I am not a fan of the usual New Year resolutions of lose weight and exercise more. Women (and men) spend way too much time thinking about their bodies and ignoring their soulful self.
Here are ten resolutions for the soul instead of the body.
1. I will not berate and belittle myself with negative self talk. By using the word "Stop!" I will redirect my thoughts to something positive.
2. I will say something nice to someone else not because I want to get something from them in return but because we all deserve to have something nice said to us every day.
3. I will not ignore my neighbors and will greet them courteously whenever we cross paths.4. I will spend time alone with me. Playing music, dancing, having a bath but especially dancing.
5. I will call someone once a week who I have not talked with in a while, "Just to say 'Hi'."
6. I will journal every day even if I think I do not need to and even if it is jibberish. Some times the jibberish gets in the way of worthwhile thoughts but it still needs to be taken care of.
7. I will apply a decadent lotion to my body every day. I realize, this is more of a body resolution, but dry, itchy skin affects my psyche so if I feel softer my soul will too.
8. I will make a donation once a month to a charity of my choice. It does not matter what the amount because even $5 will help someone.
9. I will buy a plant and nurture it. If it dies... I will buy another one and try again (Suggestions: African Violets and Aloe Veras are good choices and come in a wide variety).
10. I will go for a walk in a park alone. While I am there I will listen to the sounds around me: leaves swaying, birds singing, children playing. I will walk for 20-30 minutes and find a spot to sit and just breathe and listen and be happy.
Bonus. I will laugh until it hurts. I really miss that!
