I don't really do "resolutions" but I do make goals every year. This year my pastor offered an idea about making goals that aren't typical goals.

If you're like me, when you think of your health and how you want to start the year, you may have ideas on changing your diet, improving your exercise, or journalling for mental health. To me goal setting is always about what I want to accomplish in specific areas of my life. Not who I want to be as a person.

The concept he introduced was instead of going the traditional route, how about making goals that can go further into changing yourself as a person, or even helping others.

Here are some suggestions:

1) Wisdom

I always think wisdom is about knowing more. For sure knowledge can be good. However, if you don't apply it, it's useless. Wisdom is about taking that knowledge and using it to make good decisions and navigate life's complexities.

Right now, in my family, we're all learning different languages on Duolingo. If I never use it, it'll have been good for my brain surely, but the best benefit out of it is to speak the language and apply it in real life :)

2) Change

Am I growing and changing? Despite all my goals, am I any better than I was 10 years ago? Am I worse? This can be looked at in all aspects of life and health.

In my life, where I see the biggest change lately is with my parenting. I now have teenagers. I have read a dozen books (knowledge) and I'm applying it. I can't parent how I used to. Once a week at dinner I pull out my notes or books and discuss with my kids what I'm learning, what is going to change and why. We're also changing together and being open and discussing it, which I have found great.

3) Perception

Am I well thought of by people around me? Do I give reasons for people to have a bad impression about me? Am I keeping my word? Do I go back on something I said?

Going back to my kids, lately I am catching them in lies. Thankfully, not big things, but if I know I didn't open the bag of chocolate kisses and Martin didn't eat them...it had to be one of them! I am trying to show them that it effects their reputation and my perception of them and my future trust in what they say.

In my life, I try very hard to be a good person and have integrity. I try not to gossip, lie or cheat etc. We're not always going to be perfect, we'll make mistakes. If so, how we deal with them makes a difference. So even though I don't want to be doing things for the reason of what people think of me, what people think of me is a reflection of my life.

I hope this gives you something to think about! Nothing to do with chiropractic or acupuncture, but I like to start the year with something different and some food for thought :)

Thanks for being part of the Oaktree family and growing healthy with us :)