Promise #84: Strain for less, not more

For all the joy a new year brings, there’s an undue amount of stress, too. That’s because we’re all so tangled up with the pressure and hoopla to make a resolution.

Imagine if we shifted the entire discussion to December 31, 2012? There would be a lot less chatter and it would be much more meaningful. The resolutions that didn’t stick wouldn’t matter. The resolutions that did stick would.

Our shared experiences about the real transformation a resolution makes (after all, that’s the intention) might be slightly more inspiring than a discussion about the transformation we hope it will make. Not that there’s anything wrong about a discussion regarding hope.

Last year I ranted about this, too, when I shared my resolution. Interestingly enough the resolution to just “trust myself” was one that stuck with me all year long. It whispered in my ear when I was ready to farm out a work project or two; it slapped me upside the head when my inner critic questioned my ability to get naked; it reminded me again and again to not be afraid to just see what might happen if I ________________.

I learned that this whole resolution wanderlust is deeply personal. It’s not about joining a gym or getting a new job or landing a deal. It is about finding the power within to produce the change you need, desire, crave or dream.

It’s about being patient and kind to yourself. It’s about making a pinky promise with your soul.

So whether you already staked your claim, or you already walked away from your stake, consider this:

why not spend the year straining for less

so you can get to the heart of your matter

and make it matter even more?

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