The New Year: A Kinder, Gentler Resolution

Approaching the end of the calendar year, many people, myself included, look to the new year with hopes and a clean slate to live life afresh and anew.  It is exciting to look to the new year with inspirations for new possibilities and the hopes of being the very best people we can be.  Resolutions generally revolve around health habits: "I've got to lose weight."  "I need to  exercise more." "I must  quit smoking." The list goes on.  I don't deny the importance of healthy habits as these but sometimes the importance of our mental health can be overshadowed by the determination of  fulfilling resolutions exclusively about our physical well-being.  Let's not forget the importance of our mental well-being.  The mental and the physical go hand in hand, but sometimes that is forgotten.  Sometimes we forget to take good care of our psychological self: to be gentle with ourselves.  Frequently we are our own worst critic, when it is beneficial to remember that we can be our own best friend.

     In the past I have made many resolutions, most of them involving exercising more and losing weight.  Some of them were met with a moderate amount of success but if I did not maintain the status of what I originally set out to  do, then I ended up feeling as if I had "failed"  Even those years that I generally had overall improved health, again our own worst critic kicks in and I am back to square one: feeling that I had not truly completed the resolution.  The year that I made a resolution dealing with mental health and growth was the time I really felt a sense of accomplishment.  I read the Holy Bible cover to cover.  It helped my faith grow, was educational  and really made me feel that I had set out to do something and did it! I guess when resolving to do something in the new year it is wise to set obtainable goals and having the tenacity to reach them.  Easier said than done.  Yet I would like to encourage people to set goals that include taking care of your mental well-being and resolutions that help you grow as a person.  Education and the growth of one's mind can never be taken away from you...it becomes a part of you.  Whereas a resolution to "exercise more" can be lost or obscured in trying to define in your own mind what you mean by "more".
      I would like to suggest that we remember to include in our resolution making ones that would improve our outlook on life and thereby improving our psyche. How about taking a class at your local college or adult ed on a topic that intrigues you?  When reading, try a new author or a whole new genre other than what you normally read. Just make a vow to start something new in the New Year.  I'm not trying to diminish the importance of healthier habits.  I'm just lifting up the importance of tending to our mental health as well as the physical.

      The betterment of our physical bodies is an admirable goal, let's just not forget our mental health as well! Be good & Gentle to Ourselves! 
Happy New Year everyone and a Joyous & Blessed 2016!