I feel a strange sense of calm lately.
Which is super-strange for me, since I’m one of the least calm people I know.
For (almost) 27 years I’ve felt the intense need to be productively doing something at any given second of the day. And when I’m not doing something I’m almost always thinking of 80 million things I need to do, or I should do, or I want to do… you get the idea.
But now, in 2013, I’m calm. And I have multiple theories as to why.
Theory #1
It’s entirely possible that during 2012 I somehow forgot what it’s like to be a normal non-wedding-planning human and now that I’m back to being that type of person I feel born-again.
Theory #2
My new years resolution has worked magical wonders on my life.
Theory #3
Aliens or other things supernatural.
Yep, let’s go with theory #2.
Along with that awesome new years resolution I made, I’ve been making a conscious effort to not do certain things in 2013. Because I figure NOT doing something is easier than actually DOING something, right? (I know this is not true in all cases, but just go with me on this)
**Side note: I’m constantly giving our dog a lecture that goes something like, ‘Monster, it is far easier to not bark at the neighbors than it is to bark at them. The absence of action is the lazy-dog’s way! Just don’t do that! Please stop! It’s not hard, I promise! You have to TRY to bark… stop trying!’ This strategy has not worked at all.**
(Because I can read the Monster’s mind) “I know you’re talking about me and I don’t like it, I don’t like it one bit. I’m watching you.”So, the following is a list of things I haven’t been doing:
- I haven’t been checking social media in bed (although I do still check email. Baby steps.)
- I haven’t been rushing out the door in the morning
- I haven’t been allowing myself to feel guilty for not being good enough, productive enough, saying yes enough, not working out, spending too much money, etc
- I haven’t been worrying about the future
- I haven’t been procrastinating
- I haven’t been allowing our house to become too disorganized
- I haven’t been staying up well past midnight on a
schoolwork day - I haven’t been going to work without showering/doing my hair/with my makeup well put on
- I haven’t been over-booking myself
- I haven’t been eating crap
- I haven’t been taking life as seriously
- I haven’t been stressing out on behalf of others and letting other people’s life situations affect my own happiness (for the most part)
- I haven’t been holding grudges
- I haven’t been (as) hesitant
- I haven’t been keeping to a strict diet or prohibiting myself from things I enjoy
- I haven’t been sitting all day at work (I try to stand at my desk as often as possible. This is especially easy because I’m
prettyreally short) - I haven’t been internalizing my thoughts and feelings
- I haven’t been afraid to take some risks
- I haven’t been (as) timid at work
I’m sure this list isn’t quite complete, but those are the things that I thought of right away. None of these things were specific resolutions I had at all, they just kind of came about when I thought of how I wanted to live my best life.
And really, the reason I haven’t been doing these things is because of my resolution! I finally decided to allow myself to be free from the self-criticism and obligations and constraints I had always imposed on myself. These last few months I have been making a very big effort to be the best person I can be each day, without worrying about what ‘best’ might look like to other people and only focusing on what my ‘best person’ looks and feels like.
I’ve noticed huge improvements in every area of my life, which has been amazing and I’ve been feeling very blessed indeed.
Anyway, in this season of Lent and for 2013 in general, I hope you’ve been able to give up something that you’ve found to be game-changing!
