HOPE IN 2019

New Years Resolution.  To do or not to do, that is the question?

I spoke to several people of varying ages on their thoughts about making a New Year’s Resolution. The conversations were mostly positive. “It’s a good way to start the year, thinking about me”.  “It sounds silly but I look forward to thinking about what I want to focus on in the year.”  As people spoke I kept thinking about hope. Hope by definition is a desire for something to happen.  However, I recently read in Brene’ Brown’s book Daring Greatly that C.R. Synder explained hope as a way of thinking.  He talks about hope being something you can develop and learn.  These are 3 components.

1. “I know where I want to go.”
2. “I know how to get there, I’m persistent, and I can tolerate disappointment and try again.”
3. “I can do this.”​

Taking these aspects of hope into the year is a way of thinking about resolutions.  Resolutions are about wanting to make a change, and moving towards that goal.  It was interesting to hear many people say that they often forget about their resolution by February.  It can be hard to remember the resolution and it gets forgotten.

4 helpful tips in giving hope to your resolution:

1. Write it down.  Take an index card or sticky note and post your specific and measurable goal in a place you can see every day. 
2. Talking about it to others is a great way to make it stick.  
3. Adjust the resolution when necessary.  Maybe as you start the year you plan to go to the gym 6 days of the week.  But then you realized this is too difficult or I don’t seem to be able to make it work.  Be flexible and create something else from that challenge.  New plan:  Exercise 3 days at the gym and 2 days walk after lunch.
4. Find quotes that motivate and inspire. One that gives the feeling of perseverance. Write it down, set a reminder on your phone so the quote pops up every morning at 7am. 

Here are a few of my favorites quotes.
Wonder Women : “You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know.”
Neil Gaiman:  “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.”
Brene’ Brown:  “Be willing to let go who you think you should be in order to be who you are.”
Coach John Wooden:  “You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better.  By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better.”
Oprah Winphrey: “You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.”  
Maya Angelou:  “If you don’t like something change it, if you can’t change it change your attitude.”

A New Year’s resolution is about hope and joy.  It’s also about improvement and growth of the self.  What is your resolution? Who have you told about it?  What is your favorite motivating quote?

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