It’s that new you, New Year’s resolution time again! You may plan to lose the extra pounds from the holidays, finally buy a gym membership, eat more veggies – the list goes on! Chances are, you will, with all honesty and sincerity, take a few steps towards completing those goals, but somewhere between creating a resolution and completing it, something will get in the way. For some it may be laziness or unrealistic expectations, but many times, it’s shame.
Do you hear that? That little voice in the back of your head? That’s shame telling you you’re not good enough to lose ten pounds, you don’t matter enough to trek to the gym, you’re incapable of changing that grocery list from junk food to healthful options. Shame is a great deflator of our hopes, dreams, and those resolutions. When our expectations seem too daunting, shame tells us we were silly to even try.
How do we fight the inconspicuous shame monster and unashamedly resolve to change our course this year? Expose it. Bring it to the light of day. It will begin to lose its power. When we can name those fears and give voice to those messages that are dragged along with shame, we can begin to realize they are lies. We can openly confront our shame by doing the hard things, by picking ourselves up when we fail, and by persevering to fulfill the goals we set out for ourselves.
We can begin by resolving to do things that remind us of what is true. Losing weight and healthy living are wonderful resolutions, but maybe try one of these instead:
– I resolve to love others as much as I love myself
– I resolve to love myself as much as I love others
– I resolve to be kind to those around me
– I resolve to breathe more and react less
– I resolve to be less busy and more present
Let’s replace the voices in the back of our heads with messages of truth and encouragement. You just might end up at the gym or eating more carrots! You choose the resolution, but whatever it is, remember you are enough and you are worth it!
Happy New Year!
