Resolutions, anyone?

[latebloomer]

I never used to make them but some realizations coincided with the end of the year. Two pieces of feedback- My teenage son telling me I'm too negative and I worry too much, and a close friend, after I joked about something, saying that she missed my sense of humor.

OK, I've got some excellent excuses for my frequent pissing and moaning- I just went thru 19 months from hell- a leukemia dx, followed by the choice of intensive chemo or speedy death, followed by a bone marrow transplant a year ago. By all measures I am doing VERY well, but the emotional roller coaster ride has been fierce!

Plus my MIL is still living with us, which is a constant trial.

But I think I catastrophize everything, and complain constantly, and am very moody, often angry, sometimes depressed. And I do way too much "What-iffing".

I finally went into therapy, which is good and supportive, but I already know what to do. Positivity breeds positivity. I believe in the law of attraction, because I have used it to gain what I needed most in life, even saving my life. I know I can't always be joyous and serene- sometimes I have to cry, rant, rage. release.

But for the most part I want to cultivate a different attitude, look for the good stuff- there's so MUCH of it- and get out of the habit of feeling annoyed by everything. It's not good for me and it's not good for my family.

Live more in the moment, visualize all the best for self, family, friends, community and planet. Meditate. Exercise. Eat well. Be grateful.

Oh yeah-and sing! I love to sing, and it is so healing. And spend more time listening to music than being a news junkie.

That's mine. Anybody else?

[Kind of Blue]

1. Hi, Latebloomer! Agree with everything you say about cultivating a new attitude.

And after all these years, I was so pleased to see the Desiderata that I Have A Dream included in the January 2009 Prayer, Light and Healing Requests, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=245x81598. It so helped me get rid of negative emotions and fully focus on a prayer.
Well, I just wanted to share this that I think piggybacks the Desiderata. I resolve to listen to it everyday in keeping connected and just BEING. I hope that you enjoy it because it includes your resolution to sing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ&feature=related

Happy New Year to YOU with continued good health and well-being.

[latebloomer]

4. Many thanks for these-

The beautiful poem and Vonnegut's timeless advice- set to music and images, no less!

[Celebration]

2. I'm keeping it simple this year

I am going to start a web page. I'm giving myself plenty of time to do this--twelve full months.

I do love the singing/music idea.

I hope everyone here easily accomplishes their resolution goals!

[latebloomer]

5. What will the theme be?

Will it be a blog?

[Celebration]

10. not a blog

I'll give you a hint. I'm going to be selling something, but I'll give it away free to ASAHers if they promise to try it.

[Callie McAllie]

3. I blame George W Bush

for all the negativity. You said it, "positivity breeds positivity." But under the Bush regime there has been such a national deterioriation, everyone is doing just what you describe: catastrophizing, complaining, and we are all moody, angry and depressed. He has run this country, and all the people in it, right into a rut.

I'm terribly sorry for the ordeal you've been through, and so glad that you are doing well. I'm sure it was an emotional roller coaster. Be sure to give yourself lots of time to recover emotionally in the year to come.

:hug:

I love New Year's resolutions. Since I was a girl I would spend the eve assessing/recalling the good and bad of the year past, try to gain some insights, make some resolutions for the new year. They are almost always the same: quit smoking, stop biting my fingernails, lose weight, exercise more. And then I often make some that are more concrete to the things I've learned in the past year. Some years I accomplish some, or one, or none, but I always make them again. It's a chance to re-up my self-discipline, I guess.

In 2008 I actually did lose 30 pounds and stopped biting my fingernails (I believe the nail-biting was actually some kind of allergic reaction to something in my diet, because quitting that was effortless once I changed my eating habits). So here's the list for 2009:

exercise more: 1/2 hour of Wii fit each day with my son
drink less
quit smoking (by summer)
take more and better pictures throughout the year
get the family to sit down together for dinner at least once a week

I also have a tendancy to make resolutions for the people around me, not that they care. For my son: try at least 1 new food a week, and the 1/2 hour exercise with me. For my stepdaughter: get into college, at least community college.

So happy New Year, latebloomer! I hope it will be a much better year for everyone than 2008 was.

:toast:

[latebloomer]

6. Thanks for the good wishes, Callie!

And the same back to you.

I agree that the past 8 years of war, environmental degradation, human and civil liberties violations, with the cherry on top of economic depression, has been severely demoralizing and depressing. I breathed a sigh of relief as the new year arrived. Let's shine our light to make this a liveable world for ourselves and our children.

[Digit]

7. What a strong person you are!

It sounds like you have come through some pretty dark times and you have your priorities set.
There is no doubt in my mind you will achieve all that you have set out to do.

As for myself, I just started Chantix (again) to quit smoking. I have noticed that it becomes less effective the longer I am on it, so I plan to have quit smoking by the end of January. Luckily, I have just enough on hand to make it.

I have already been dieting and eating healthier. So far, I have lost 15 pounds and plan on losing another 40. This also will help with my last item.

I began meditating yesterday and hopefully can keep it up this time around. I start with a visualization of the earth surrounded by white light and go from there. I always feel much more positive when I do this daily.

Go back to school to make myself more employable in the changing job market.

Lastly; get my knee replaced...finally.

[Shallah Kali]

8. Dance at least 5 minutes every day

No matter how lame my moves are I will move and see if I can't remember what it was like to be a little kid who just loved to move not caring what is right and correct way to dance.

Take a minute at least to savor something every day. Wallowing in misery is easy. Letting myself truly and deeply enjoy something even if as mundane and simple as a cup of tea or the smell of fresh air I will eat it up. I will wallow and luxuriate in it and delete the bits of mental programming that say things like this are silly, stupid and ridiculous.

Name at least one thing I am grateful for before going to bed each day, more if I feel like it and try to fall asleep counting my blessings instead of sheep like a great old song said so well.

Get serious about practicing Reiki so the someday-I-will-have-a-reiki-practice can get closer to coming into reality. Before spring I will post here at ASAH asking for volunteers for free distance treatments. Posting this here now before I chicken out again :eek:

[Sanity Claws]

9. This has inspired me

I had simply resolved to slowly eliminate coffee from my diet but your posts has reminded me that there are so many other things I can do to improve my life.
I'm going to smile more often - it really does help one's mood.
I will meditate at least twice a week.
I hope we kick this thread in a month or so -- I want to be reminded of your resolutions that inspired me.

[Cleita]

11. Yep. I'm devoting all my manifestation efforts into pulling the new government

away from the corporate whores they are appearing to be towards socialism, not in everything, but the things that count like health care for everyone and education through university for every child who is capable of it.

[rosesaylavee]

12. Cultivating a different attitude is one of mine too...

I have felt old for the first time this past year - lots of 'good reasons' but I realize that I have stopped feeling that the world is full of possibilities. Am trying to recapture that sense of 'anything wonderful can and could' happen again.

I am starting a blog on the Green movement and really want to focus my energy on learning more about what that means to me and those I love... and learning how we can, as a small and greater community, adapt to new ways of living sustainably without the tremendous sense of loss I fear is coming our collective ways.

Oh, and if I lost a few pounds, that would be swell. :P

[FirstLight]

13. "Keep. Taking. Steps. Toward.the. Light..."

I am choosing to take a class towards transferring to get my degree, at the same time trying to get a job as a mgmt trainee, either one is good, both are options, no puting all my eggs in ONE place.

meanwhile I am really attempting to slowly move my body and take my health more seriously...even by only working out 3 hrs a week, and taking time to attend a class... until the paper hires me or my freelance hours take off....otherwise, work on myself, the rest wil have to come in due course, and I want to be feeling okay enough to claim it. Not slugging around in my PJ's waiting for the phone to ring...

take a breath and move FORWARD

that's my vow this year,

here's to being sucessful with joy in my heart (that's my equinox wish!)

[Matariki]

14. Latebloomer, you've been through a successful bone marrow transplant?

Congratulations! that's a very, very difficult thing to go through. And frankly many people don't make it. I had a good friend who worked on the leukemia ward at Swedish Hospital. His stories were heart breaking. You have A LOT to be positive about. In fact, you should feel pretty good about yourself. It's normal and forgivable to be 'cranky' when you're sick.

Listening to more music and a little less news is one of my resolutions too!

I wish you the best and very good health.

[Dora]

15. I made resolutions -

"I resolve to -
- write more poems
- earn more money
- love my husband
- love my son
- practice gratitude every day
- learn every day"


It's been an interesting year-end/new year transition for me. I had a hectic holiday "break" with two different sets of visitors, no personal down time, and minor illness requiring antibiotics and a subsequent yeast explosion that's lingering. I've also been journaling almost daily (for the first time in 14 years), and doing this has opened doors of thought and reflection that I thought were long closed. I went into the holiday feeling open and relaxed and buoyed by the energies, and came out of it feeling exhausted, raw, and full of negativity.

My resolutions were written on a piece of paper and handed to a lovely woman who added them to scores of other resolutions written on paper or wood, and then stuffed inside a gigantic wooden clock and ceremonially burnt to the ground on New Year's eve. It was beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3XTQ2523MM

[Kind of Blue]

16. Thanks, that was great! All those wishes and resolutions

floating through the Universe. I always do the same thing to add power to a desire - write it down, pray on it, light a candle to burn it, and let go.

[Dover]

17. Latebloomer, so good to hear your voice here in ASAH again! I wish there were sound

because I'd love to hear you sing!!!

You have soldiered through a very difficult time and I love that you are now looking for
your life and your 'voice' within and hearing also the voices beckoning you to experience the joy....to play. I too find so much joy in singing, and I'll also be looking for some outlets to experience that in new ways. One goofy thing I do on occasion is sing everything I read, whether it's the grocery list, signs on the road, or even the most miserable story in the newspaper, trying out different vocal 'moods' that are oh so dramatic and often operatic....lol! And sometimes I will do these spontaneous "performances" for friends and family and crack them up...or just as often make their eyes roll. :o :nopity:

I found this golden nugget in Wickfordbard's Full Moon Report this month and would love to
share it as an offering to the spirit of this thread:

Instead of dieting, try to feel what really nurtures you – what foods, music, stories, people, work energize you. Instead of worrying about how to pay the bills, think about what talents you have and how to share them with the world. Ask spirit to provide what you need – it might only be 'just enough' but it will take you to the next stage. Take in what's healthy for you and give your gifts out to the world. Create a positive energy exchange between inner and outer, self and other, microcosm and macrocosm.