Interesting about people making resolutions.
A resolution is a thought of a possibility that you may or may not carry through on. A goal is something you work towards, whether it is a short term or long term one.
The fact is, if you do not carry through on either, you are then only fooling yourself with idle thoughts.
You must carry through on commitments to yourself before you can do so with or for others.
Try communication with others like an old-fashioned conversation without TV, or phones or computers. Get to know each other as people free of the connection via the media.
Games are nice on a dreary evening but so is just talking.
May all have a great day or create one.
Merry Christmas.
------------------------------
Rev. Jim Klynman
Woodstock Ga.
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 12-13-2022 07:33
From: Quinn Drew
Subject: Taking Mindfulness into the New Year
I think about this every year about this time, @Taylor Evans Ghosal! I don't really love the whole New Year's Resolutions craze - one, because it so rarely works for most folks, and two, because I believe you can set yourself a resolution (or goal) any time of day, week, month, or year.
I was listening to a podcast this morning while walking the doggo, and the guest (Carrie Jenkins) was talking about the concept she calls "eudaimonic love" - in comparision to "romantic love," this type of love is about creating something together. We're all taught that "love will make you happy" but her thought on this is that love, in and of itself, doesn't really "make" any of us happy, and it shouldn't have to. Her words might be helpful here:
Aiming at happiness doesn't work, trying to make yourself happy actually doesn't tend to make people very happy. I think the same is true for trying to make yourself happy ever after in a romantic sense, it doesn't actually work.
It's not going to lead to happy ever after for the majority of people. I draw on the work of Victor Frankel who was really influential in seeing that if you are going after happiness you're unlikely to succeed but what you need to do is go after what makes your life meaningful, what has me for you.
I found this really intriguing! And to wrap this around to mindfulness - one of the things I'm working on with my partner is to be more mindful about how we spend time together. With winter approaching, we are going to start a list of "winter activities" that we can do together that isn't just sitting on the couch, watching TV or playing MarioKart on our phones (though we'll do that, too, I'm sure). So things like: puzzling, coloring, and bundling up to still get out on a couple of bike rides/long walks are definitely on the list.
Anyone have any other ideas of things we can do/create together over the winter months?
@Amy Finkelstein - I feel like you and your boo do lots of cool stuff together! Whatcha got for me?
------------------------------
Stay awesome,
Quinn
Original Message:
Sent: 12-12-2022 14:30
From: Taylor Evans Ghosal
Subject: Taking Mindfulness into the New Year
Here's something kind of crazy to think about...2023 is less than three weeks away! Doesn't it seem like we just rang in 2022?
A hallmark of the New Year is resolutions, and I'm making a resolution to take new mindfulness practices into 2023. I also plan to be more consistent about the mindfulness practices I mentioned in a recent Connect post.
Meditation is at the top of my list to try because I'm not often alone with my thoughts. A few minutes a day to clear my head --- not impeded by a podcast or Netflix series --- seems like a reasonable, easy-to-achieve goal.
What are your thoughts about making mindfulness a resolution? Do you find resolutions help or hinder you in the long run?
@Quinn Drew and @Maria Liccardo, you had some really thoughtful responses last week! What do you think?
#MindfulnessMonday
------------------------------
Taylor Evans Ghosal
Evanston IL
------------------------------