Sorry it has been so long since I last posted. I was in Germany and on Christmas Vacation and away from my computer much of that time.
It's officially 2009 which means it's time for the obligatory New Year's Resolution post. Up until a few days ago I had all but decided that I wasn't going to have a resolution this year. When it's dark and cold and dreary in January, I feel the least motivated of any time of the whole year. I look outside and think, "Everything's going to hell anyways, screw the resolutions." Also, in Winter you can hide your hideous soul under giant coats, scarves, and mittens. Why aren't there Spring resolutions? Wouldn't it be so much easier to be excited about life in the Spring? Flowers are blooming, it's getting warmer, and the perfect compliment to your Spring wardrobe is a shiny new you.
In the end, I came up with a resolution anyway. I was creating goals for the new semester designed to improve my intellect, and I decided to come up with a goal that would improve my personality as well.
I ran a quick diagnostic on my personality and, to be honest, I was overwhelmed by how overdue on maintenance I was. My check-engine light must have been on for ages. After a more careful analysis of my personality and its strengths and weaknesses I hit upon what I believe to be one of my most major flaws.
Thus, friends and family, you will be relieved to learn that this year I have decided to work on my graciousness. Here is a definition of gracious which explains exactly what I want to strive for: "characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit".
Instead of using anger, I'll use charm. Instead of being demanding, I'll have generosity of spirit. I will still have my values, but I'll exercise them with good taste.
In 2008 my motto was that fantastic line from Veronica Mars, "You want people to leave you alone or better yet treat you with respect? Demand it; make them." I have yet to find a quote to represent 2009. I'm leaning towards "You'll never be a first class human being or a first class woman until you've learned to have some regard for human frailty" from Philadelphia Story, but I'm not sure it's just right. I'm open to suggestions.
I feel as if I finally have enough self-confidence to begin acting graciously. I never realized how much self confidence it took. This will be an extremely challenging resolution, but I'm up for it. Do you have a resolution? Any advice for how I work on mine? Let me know. Happy New Year.
1 comment:
Cheers to your New Years resolution. I miss you.
Here are a few quotes I like to keep around, that apply to your quest:
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -Plato
"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we would find in each man's life a sorrow and a suffering enough to disarm all hostility." - Longfellow
And the last one, which is not as applicable, but I really like it:
"This life, therefore, is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest, but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it. The process is not yet finished, but it is going on. This is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified."
--- Martin Luther, *Defense of All the Articles
Post a Comment