not do this, I will do that”, etc. But I find that when I am more realistic with my expectations, those bold affirmations help to keep me accountable. I read a life changing book (one that I’ve mentioned on the blog before) called the Compound Effect, by Darren Hardy. In the book, Hardy discusses the value of making tiny choices every day that eventually compound into larger big picture changes. It’s a mindset that each decision you make, though it may seem insignificant can add up to a completely different lifestyle over time. This is my first resolution: To be diligent and intentional in those small, every day choices. This can be applied to every area of my life: finances, relationships, my spiritual walk, and career.

My second resolution is to put an end to negative self-talk. If I’m being honest, this is something that I struggle with. My first instinct when it comes to myself, is to ‘find the flaw’. You know the phrase ‘You’re your own worst critic?‘ Yea…that’s me through and through. (I am in fact an overachiever in this area!). I’ve learned that innately, I am a critical person. I am very hard on myself, and have resolved that in 2018 I will cut myself some slack for goodness sake. I just don’t want to fixate on the negative, or get caught in the toxic cycle of comparison. I want to be more forgiving and love myself harder than ever before.

The last resolution I wanted to share, is an important one for me. In 2018, I’ve decided to ‘say no’ more often. This sounds harsh, but just bear with me. In addition to being very hard on myself, I am also a people pleaser. I have a tendency to take on too much, and agree to everything that comes my way. It sounds good at first, but ultimately leads to feelings of frustration, overwhelmingness and failure. In short, it leaves my cup empty. Last year one of the biggest lessons I learned is that you can’t pour from an empty cup; meaning that I can’t be the best wife, daughter, employee, friend or version of myself when I’m exhausted and spread too thin. I’d like to think that I have a heart that is designed to serve others; and that is an incredible blessing for me. I also think that balance is essential for living your best life and am thankful that God is constantly showing me ways to manage it all.

I’m curious to see what you all are contemplating for 2018. Do you make goals and resolutions? Are you making any changes for this year? I would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you for reading, and Happy Friday 🙂