Non-Resolutions: To Be Better
Every year resolutions are made on January 1 and most are shed by February 1 or soon thereafter. Unfortunately I have to say I am in the same boat. I have such grand intentions and in the fervor of New Year's feel the need to add my list of life changes for the new year.
This year I don't have a top 10 list. I don't have the illusion that I will magically become thinner, smarter, more educated, win the lottery, find the fountain of youth, etc. What I have come to realize at the close of 2014 and the beginning of 2015 is that I am 42 years old and I have probably lived half of my life. I can hope and pray to live to be 84 years old and if I have all of my faculties about me I would love to live to 100 and get my name on a Smuckers jar on the Today Show but I am also a realist and understand that the odds are probably against me.
Now I said all of that not to become a cynic or catastrophize or even to sound depressed. I think it's much the opposite. I am focusing a lot more on what is important. I have a beautiful wife and three beautiful young ladies that I want to see grow up. To do that I have to make some changes to my previous 42 years of self-care or lack thereof. Rather than saying I am going to lose weight in 2015 I will say that I am going to live healthier. 2014 began this journey and I want to continue. I want to eliminate my daily medications. To do that means I have to work on my eating habits, physical activity and overall self-care. No one crams chips,cookies, cake, extra helpings or extra calories down my throat. I do! I can't blame McDonald's for my physical shape nor any other restaurant. I made the choice of what I brought into my body and how active I chose to be to eliminate it. Blaming others is a clear indicator that you are not willing to change your self. Focusing on behavior change for me eliminates any outside barrier I have to being the healthiest person I can be.
I also plan on 2015 being a year of doing better in other areas. I want to read more and watch less. I want to read more in the Bible and other Self-help books as well as honing my leadership skills by reading. I love watching Television but I find most of it isn't comparable to a great novel. I want to create a better personal brand with regard to my knowledge base and my interests. Having spoken at several conferences on Mobile Applications, Social Media, BYOD, etc. I want to expand my knowledge on these topics and include some new things such as the Internet of Things. I want to also expand my knowledge in regards to Human Resources and in particular Higher Education. I think we are in a time of great need for HR professionals and I love that I have the ability to impact employees for good. I want to become better in 2015 at my job than I was in 2014. It's important to feel like you have contributed to your organization and I want that feeling at the end of this new year.
I think another area that I see where I can improve would be my relationship with my church and church family. When we moved to Tifton we associated ourselves with a great church but I let denominational boundaries keep me from fully integrating into this body of believers. It has been so difficult knowing that God placed us in a church that is so vastly different from my past affiliations. I will say it has been quite an adjustment for my family but when we worship together it is Heavenly!
I have often heard the term 'vision casting' and this year has seemed to be the year for me to embrace this idea. As I review 2014 there are numerous things that I can point to as important events in my life. My grandmother passing away was such an event as well as the beginning process for our impending adoption in 2015 of our two 'littles'. I had my gall bladder removed and my sister and her family moved to Mississippi to pastor. 2014 has seen quite a bit of change for my family. When I think of the year ahead the best anthem I can think if is 'to be Better'. I want to impact those around me for good. I want to decrease negativity and increase positivity. I want to live as if 2015 will be the last year I have. I believe that living my life with purpose is much better than living by the seat of my pants. Let's throw out the idea of resolutions and instead replace it with the sentiment of Impact. How can we impact our sphere of influence for the better!
Happy New Year.
jamie
This year I don't have a top 10 list. I don't have the illusion that I will magically become thinner, smarter, more educated, win the lottery, find the fountain of youth, etc. What I have come to realize at the close of 2014 and the beginning of 2015 is that I am 42 years old and I have probably lived half of my life. I can hope and pray to live to be 84 years old and if I have all of my faculties about me I would love to live to 100 and get my name on a Smuckers jar on the Today Show but I am also a realist and understand that the odds are probably against me.
Now I said all of that not to become a cynic or catastrophize or even to sound depressed. I think it's much the opposite. I am focusing a lot more on what is important. I have a beautiful wife and three beautiful young ladies that I want to see grow up. To do that I have to make some changes to my previous 42 years of self-care or lack thereof. Rather than saying I am going to lose weight in 2015 I will say that I am going to live healthier. 2014 began this journey and I want to continue. I want to eliminate my daily medications. To do that means I have to work on my eating habits, physical activity and overall self-care. No one crams chips,cookies, cake, extra helpings or extra calories down my throat. I do! I can't blame McDonald's for my physical shape nor any other restaurant. I made the choice of what I brought into my body and how active I chose to be to eliminate it. Blaming others is a clear indicator that you are not willing to change your self. Focusing on behavior change for me eliminates any outside barrier I have to being the healthiest person I can be.
I also plan on 2015 being a year of doing better in other areas. I want to read more and watch less. I want to read more in the Bible and other Self-help books as well as honing my leadership skills by reading. I love watching Television but I find most of it isn't comparable to a great novel. I want to create a better personal brand with regard to my knowledge base and my interests. Having spoken at several conferences on Mobile Applications, Social Media, BYOD, etc. I want to expand my knowledge on these topics and include some new things such as the Internet of Things. I want to also expand my knowledge in regards to Human Resources and in particular Higher Education. I think we are in a time of great need for HR professionals and I love that I have the ability to impact employees for good. I want to become better in 2015 at my job than I was in 2014. It's important to feel like you have contributed to your organization and I want that feeling at the end of this new year.
I think another area that I see where I can improve would be my relationship with my church and church family. When we moved to Tifton we associated ourselves with a great church but I let denominational boundaries keep me from fully integrating into this body of believers. It has been so difficult knowing that God placed us in a church that is so vastly different from my past affiliations. I will say it has been quite an adjustment for my family but when we worship together it is Heavenly!
I have often heard the term 'vision casting' and this year has seemed to be the year for me to embrace this idea. As I review 2014 there are numerous things that I can point to as important events in my life. My grandmother passing away was such an event as well as the beginning process for our impending adoption in 2015 of our two 'littles'. I had my gall bladder removed and my sister and her family moved to Mississippi to pastor. 2014 has seen quite a bit of change for my family. When I think of the year ahead the best anthem I can think if is 'to be Better'. I want to impact those around me for good. I want to decrease negativity and increase positivity. I want to live as if 2015 will be the last year I have. I believe that living my life with purpose is much better than living by the seat of my pants. Let's throw out the idea of resolutions and instead replace it with the sentiment of Impact. How can we impact our sphere of influence for the better!
Happy New Year.
jamie
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