Promises, Promises

Yesterday, during casual conversation, a new friend shared some Words of Wisdom from her Mother that truly hit home with me.  We were discussing her resolve to quit smoking, when she told me about breaking a promise to one's self.  According to her mother, breaking a promise to yourself is a huge blow to your self esteem.

Consider that your inner, or higher self, knows what the next step in your development should be.  You know the path that you should be on.  For instance, you know that by quitting smoking you will be healthier.  You promise yourself that on such-and-such a day, you will walk away from this bad habit and never look back.  This is truly the best choice for you.

Two weeks after making this decision, you falter and go back to old, unhealthy habits.  This action is telling your subconscious that this much needed change that would have a positive effect on your development is not important because you are not important.  You are undermining your self worth. 

This idea stayed with me.  It puts a whole lot of weight on new resolutions.....  Samhain is coming up, and I usually write my Top 25 goals for the year.  These are the things that I would like to manifest in my life over the coming year.  ..... I am ready......

Looking Back

As I say goodbye to 2010, I cannot help but look back with fondness.  This year has been amazing, a quite honestly, life changing for me and my family.  I would like to list the positives that have accompanied this year in my life.....

• I graduated from UT with a BA in Mid East Studies, Asian Studies (East Asian Specialization), Arabic, and a minor in Japanese
• I got a job that runs two years, and I will be a National Teaching Fellow, further living the drea,
• I was accepted into grad school and will be working toward my Master's in Education, starting next year.
• My honey and I bought our first home

These are the more tangible events of 2010.  Now I want to look back on some of the "me" stuff I have been working on.....

• To be a better mother.  - This goal is a daily challenge that I face.  I have learned so much, but I still have a long way to go.  This is a goal that one never stops working on.  I succeeded in working more closely with my children and their schools, but my patience could still use some work....
• To be a better lover. - Sometimes I get so caught up in my work and all the "need-to-be-done" tasks, that I forget to work on the romance of my relationship.  Having graduated and having less responsibility looming over my head has really contributed to taking stress off our relationship.  Although, the boy has begun working nights, so that makes our time together significantly less.....
• To take better care of my body. - Here is an area where I have completely failed.  I have been eating better, true, but I have been so wrapped up in those dam "need-to-be-done" tasks, that I neglect my daily yoga plans. Aargh.. *sigh*
• To nurture my spiritual life. -  The very nature of academic life is that one works to nurture their mind, but the spiritual is less emphasized.  This is true of me.  I have been doing better, especially the latter part of this year. Again, this probably has everything to do with having graduated and having less assignments....

In the New Year, I plan to work more on all of these goals, as they are not simply one year goals, but lifelong pursuits.  I am so optimistic about the coming year, as it already holds so many promises and possibilities.  I love the path I am on, and look forward to walking it.....

I awaken this day, counting one year passed in this life, and another just beginning. This is my New Year! I do not make my resolutions on January 1st when the rest of the world's good intentions are pooled. I make my resolutions on my birthday, November 21st. Not far removed, if at all, from the usual and classic resolutions, these are the ways I desire to affect positive change in my life. I hope that these changes will not only endure this year, but be patterns that I instate and cultivate to endure all of my "ages." I feel a need/desire to declare them "out loud," so that I may not be permitted to ignore them....

* This year, I promise to take better care of my Mind, Body, and Spirit.
- Often I neglect the balance of the three as I engage in my academic pursuits.

This year I shall make time to work out: run, ride my bike, lift weights, and practice yoga (more than just a physical pursuit, to be sure).

To care for my Spirit, I shall continue (with greater diligence) in my endeavor to become one with G-d.

My Mind is fractured with the weight of my many responsibilities. To repair this, I must de-clutter. I shall not take on more than I KNOW I can handle. To do so is self-sabotage.

By balancing and caring for my 'trinity,' I believe I shall become a better mother, wife, friend, student, and artist. In sha' Allah.