Half Year Check Up

January of 2011 marked the first year to compile an annual family yearbook for my larger family of Southwicks. Subtitled, "Family histories as told by themselves," everyone was invited to compile something about his/her year in review and include goals, aspirations or resolutions. I enjoyed reading everyone's entries and each person's perspectives, likes and desires. I learned many things about my rellies.

Half the year is now passed and past. I figure it's time to check up on my New Year's Resolutions (which were pretty much plagiarized and borrowed with a few of my own).

My 2011 Resolutions are:

1. I will take a walk or get some other exercise every day, and especially when I feel stressed.
2. I will remind myself that there are no problems, only "opportunities for personal and professional growth.
3. I will do something every day that makes me laugh out loud.
4. I will take more risks. Everything you want is just outside of your comfort zone.
5. I will worry about only one thing at a time, if I worry at all.
6. I will eat right 90% of the time, and eat whatever I want 10% of the time.
7. I will send out a lot of "Thank You" cards.
8. I will focus each day on something I can do to help another person, preferably unknown to that person.
9. I will not agree to do things simply because someone asks me to.
10. I will get as much sleep as I need to be happy, healthy, and fun to be around.
11. I will focus on what went right every day, instead of what went wrong.
12. I will take long, hot baths or showers as often as I need them to relax.
13. I will find at least five new, really healthy foods that I actually enjoy, and eat them.
14. I will ask myself, "Will this thing really matter in 150 years?"
15. I will walk to more places - like to church, to a friend's house, etc. and park in a distant stall from my destination.
16. I will be thankful for everything.

To date, I have done #12 really well. In fact, I have never had a year that I have soaked in the bath tub so long and enjoyed it so much. I have done pretty well with seven more resolutions and the other half (yes, that would be eight), not so well. In fact, I totally forgot some of them. How can I ever hope to make changes in my life when I forget what changes I wanted to make? It is not that I don't need to make the changes, but rather I feel it would be an improvement to make the changes.

So for the second half of this year, I desire to become more aware and focused in these areas. I feel that self improvement leads to self discovery. If that self discovery is guided by the spirit, then I feel I am becoming closer to the source of my maker in doing His will. That is really my ultimate resolution, to be more like Him. Trust me, I know, and my kids will remind me, that I have a long way to go. But recognition is key to change and so I begin Part II of 2011.