A New Year ... A New Me

My New Year's Resolutions for 2013:

1. Eat lunch in the staff lounge at least twice a week. I have spent the first half of the school year eating lunch in my office, away from coworkers. I would like to make a resolution to leave my office at least twice a week to fellowship with other staff members during lunch.
2. Leave work at a reasonable time. I have been notorious my first three years of teaching, for leaving work around 7pm. My excuse has always been that I would rather complete work at school then take work home. However, I am not necessarily productive when I remain at school longer. Therefore I resolve to leave work before 5 pm at least three days of the week. I will reserve either Monday or Friday for my *late night,* where I stay at school past 5pm.
3. Speak my mind. Over the years, I have evolved into a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind with her friends and family. Unfortunately, this trait has not been characteristic of me in the work place this year. I have spent the first two quarters of the school year as a timid and quiet 2nd grade special education teacher. I have played nice with my teammates, often holding my tongue from stating what is truly on my mind. One of the teachers I co-teach with is sarcastic and rude. She has clearly taken advantage of me and I have clearly let her do a number on my emotions. I resolve in the New Year to speak up and to speak out. This will be the most difficult resolution of all, as I am a people pleaser and I think way too much about the impact of my actions on others. However, I am tired of coming home frustrated, angry and hurt. So I am going to speak my mind and call out my coworkers when they are treating me unfairly. I may be younger and newer to the profession, but I still deserve to be treated with respect. 
4. Exercise. I have fallen into a slump both emotionally and physically. I think much of this is due to my lack of exercising and eating nutritional foods. Therefore, for beginners, I resolve to exercise more than once a week in the new year. Perhaps if I begin to leave school earlier and exercise at least three times a week, I will begin to feel better about myself emotionally and physically. I mean, a good cardio session gets the endorphins going = happier mood. And burning calories = clothes that fit better. 
5. Speak positive words. I can be a sour puss sometimes. I'll complain, moan and groan over things instead of fixing them. I also sometimes get on a roll with a topic of conversation, and then I'll speak without thinking. Sometimes the words that follow my lack of thought are words that I wish I hadn't said or could take back. In 2013, I resolve to be positive. I want to treat others the way I want to be treated and to say positive things about those that I come into contact with. I want to be positive minded about my situations. Even when times get rough, I need to call out to the Lord and praise him regardless, rather than sulking and rebuking his name. I do not want to have negative energy around me, and I do not want to be negative myself.

I am sure I could compile a laundry list of things I would like to do better in the New Year. However, I think the sentiment "less is more" is applicable to my list. I believe it will be easier to uphold less resolutions and to be committed to making fewer changes to my life, little by little ... than to try to take on a million things all at once. 

I am looking forward to 2013. By no means will this year be easy or free of challenges. However, I am hopeful that I will be a better person. That I will learn to love myself, flaws and all. And that I will feel more fulfilled and happy. 

Through the above resolutions, I first and foremost want to keep God center and present in each change that I intend on making. As scripture says, "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me," and that should be no different in completing the resolutions I have listed above.

It may be too early to write my resolutions, however I am speaking these statements into existence over my life. In order to achieve it, I need to speak it and believe it. So now is as good as any time to begin that process. In fact, I have already started to speak these statements into existence weeks prior. 

I am preparing for a new year and a new me ... and I am so excited to continue to on in this journey, through which I will begin to see what it is that God has in store for me.