I have to be honest and admit that I am publishing this post reluctantly. This is for two main reasons. First, because I feel a little self-conscious about it. I was the kid who couldn’t keep a diary for very long because when I would go back and read the entries I was embarrassed by them. And no one but me was even reading them! So here I am twenty-some-odd years later writing a post that I am afraid will make me feel silly in a few weeks. Second, because my life is about to change in a big way. Tomorrow marks 37 weeks for our pregnancy. I know that when my daughter arrives my life will change forever, and so I am a little hesitant to make resolutions when I have no idea how or if they will fit into my new life.

However, I think there is something sacred about reflection and setting an intention. So, I am going to risk sharing a few resolutions for 2015 with you. Hopefully, this will keep me as accountable as is reasonable, and might give someone else out there an idea for setting his or her own intention.

I recently heard that the keys to successful New Year’s Resolutions are setting realistic goals, not overwhelming yourself by trying to do too much, and using a support system or a public declaration to hold you accountable (If you are interested, here is a link to NPR’s Science Friday’s 2008 story “Making New Year’s Resolutions Stick”). We’ll count this as my public declaration. Here goes:

1. Express Gratitude
2. Find Time For Stillness
3. Remember That Everything Is A Choice

Express Gratitude

I have so much to be thankful for. And while I think I do a pretty good job at feeling grateful, I would like to do better at expressing my gratitude. To that end, I would like to write at least one thank you note every week this year. For anything at all – a gift, a gesture, a kind word – anything that deserves a thank you big or small. I can write more than one in a week if I so choose, but I don’t want to double up one week and take the next week off. At least 1 per week.

Find Time For Stillness

I have been wanting to maintain a consistent meditation practice for years now. I always seem to go through phases, starting up and doing really well for a couple of weeks and then letting it slide when things get busy. I know that as a new parent, an ability to respond instead of react is going to be extremely helpful. So I would like 2015 to be the year that I make meditation a part of my daily life. I know that this won’t be easy, especially as I try to juggle school and baby and everything else. But I would like to find at least 5 minutes a day for meditation. Just 5 minutes. Hopefully some days (dare I say most days?) it will be more than 5 minutes, but I think that a goal of 5 minutes a day is reasonable and not too much to ask of myself.

Remember That Everything Is A Choice

This one is sort of vague, I know. I guess it could apply to any area of my life. But it’s really about my relationship to food and to my body. I don’t have a specific, measurable goal for this one, and that is sort of on purpose. I want this to be more about self-mastery and less about a number on a scale or a measuring tape or the number of times per week I make it to the gym. I wanted to find a healthy way of framing this challenge for myself as I get back in shape after the baby comes and try to get this crazy pregnancy sweet tooth that I have developed under control. I like the idea of thinking about these things as choices and being comfortable with the struggle. I’ll let you know how it works out.

So, there you have it – my 2015 resolutions. Thank you for allowing me to share. Do you have any resolutions you are working on this year?