This is a “thing” that has been a tradition in my life from an early age. Sometimes these “resolutions” were expressed in my family out loud and sometimes you just decide on a resolution yourself and maybe don’t tell anyone. Sometimes a resolution, a change in your life, can be so personal that you can’t share it with anyone or don’t want to share with anyone. Sometimes something that you want to change, others may not even realize is a problem or an issue that you have (with yourself) that they would think needed changing (if they knew what you were thinking….). So, why are resolutions and changes so common to declare on January 1st of each year? Why do we choose (oftentimes) something that can’t be adhered to on a sustainable basis – we all know that as well – so do we come up with something that seems so altruistic, profound, or courageous that we can’t be blamed for not following through with it? I mean, it was just a “dream” we had, not really something that was really attainable….so we really aren’t to blame when we can’t follow through with it…I mean how could have anyone hold us to this bargain….?
I really didn’t think of this Giggle Chog and podcast topic until about 6:30 this morning. A quick aside: I’ll tell you about a MAJOR change in my life in the past year that I never thought about as a “resolution”. My favorite part of the day since I retired is getting up several hours before anyone else and looking at Instagram (I’ll talk about that resolution in a minute…insert giggle giggle), read, or write in my book or on a new Giggle Chog. For the whole of my working life, I set the clock for the absolutely last minute that I could sleep before bounding out of bed, straight into the shower to get dressed for the day, get my coffee, and out the door – in that order! Now, as a retiree, even though I have all day to do anything I want to, and sleep as late as I want to, I get up super early and enjoy this private time. I can’t imagine getting out of bed and not having my coffee until almost an hour later as I used to – that’s just plain crazy talk!
Anyway, the very first post I saw this morning was made by a person I admire so much I really can’t put it into words. So humble and unassuming she is, when she has soooo many reasons to be boastful, was her (almost serenity prayer) for a new year to change the “same old me”, and of course, because she’s just a wonderful person, God’s blessings on us all. I immediately replied back, “there is nothing same old about you!”. Besides just being a fabulous woman in her own regard, she’s a mother to three of the most astonishingly loving and respectful young men I know. Not only that but hundreds of moms and dads all over our community are thankful that this woman had an influence on their child through her early education guidance of these children (not her own), and finally because she can spread her sunshine, positivity, and wisdom (none of these things she probably even realizes she has or does) to others.
When recently several of us were around her and her wonderful sons and husband, after they left a story was shared amongst us. When one of her sons was probably around three years of age, he misbehaved in some way (no one remembers how or what, not important), and she was told. She very quickly took control of this. His teacher (who was a friend also at that time and still is now many years later and was telling this story) told her that she wasn’t going to tell her anything else (laughingly) if she was going to treat such a minor thing with such importance. She replied (from this teacher’s remembrance), “I’m not raising a boy, I’m raising a man”. And this teacher was awed. You don’t hear that so very much these days from parents, and as always, I include myself. Anyway, these “boys” are now young men, and wonderful men they are. Her mission, accomplished. And to think I almost didn’t have this woman in my life (that’s another story)….
So where is this Giggle Chog and podcast going? I really don’t know to tell you the truth. It’s December 30th and time is running out to decide exactly how I am going to change myself in 2023. “What can I do?”, I ask myself. Of course, I’m going to exercise and try to eat healthier. I haven’t been to the gym in probably a month with all the Christmas chaos, but I’ve been a runner my entire adult life so that’s really not a “resolution” to get back into this practice. And if you’ve listened to my podcast on “Do You Take Supplements”, you know at 63 years of age, my eating habits aren’t going to change (insert giggle giggle). So what am I going to do?! I guess I can strive to be a kinder person. But you know what, I’m pretty nice already so being a kinder person would just be a marginally better way of being. I could try not to spend so much money on unneeded items (again, I have a future Giggle Chog and podcast on my admissions in, “Are You Gullible”) this is an issue I have. But you know what, I worked hard for almost 50 years, so the little items I buy from Amazon that I probably don’t need, but that makes me happy, so what….?
Living a healthier lifestyle, being a better person, and financial responsibility are probably the three biggest “resolutions” people contemplate at this time of the year, going into the next. So what do I do? Obviously I have a TON of room for improvement. I am so far from perfect it will make us all giggle. But is it possible to identify exactly what these imperfections are and resolve to change them? I don’t know and I guess that’s why we try so desperately once a year to make this declaration of change, which alas, usually fails us.
We all laugh when we hear politicians, when asked to grade themselves or asked what they would have done differently, struggle to answer, and we all scoff at their self-indulgence and arrogance. But that’s what it sounds like I am doing too, doesn’t it? I have made so many mistakes in my life, I have so many things I wish I could have a “do-over”, it’s tragic. But if you asked me, I too would struggle to actually cite them – I just know in my heart that this has been my fate more than once. Of course, I could tell you a few things – but those types of things that we can usually put into words of things we would actually do differently, are too personal to share with the masses. The things that we can share, are usually too mundane for anyone to really care about, I mean if we are just every day, normal people and not a criminal…..
The two things I am going to strive for, and I have really thought a lot about are these: 1) not to interfere so much in the lives of my two boys (men). But you know what…I think that they will miss “that mommy” (insert giggle giggle) so that probably won’t happen (insert giggle giggle!) and 2) not spend so much time on Instagram. I’m not going to make my case for why that’s probably not going to happen either. So even though these are two NEEDED items for me to change, I am already preparing myself for failure.
So, I’m really going to think hard today and tomorrow about my 2023 resolutions. We all are human and imperfect. We all make mistakes, sometimes on a daily basis. How can we possibly think NOW that these are things that we should know about in advance to change?
I will leave all of us to think about 2023 with these two Instagram posts: the first from the wonderful woman I already discussed, her post: “Praying for God’s guidance, favor, and many blessings this New Year”, and a little girl’s hilarious post declaring that before she commits to 2023, she will need to see the terms and conditions!
See!...I’m already ducking out on the Instagram resolution…..!!! I mean, how can you miss out on these things!
Cheers to 2023 and always remember to insert a giggle giggle! Kay 😊
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