Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Choose Again

How do you feel about the start of a new year? The start of anything new fills me with excitement and anticipation. I love the start of a new year, a new week, a new month, a new project. I revel in it. I think about what is working for me and what is not and I get excited about trying something new. My creative nature jumps with joy as I think of ways to reinvent myself.

Some people call this New Year’s Resolutions. I prefer to call it Choose Again. New Year’s Resolutions has received a lot of bad press over the years, but Choose Again is something we can use every day if we choose. For 2009, there are just two ideas on my list. I’ll share the most important one today. I’ll save the second for next week’s post.

In 2009, I am choosing to be gentler and kinder to myself. I am choosing to show up for myself 365 days of the year and to be in charge of my own well-being and happiness. I am choosing to love and care for myself with the same tenderness I share with the other folks I love. I am choosing to be my own best friend, my own support system. Here are some of my ideas on the subject.

1. I believe in myself. I trust my judgment. I enjoy my gifts. I appreciate my life. I trust life to bring me wonderful experiences and opportunities to grow.

2. I totally love and accept myself, just as I am today.

3. I completely love and accept my body. I thank my body for showing up for me each day. I appreciate my body for absorbing all the pain and sorrow in my life. I show my appreciation by making choices that support my body in big ways.

4. I am open to new experiences and opportunities.

5. I do something special for myself every day, such as:

Take time for something I enjoy. Stop when I’m tired. Take more naps. Breathe Deeply. Meditate. Listen to my favorite music. Take bubble baths. Stop saving the good stuff for later. Have a massage. Cuddle up with a great book. Watch the sun rise. Enjoy nature. Light the candles I’ve been saving. Plant something and watch it grow. Accept myself. Accept others. Cherish relationships. Cherish myself. Enjoy the night sky. Hug more. Laugh more. Hold hands. Take long walks. Write something profound. Write something simple. Write something. Simplify.

It’s a short list, but you get the idea. Why not make your own list. There must be 101 things we can do to show kindness to ourselves. Why not make 2009 your year to show up for yourself? Why not start today? Maybe you are already kind to yourself, but if not Choose Again.

Linda Garner

4 comments:

Carolyn V. said...

Linda, I love ya! Your list was awesome, too!
I have already lost that 1 pound I was going for. I guess that's 100% of my goals (except not enough fudge). Whoo hoo! Time to make some new ones. May have to borrow some on your list.
Happy Choose Again!

Linda Garner said...

Congrats on losing your pound. That's awesome, and happy Choose Again, to you, too. Love LG

Anonymous said...

As someone who has not loved themselves in a long time, I had to say that your post and the premise behind it are very profound things.

I think I just might have to try it.

Love you, LG. Love you lots.

Linda Garner said...

Today is the perfect day to begin. Treat yourself with the same courtesy and kindness that you extend to others. See yourself the way we see you. You are awesome. Much Love, LG