It's the season of reproach--the turn of every new year. Most of us look backward, find what we don't like, resolve to change it instantly, and fail by today, five days into the new year.
NPR recently did a program on resolutions that inspired me. Most of the people who were interviewed either had no resolutions or had the drastic kind humans often create. Toward the end, one woman they approached said immediately and clearly, "I'm going to smoke less, and walk more."
Thus were born in my mind: less/more resolutions.
These are the sorts of ideas that allow for incremental and permanent change, as opposed to the dramatic declarations which set us up for failure. There's been enough failure on the planet recently. I'd rather set myself up for success. How about you?
Consider these possibilities, and create your own.
I'm going to . . .
Waste less, recycle more.
Talk less, listen more.
React less, consider more.
Read less, meditate more.
Complain less, compliment more.
Cry less, laugh more.
Judge less, accept more.
Spend less, save more.
Fear less, pray more.
Juggle less, invest more.
Yesterday this quote appeared in a Beliefnet.com newsletter I receive:
Fear less, hope more;
Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours.
Swedish Proverb
The Swedes are right. Less/More resolutions make a whole lot of sense to me. What less and more are you embracing in this bright, new year?