Reflections not Resolutions

 As we travel these last few weeks of 2024 you might find yourself beginning to think of a new years resolution.

Instead of a resolution what if we take time to engaging in reflections. Mindful reflections.

Mindfulness is about being present in a moment. It's taking time to savor the best moments. It's learning from the challenging moments.

Thich Nhat Hanh once said, "Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment."

Hopefully you were able to dwell in some peaceful, loving, caring, kind, and understanding moments during 2024. Perhaps you were able to sit in moments and accept them as they came and learn from them.

On the website Integrativecounsel.org we are given a list of 12 suggestions to take time and reflect on at the end the year.

1. Health and Fitness

2. Intellectual Life

3. Emotional Life

4. Character

5. Spiritual Life

6. Love Relationships

7. Parenting Vision

8. Social Life

9. Financial Life

10. Career

11. Quality of Life

12. Life Vision

As I read this list I began to reflect on these items for myself. I began to wonder what it might look like if I focused my mindfulness in 2025 on these items. I feel that if instead of New Years Resolutions I make a New Years Purposeful Dedication to Mindfulness I will be happier, healthier, and am more likely to have success with meeting a goal.

1. Many people set resolutions toward fitness and health. What if we had a mindfulness mindset toward our wellbeing? 

2. Do we ever consider our intellectual life when we set new goals? I try to set a yearly reading goal. Most often I fall short. This year I can say I exceeded my goal!! I set a routine regarding when I read and I guarded that time. I was mindful about ensure I had that time each night (or most nights).

3. Now this one can be a true challenge. And it can have so many meaning when you think about it. This could be setting boundaries. This could be being more open. This could be allowing yourself to experience and not deny an emotion. This could be letting go of grudges. 

4. I love this one. I feel like this could be a great mindfulness new years goal for students. We could come back after break and instead of focusing on asking what gifts were received (maybe they weren't) we could take time to reflect on a students character in 2024 and what changes they would like to make in 2025. How about you? How is your character?

5. Spiritual life is a personal one. If it applies, take time and reflect. This year Leila participated in the children's Christmas choir at church and Madison asked for a Bible. Reflecting on this one with my family makes me feel proud and ready to keep moving forward in 2025.

6. Love relationships does not have to be romantic, but it can be. For me I see this as "How did you love in 2024?" Did others know you were giving and showing love? How did they know? Love is an action not a feeling (or not just a feeling). What were your love actions in 2024?

7. Parenting vision may seem exclusive to parents, but it doesn't have to be. Maybe you are preparing to be a parent. You want to be one. You are a pet parent. You are an amazing aunt or uncle. In a way for 8 hours a day you parent students. What was your 2024 vision for parenting. As I reflect I know that I need to refocus my love relationship during bedtime to better accomplish my parenting vision of being a calm and understanding parent (bedtime is the worst!).

8. Social Life. Do you have one? Did it satisfy you? Did you focus too much and not give yourself enough recharge time? Did you neglect it and you feel you lack connections with others?

9. This one can be touchy and personal. This one can be a real struggle, especially in this economy. Financial life. Give yourself some grace, set small goals, and be mindful. 

10. Career. How is it going?  I love my job. I worked for nearly 10 years in Flint doing social work before I came here. I had a job for 7 of those years where I was on-call 24/7. I went to a hospital at midnight in a snowstorm. I testified in court more times than I care to count. I stood before judges and advocated for children, once asking on behalf of a 16 year-old boy, to stop an adoption. I heard stories that would give you nightmares. And I was exhausted and disheartened.  The days get crazy at school, but the nights are mine. I love working with children. I hope that at the end of the day you feel that you are where you should be. And if not, what is your next step?

11. Quality of Life. How is it? Is it good? What needs to be improved upon? This one opens us up to some many possibilities. .

12. Life vision. Did 2024 fit into your life vision? What might need to be changed, challenged, or created in 2025 to fit your daily life into your life vision?

As we enjoy our time off, rest, relax, recharge, and reevaluated setting a New Years Resolution and find End of the Year Mindful Reflections and set Mindfulness Goals for 2025.