Wednesday 7 January 2009

New Year thoughts

I have been thinking about New Year resolutions. I picked up a pen this morning to scribble down a list.  Then I decided that I have enough lists in my life already.  My days are run by lists and there aren't many mornings when I don't have a new list in my notebook.

Having decided not to write a list of worthy things to do, I looked at the items on today's to-do list.  Although they all need to be done sometime, not one of them absolutely had to be done today.  Most days I get frustrated at not finishing everything on my list yet when I think about it, the things I am fretting over are not essential. 

One of my New Years resolutions from last year (and probably from the year before that) was to try to slow down, to stop rushing around frantically filling every moment.  This resolution has always failed as I invariably schedule more activities than I can possibly fit into the time available, making me always busy and always rushed.  So this year there is to be no list,  just a resolution to think a bit more carefully about the way I plan my time, trying to concentrate on the activities are the most important.  I'm not sure how I am going to do this yet, maybe getting the family to help out more or striking a few things off the list altogether.  

However I tackle it, 2009 is definitely the first new year that instead of making a list of things to do, I have instead resolved to do less!

2 comments:

Alice and Ginny said...

Hello Willow,
What a great resolution. sadly i do have lots to do at the moment but resolve to do them one at a time and with a bright and happy heart, with the ultimate aim of slowing down too. I use lists and at times Alice tells me to tear them up as they make me more stressed. My main resolution this year is to go to bed early and get up early which should give me the energy for all the other unsaid resolutions to follow.
wishing you a gentle, calm day
x

Denise said...

Happy New Year. I know exactly what you mean - having long lists means we can never reach the end of the tasks we think we have to complete. Maybe making fewer demands on ourselves is the answer!