Resolutions... 2016 Version

Ok – here it is… the New Year Resolution post… I have already written about writing more and being more active on my blog but here are a few more.

1-      Read more – I love to read. But I am torn… between the convenience of an ebook and the love of a real book. I love turning pages. I love the FEEL of a book in my hands. It makes me feel smart. Holding a device and turning digital pages is not the same to me and I think it makes me look like everyone else in the world looking at their phone or tablet. Holding a real book in my hands gives me the opportunity to imagine climbing into the world I am reading about and living the story. I don’t get that same feeling from an ebook. So I am going to read more REAL books.

2-     Appreciate more – I need to appreciate the little things more. The baby steps in this life that add up to the big steps and monumental memories are the ones I want to notice and appreciate more. The dusting can wait. The dishes can wait. When you have the opportunity to spend precious time with someone you love …the little chores can wait.

3-     Save more – Lord have mercy… I am a spender not a saver. I need to save more. I have started collecting all the change laying around the house and have about two mason jars now. I will also start putting away more out of my paycheck each week… if I never see it in there I won’t miss it. A little adds up to a lot over time.

4-     Love more - When I was 30 I thought I knew what love was. Then I had a child. When I was 40 I thought I knew what love was. Then I had another child. When I was 46 I realized I had no idea what the idea of love was… because to love you need to lose. I had never lost someone I loved deeply. And how can you know the depth of your ability to love unless you know the depth of sorrow when that person is gone.  When I lost my mother it was a devastating blow I never saw coming.  But it taught me one thing above all else. I know my personal love gauge now and I am more in touch with how I feel about someone now because I have something to measure it against. Now that I have established this mental love meter I look at the world a little differently. I look at the people I love in my life differently. I treasure them more. And I tell them.

5-     Lose more – Weight that is… 40 pounds gone over a years time. It came off slowly which is good. Now I need to keep it going. There is a pair of pants hanging in my closet…come on… we all have that pair. The goal pants. The pants we wore when we felt we looked our personal best. I have had these pants for 16 years. When I became pregnant with my first child they were hung in the closet. They are still on that same hangar. Sad but true. I will get there one day. And if I don’t do anything but put them on one time and then donate them that is ok.

6-     Try more -  Instead of saying “it is what it is” maybe trying a bit harder and it be “it could be what it could be” . Putting forth that little bit of extra effort and see if that improves some of the situations I would normally cast aside as circumstances beyond my control. Maybe things would turn out differently for everyone with just a bit of positive input.

That is my first list. I am sure there will be another list. And another list. This is going to be an interesting year!!

What are you made of?

Mettle –  noun

a person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.

synonyms: spirit, fortitude, strength of character, moral fiber, steel, determination, resolve, resolution, backbone, grit, true grit, courage, courageousness, bravery, valor, fearlessness, daring

My Granny, Martha, used to refer to someone’s mettle and as a child I was confused because I thought she was saying “metal”. Which in a way was not that far off because I still interpreted it the same. She was talking about what they were made of. They were either strong or soft. With her there was no in between.

                                                                         

When life throws you a challenge you can either step up and give it all you have got or you can fold and wither away. And that is all determined on your mettle. In my family we have a long history of super strong women. These women could deal with anything you threw at them. They were the champions and cheerleaders for us all. When things went sideways they were the ones that pulled everyone up by their bootstraps and carried on. However, when it came to themselves they were the complete opposite. They didn’t fight for themselves, they would fight like hell for everyone else but when the tables were turned they didn’t fight for themselves. When life threw a curve ball at them they were the ones that gave up and withered away.

When it came to themselves, my husband’s family are the complete opposite… these women were not about to give into sickness. They fought to their last breath mainly because they were not willing to give up. They were all of the mindset that the Lord will not put any more on you than you can bear, but he sure can bend you double sometimes.

What are you made of?

If life threw you a curve ball how would you handle it?  Fight or Flight ?

That is your mettle…