Resolutions

It's New Year's Day - so of course it's a time to reflect on the year to come. Typically, one trots out a number of resolution but I have a new methodology I'd like to try out.

Last year I've explored a number of ways to "self improvement." I follow Gretchen Rubin,  her Happiness Project and all the things that have come out of it. As a self-professed hedonist, I'm all about identifying the things that truly make us happy. The truth is, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to the pursuit of happiness.

I've tried out numerous goal tracking apps. I wear a Fitbit which is awesome for monitoring my activity, my sleep cycles, my weight. It's nice to see numbers move in the direction you want them to, but on their own they do little to motivate me.

I've also noticed that the long term goals I set for myself have a tendency to remain long-term goals. If I don't have some way of breaking them down into tasks I can do every day, I fail to make progress on them. This bogged me down in tracking daily tasks, whose graphs and numbers didn't mean much to me.

This year, I have picked four words that will serve as my mantra. Words I can repeat to myself, be mindful of them, and use them as the lens through which I make my daily decisions. My hope is that they will drive me to the goals I want to accomplish, or more importantly shape me into the person I wish to become. The words, at least as of January 1, 2018, are: Connect, Explore, Challenge, and Play.

I started with a much longer list that included such commands as Create, Share, Cultivate, Grow - all good words to be sure - but I needed a list short enough to be contained simultaneously in thought. Science says the limit is 4, so that's my maximum - maybe I can consolidate further in the future. Actually, my exercise of distilling down to these 4 words have made them all the more robust in their meaning to me.

Connect - Because our happiness seems to be greatly impacted by the company we keep and our relationships with others. This is my reminder to maintain my relationships and keep them strong. For me it's also a reminder to put down the phone and engage with the people around me. Furthermore, to find ways to interact with my friends outside of social media which often just creates an illusion of connection.

Explore - This is a reminder to indulge my curiosity, to try new things, and allow adventures. This word contains my resolutions to read more, experience more art, visit new places - but more importantly keep that curious mindset that wants to check out new things.

Challenge - It's easy for me to fall into routine, and while "Explore" may help keep me from eating at the same places, I needed this word to check in on myself at a more "meta" level - including are these 4 words working for me, or am I just exploring new dining options? This word is intended to make me get out of my comfort zones.

Play - I abandoned "Create" for this word as I discovered it had too much gravitas for me -  to full of expectations that actually prevented me from being more creative. "The things I create need to be important" - whatever that means. Instead I realize I need to take myself less seriously, let myself try things and be able to laugh if they fail. This is my weapon against my internal censor. Hopefully it will lead to more creativity on my part, but beyond that "Play"is a reminder to have fun with what I'm doing, whatever the outcome.

These words may change as the year progresses, but I think keeping these words on mind will have a much greater impact than the usual resolutions. Check back with me in 2019 and perhaps I'll let you know how it went.