Well, I almost did it again — the damn propane! If I was the kind of person who set new year’s resolutions, checking the propane level weekly would be at the top of my 2022 resolution list. But if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I’ve long since abandoned the idea of making annual resolutions, just like I’ve given up most holiday traditions.
It’s not that I don’t have goals and aspirations. I do. I just don’t put a 12-month end date on them, and I think that is the key to success and happiness.
For years, just like most people, I made a list on January 1 of all the grandiose goals I’d achieve by December 31. And just like most people, I failed to achieve those goals in 365 days. It left me feeling frustrated, sad, and angry with myself.
A few years ago, I ‘resolved’ to cut myself some slack and aim for mild improvements rather than a total overhaul. [Read about it here, here, here, and here.] It was part of embracing who I am and loving myself, flaws and all. Truth is, no matter how many self-help books I read or personal growth podcasts I listen to, I know there are some things about me that I won’t change because, frankly, I don’t want to.
And for the things I do want to change, I embrace the notion that small progress is still progress. It all adds up over time. And as much as I understood this intellectually, it wasn’t until I was thinking about resolutions in 2020 that this really hit home and stuck.
Late in 2019, a dear friend of mine passed away after valiantly battling cancer. Emily lived by the motto, “Do your best.” She said it to her kids before each school day, exam, competition, and event. You may not always win, but you can always give it your best effort — that was her belief.
I think of Emily often and keep a Do Your Best sign on my front lawn as a daily reminder. I also keep a notebook and pencil with the same saying on my desk to keep me motivated, especially when writer’s block creeps in.
As we enter a new year and I think about what I want to accomplish and how I want to live my life, I’m adopting Emily’s battle cry as my own. My 2022 resolution is to just do my best every day. After all, isn’t that all we can do, given the current state of the world?
Before I go, I want to celebrate the fact that this New Year’s Resolution post is being published on January 4. January 4th, people! I think that’s a record for me; I’m usually more of a third-week-of-January-type-of-girl. I call that a win, an improvement, and definitely doing my best (even if next year, my best is back to being the third week of January).
-LJDT
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