I don’t know why people have to ruin a fresh new calendar,
and waste all of the accumulated good will of Christmas, New Year and Epiphany by conjuring up lists of stuff to do, weighty goals of uncertain purpose, pounds to lose, exercise to get. Put me in the camp with those who absolutely refuse to entertain any sort of resolute thinking. In my experience any attempt at concreteness is the ultimate kiss of death to whatever it is I think I should resolve to do or not to do.
Might be the pressure, might be some sort of subconscious rebellious tendency, might be lack of commitment – the fact remains that once a goal is inscribed on a list that looks anything like it could be remotely associated with something similar to a resolution occurring at a time suspiciously close to the beginning of a new year – it becomes the impossible dream.
That’s where Mama Jenn comes in. I love Mama Jenn. On her blog, Mama Jenn, she has removed 11, yep eleven full months of pressure and self-condemnation by offering those of us who are Resolution Phobic something called Mission of the Month. Further, she has made it easy to save face when I fail, because she has already prepared a button called “Mission Not Accomplished YET!”
I find that “yet” somehow very encouraging!
Isn’t it much less threatening to consider a few small items that might possibly be helpful if they can be worked in, and, without any sort of heavy commitment, perhaps take a month to sneak them into your life without looking? A year is a long way off, February 1st is only, well at this point 26 days away! So if I don’t happen to find a way to fit in these minor snippets of enhanced life experience, I don’t have to feel horribly ineffective for 330 days, assuming I blow it within the month. Actually Mama Jenn doesn’t want me to feel anything remotely negative at all! I love that!
So it occurs to me in a sort of roundabout way that it might be good to make sure that I walk somewhat further than to the kitchen, or up the stairs to my office, every day this month, and possibly I should wear a coat, and likely put on walking shoes. I imagine there would be great satisfaction should I meet my read-aloud schedule with Grace every day this month, perhaps even enjoying a cup of Samurai Chai, or Maharaja Oolong at the same time. I wonder what it would be like to open my journal book with daily regularity, even if it’s just to record the weather and – only if I want to – jot down a poem, or make a quick sketch of some type. I wonder…
There – no list!
Just a few desires of my heart to sort of ruminate upon in the remaining 26 days of January!
Thanks Mama Jenn!
Rabbit Trails 
I like your approach, and appreciate the link to Mama Jenn. I don’t make resolutions, and still manage to beat myself up for things not done. Your attitude exudes calm. Thank you!
This is a great. I love how there are so many different ways to approach goal setting and once we find what works for us it’s just great. I actually look forward to setting my resolutions New Year’s Eve every year. It’s a tradition my husband and I have where we write down our goals for ourselves and one “area of improvement” we’d like to see the other spouse work on. It’s fantastic because as the months go by, we hold each other accountable and we continue to check goals off the list as we go. We don’t wait until the end of the year to try to cram everything in. We take it on in bite-sized sections and work at it a little each month. I love it! But then again, this fits my personality. I find having a list of goals that I’m checking off throughout the year brings me a great sense of accomplishment. And if something doesn’t get done, I don’t feel bad about it, I just work on it the following year. No condemnation just progress.
But I like your approach too. A little different but same end result. Thanks for sharing!