Women's Home Activities

Can you believe it? Another decade has come and almost gone. On this Thankful Thursday we here at Women’s Home Activities would like to wish you and yours the most Happy and Prosperous New Year for the upcoming 2010. This is the time that most people reflect on the past and look forward to the future. We also tend to make promises that we have all intentions of keeping. So why you are creating your vows for the New Year why not Make a Resolution of Gratitude to be at the top of your list?

Actually I am a firm believer in list making. It helps me stay organized. I also try to make the list both realistic and obtainable. I guess the teacher is coming out in me again. I did a little research to find out what people typically resolve to accomplish in the coming year. Here are a few of the standby and most popular resolutions I found:

1.    Lose weight/get in shape
2.    Spend more time with family and friends
3.    Quit a bad habit (smoking/drinking)
4.    Get out of debt
5.    Help others

Now this is but a small list and sampling of good quality resolutions, some of which I intend to attempt myself. The thing that is missing here though with all the good intentions mentioned is “how and when” these resolutions are to take place or be put into action. Don’t just say or write these down. Give each a timeline of completion and a plan of action to get accomplished. For instance you may start a calendar of events to finish by each month:

1.    January Goal: Lose 10lbs by the end of the month

•    Join a gym and workout 3-5 times a week
•    Eat only healthy foods
•    Drink plenty of water

2.    February Goal: Designate Family/Friend Time each week
•    Have a family “game” night
•    Call a friend on say Thursdays and tell them about what’s been happening
•    Eat your meals together; talk, laugh and really communicate with each other

And so on and so on. You get the idea. The point is to fulfill what you started.

More importantly on my search though I did not once see what I started this post about. I searched and searched the web and unfortunately there was never a mention about feeling grateful in any resolution list I saw. To me this is a very sad commentary.

I know many of you are having a tough time in this economy at present and have a hard time feeling grateful about how things are going. Believe me I can relate all too well. Still I do feel grateful. I am thankful that I have the mind and ability to be able to write about this in the first place.

My new year will start out with an Attitude of Gratitude because I chose to. I am grateful for the challenges I face because they make me a stronger person. I can look back and say this too has passed and see into the brighter future ahead; all the while feeling gratitude for having made it through with a smile on my face. I am no martyr; I do have my down times too. I just resolve to keep plugging along and do so with a grateful heart.

So as you begin your list of New Year’s resolutions think about what feeling grateful can do for you in the coming year. How being thankful can add pleasure to your life and inspire you to fulfill your goals. Make a Resolution of Gratitude today. I know I will. What about you?