10 Resolutions for 2008 - The H-N Way!

The following resolutions are written in the present tense as affirmations rather than traditional future-oriented resolutions. The contents of each may be currently completely true or untrue or somewhere in between. Please do not assume that the opposite of any of these resolutions is the current truth (though in some cases, it will be.)

1) I care about other people and my experiences with them are positive and pleasant. I like and value the company of others.

(Do you see why I admonish against going with the opposite as the current truth? I don't hate people and I'm not always caustic and unpleasant to be around. I swear.)

2) I routinely set aside judgment and weigh the evidence and the situation before I react. I let my emotions settle before responding.

3) I love to write. I write truthfully. I make people laugh and help them get through their days. My writing improves by writing everyday.

4) I am open and honest with myself about my feelings. I understand them and accept what I feel as normal emotion.

(You might notice that I try to avoid stating a negative. For (4), I could have said, "I don't berate myself for how I emotionally respond to things," or for (2), "I don't respond immediately and emotionally to setbacks and situations." The reason for avoiding the negatives is to avoid stating the behavior that I'm trying to avoid. Avoidingly speaking, that is.)

5) My home is clean and free of clutter. I enjoy living in my house. My things are organized and easy to find. When I am at home, I feel creative and energized.

6) I fit comfortably in all of my clothes and I feel great about how I look. My body is strong and lithe. I eat healthy food and I stay hydrated.

(Yeah, I can hear you chuckling to yourselves over these last two. Compare how they read to a typical resolution: "I resolve to declutter my house and make it a pleasant and energizing place to live" and "I will lose weight and get in shape and eat right." Just saying these things evokes a burdensome feeling. I immediately start thinking about all the ways I have to make these things happen. It feels like chores.

I think that stating them as affirmations, and using them daily or multiple times per day, will lead my subconcious to creative ways of making it so. Repetition of the words will make it ultimately true. Is this naive? I don't think so. I think the traditional resolutions are naive. The implication is that we know how to accomplish our goals. Part of the problem is undoubtedly that we do not know. Sure, we know what to eat and how to exercise, but we don't know how to make it part of our lives other than sheer brute force. That seems like a rather childish and bullying approach to changing oneself.

I'm going to try this more positive, present-tense method instead.)

7) I am a painter. I enjoy working with oils, acrylics and watercolors. I paint whatever interests me and I always finish a painting. My skills improve by painting and drawing every week.

8) I am a member of a large family. I am a good husband, father, brother, son, son-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin...and grandfather...

(see? Already the power of resolution (3) kicks in. We'll cover more on this revelation as time goes by.)

9) My work is rewarding and valuable to me. I do what I love and am well-paid for my efforts. I am happy for the successes of others and I look for ways to reward and challenge people.

10) I can read, write, and speak basic Mandarin Chinese. I learn at least one new word each day. I understand the language better each time I use it.

(Wow, that last one just jumped in my head. I think it has to do with the Beijing Olympics.)

Let's hear yours, if you'd like to share.