On Those Resolutions…

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Chanelmama blogger Ouiam Charkani El Hassani on year-long resolutions.

Every year we fall victim to making a New Year’s Resolution List, and most of us make promises that “This year I’m really going to stick to it!” It really does feel refreshing to establish resolutions and, if anything, they get us excited about the impending year ahead. So much can happen in a year and the beauty of that resides in not knowing what to expect, why not this or that? Maybe what has started off as few words on a list ends up being very real? Who knows? Life is crazy like that.

So what if some people think this whole New Year’s Resolutions shenanigans is just an excuse to be lazy and take a whole year to achieve goals that only really take a few weeks? Why does it matter whether you achieve your goals in a month or a year? And, most importantly, why do we get so serious about the whole resolutions topic? Since when do we have control over what happens tomorrow or next month or even this very next minute? No matter what the resolutions are, why can’t we focus more on enjoying the process and stress less about the results?

Taking time to figure out your needs and desires for a new year that’s approaching is amazing; figuring out the things that will bring a fresh breath of air into your life and working towards making them a reality is incredible. Yet, you can only try, no one knows what the universe has in store for you. Planning and writing down lists of goals is great but what is even greater is to have the most fun trying to achieve those goals. If your resolutions stress you out, then maybe this isn’t the year it was meant to be. Or maybe it is, and you need to jump to and tackle it. In both cases, what really matters is how you made each step of the way count, how you lived the year, month, day, trying to achieve your goals. Think about it, the year will come to an end whether you achieve your goals or not, so why not savour every stage, every setback and every breakthrough on the journey? And make some wonderful memories while you are working hard to make your dreams become reality.

No matter what the resolutions are, why can’t we focus more on enjoying the process and stress less about the results?

What if you started your New Year’s Resolution List with: “Be present, be whole, be full of light”? What if you set out believing in yourself, knowing that you are enough and that you are this rare, unique, work-in-progress kind of material, that is already very valuable and precious yet open to whatever time will bring? What if this year, as you work on achieving your goals, you secretly add a new one that would be “Enjoy achieving these goals”. And, whether by the end of 2018 you have crossed and checked all the boxes or not, at least you know that you have enriched your year, making each second count.

How about creating a fun list of small resolutions that can grow in the midst of 2018? Goals that can ebb and flow with the year ahead. Set yourself up for success and have fun, no matter what. Try and see the good in everything. Make a conscious effort to be happy no matter the downpour you are faced with now or in the future. Try breaking down those goals into mini-goals, and take pleasure in achieving the small ones before the bigger ones. Never forget that in the first place you only made a list of resolutions to embellish, refine and polish the real deal: YOU, and that you really are all that matters!

I hope your resolutions overall are goals that make you wiser, more experienced and add to your stack of cherished memories. I hope they gather your loved ones, seal friendships and make new ones. I hope they make you live life with every inch of your being, make you feel all the feels and offer you an unforgettable taste of life. Just know that from the beginning, you are enough. You are good already. Your resolutions should be helpful stepping stones in turning you into a stronger self, not a make or break situation that makes you feel guilty if not reached.
So, be present, be whole, be full of light!