reSOLUTION-istas! Got your leaf? Ready to turn it??

Lose 10 Pounds? Who?

Me?! Hahaha Nope.

No thanks, I’m good.

Cut out alcohol for 30 days?

What the hell for?

Will somebody please help me understand the point of this?

Okay.

I apologize.

I do not mean to diminish the efforts of individuals who set these as their personal goals, I mean that’s great.

Good for you.

I know I sound sarcastic but I genuinely applaud you, because although I think them a little trivial, I do NOT in any way mean they are easily accomplished.

If you are an actual living human, then you know that losing ten pounds is quite the task. Genuinely healthy, hard earned weight loss?? If you can do this and maintain then you are a rock star as well as an alien.

And sober for a whole month?

(Pssst, umm...you don’t mean wine though right?? )

I’ll just leave that to the Hardcores.

The true Resolution-Istas!

These resolutions have almost become gimmicky in a way. Will losing ten pounds make me happy? Sure.....until I gain it back a couple of months down the road after the glow wears off and then where will I be? Ten pounds fatter but without my favourite sweats. Screw you Resolution.

Frankly, that burger tasted better than my teenaged daughters jeans looked anyways.........

Now 30 days dry. This one is a little different. If you struggle with alcoholism then yes, 100% this is an important goal. I support and commend anyone who wants to get sober and as a recovering addict I know how life changing this can be.

But frankly, if you are the average joe who enjoys a glass or two of wine after the littles are asleep, and you just settled on this resolution for lack of a better idea...

Drink the wine.

It’s not worth the stress.

Life is short and all that shit.

I think we are looking at this totally backwards people!!!

I’ll admit, it might be this bottle of Argentinian Malbec with notes of Chocolate and Cherry that I’ve paired with an entire box of Oreos, (working on my ten pounds) but I think I might be onto something here! (Hiccup)

Maybe we have been doing this wrong for decades! What if we stopped setting resolutions at the beginning of the year?

I do NOT mean just give up on becoming the best versions of ourselves. But what if we stopped looking into the future and instead began looking at the year gone by.

In my 36 years, If I were to estimate the number of serious resolutions I have set for myself, I would say there would be about 12 of them.

12 times that I fully intended and was determined to reach a goal that I set for myself at the beginning of a new year. The number of times that I fully achieved said goal? ZERO!! Why??

It was the wrong goal.

I didn’t need to turn a New Leaf! I needed to gently tend to the Old One, to wipe away the year until the dirt was gone, and all that was left was a Clean, Naked Body.

Exposed. Unmasked. Uncovered. Unkept.

Alright, Now that we are here....smelling, listening and feeling our surroundings. Accepting where we are and who we are,

Now that we are Present....

Let’s become Mindful.

Morning/Night Practice :

Just Be with yourself. Aware of your body and the beautiful story it tells. Every scar, every wrinkle, every stretch mark unique to you. No part wrong, nothing imperfect. In complete acceptance of every line, curve and crease. Notice the smell of your skin, the colour and texture. The length of your hair, whether it feels soft on your skin, or tickles your neck. Any pain in your body? Any tension or tightness? What colours are in the room? Feel the chair beneath you, the warmth of your breath and the sounds as you inhale and exhale.

Now notice your feelings. Acknowledge any anxiety, stress, anger, or sadness. Not analyzing the source of these emotions or trying to push them away, but just being aware of their presence and accepting them. If you have any concerns or worries, allow them to be there and notice their place within you. Not bad, not wrong, just present. Everything you feel and think, every part of your body and soul, is you. And you are exactly who and what you should be in this moment.

I propose a new global tradition. A new way to make a fresh start as we enter each new year. To practice love and acceptance of ourselves every day, from this day forward, for all our future days. To keep it simple.

When December reaches its last days, and we think about our Leaves, let’s reflect on the last 12 months. Through being Present & Mindful, we now should be self -aware, and have the humility to be honest about our humanity.

Were we overall patient? Were we considerate? Were we humble? Were we angry? Dishonest? Selfish?

Without feeling any shame or guilt, without self -blame, without any feelings of inadequacy, we choose one or two behaviours to genuinely focus our attention to. Not to achieve perfection, or to set a time limit or level of achievement. Not necessarily even a goal to reach, but just to truly become the best version of who we already are.

So to start the year off with some humility, and a little honesty, I’ve decided that this year I would like to become more patient. I would like to find more compassion for people and situations that I find myself growing intolerant of, so that I can better love and understand others...as well as myself.

I wish you all a 2021 full of Life, Love, Acceptance and Self Discovery.

And remember,

Last year’s Leaf may be cracked,

It’s colours not as bright,

Less soft than you remember,

But it still has so much to teach you.

Jessica Rae