Happy New Year! Follow Your Dreams.They Know The Way...

For years, my New Year's resolutions were the same; Quit Smoking, Lose Weight, Find a Better Job.  I usually broke the quit smoking one by the end of New Year's Day, the weight loss resolution is really just an ongoing joke I have with myself, and until I retire, I will always be looking for a better job. Clearly, New Year's resolutions were really just a joke to me, like rules that were meant to be broken.




But now that I am a mom, I want to use this fresh start of the year to make a better life for me and my family, and become a better person. Unfortunately, making up a resolutions list was still a joke to me. When I sat down to write them out, I came up with things like...

1. Avoid Assholes

2. When the man-child gets up WAY before the ass-crack of dawn, stop trying to summon the devil to sell my soul for a few more hours of sleep.

3. Stop nagging the shit out of FTD for being so damn (Man)noying.

4. Stop eating cupcakes... regularly.

5. Make more 'ME' time.

6. Stop spending what little 'ME' time I have playing Candy Crush.

7. Figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

8. Get a book deal. If necessary, beg, borrow, and steal for it.

9. Lose the muffin top, Ga-donka-donk butt, and all other unnecessary fat deposits.

10. Stop dropping 'F Bombs" out loud.

I just kept going on and on with resolutions like that. But, stop dropping 'F Bombs'? HA! Why in the hell would I do that?  For Fuck's sake, I love a good F Bomb! Needless to say I was still making rules that were going to be broken... by the end of the first Fu@kin' day.

Those resolutions were just not doing it for me. Truthfully, they were just things in my life I need to address, regardless of the day.  Then I remembered a Mass I went to a few years ago on the first Sunday of Lent. During Father John's homily, he said that for Lent we should give up something we would be better off never having in our lives again. Meaning, while my plan to give up cupcakes and F bombs was a good one, in all actuality, my life would NOT be better off without them forever.  Both bring me too much happiness to be without them forever! Instead, thanks to Father John's homily, I decided to give up negativity.

I spent the next few weeks doing my best to be a good little POSITIVE Catholic girl.  When I would feel doubt coming on, I would remember Father John and do my best to be positive. I actually had a little voice in my head say, be positive.  For example, when I would dread going into work I would tell myself to be positive, and that today will be a great day.  I even made myself look forward to meetings, and conversations with people that never failed to annoy the shit out of me. I looked forward to each day with hope, and did my best to smile as much as possible. That Lent changed my life.

In honor of all I learned during that lent, I have decided to make my New Year's Resolutions something I would be a better person for following, forever.  After a little thought, I have come up with five resolutions that are sure to make this the best year of my life so far.

1. Stay Positive
2. Make Healthy Lifestyle and Nutritional Choices for My Family.
3. Be Thankful For All I Have-Stop wanting so much unnecessary shit. (e.g. new Audi, million dollars, new house... OK, I really want that shit, but I won't want anything else...)
4. Be Humble

and last... the most important...

5. Do Not Be Afraid To Follow My Dreams... They surely know the way...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope 2014 is your best year yet!

What are your Resolutions?

April is an award-winning writer and blogger. Her work has been published in over ten countries and four languages. From books to newspapers, to print/online magazines and everything in between, you can find her work. For more on April, Visit AprilMcCormick.com