EASE

So, it's that time of year...a time to look back over the past year and forward to the next. Many make New Year's Resolutions for the coming year. I used to do this because I'm always trying to better myself. But over time I have begun to shy away from new year's resolutions because they generally don't work well for me and they just add unnecessary pressure to my life.

A few weeks ago though I stumbled across an idea that I really liked! Coming up with a word of intention for the year. Yes, a single word. I've been thinking on this a bit and decided that I wanted to give this a go. Then to choose a word...just one. hmmmm? Here is my short list of words I have been contemplating....

Compassion
Kindness
Prayerfulness
Ease
Joy
Peace
Savor
Shine
Authenticity
Flair
Beauty
Release
Simple
Spice
Fun

Good words huh? I like them! :) I have decided that my word for 2011 will be EASE. It may seem like an unusual word to use as a word of intention. It doesn't seem like a very goal oriented word, not a very empowering word and even a bit....well... lazy. Let me try to explain my reasoning for choosing it for myself.

As a child I tended to be a perfectionist. Yes tis true. I was the rule follower, the people pleaser, the halo wearer. My room was always clean. My grades were always good. I was the valedictorian of my high school class, not because I was the brightest student in my class...I wasn't, but I WAS the hardest worker in my class. I was a runner and I ran all summer...EVERY day of the summer. I always put pressure on myself to be the very best me that I could be.

Striving to reach goals is not a bad thing within reason. But, when taken to extremes it can be unhealthy and exhausting leaving you feeling rigid and stale.

In my twenties I had to figure out that Christianity is not about a bunch of rules to be followed. I had to rid myself of the feeling and idea that I had to be "good enough" to stay in good standing with my Lord. Wow! Talk about pressure! Christianity is not about checking off boxes.....You must do this, and This and THIS...blah!! What my Lord wants is me...a relationship with ME...Just as I am. He wants my undivided love, attention and affection. When that is there everything else falls into place naturally and with ease!

Over the years I have learned to stop being a perfectionist. Perfect is too hard. Ha! Life is not perfect. People are not perfect. Small people (ie children) are not perfect. ;) I've let go of many of my perfectionist ways. Whew!

But, I continue to be a list maker, a doer, a scheduler. My life is busy, as most of our lives are. I have things I want to DO....good things. How can I do them all and do them well? I don't want to allow the good to be drowned out by the unimportant and petty. I do put pressure on myself to do the right things and make the right choices. To get things done. Things often tend to be black and white for me and I can easily miss the other beautiful hues and colors if I'm not aware and careful.

I've recently come across this quote: "We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses" ~ Carl Jung~

That's interesting isn't it? Change can not happen until we accept where we're at. In other words stop trying so hard. Just be. Change will happen naturally.

This is a picture of a Chinese finger trap. The more you pull and pull and try to get out the more trapped your fingers become. You can only get out be easing the tension.

I think that's what I need to do with life. It doesn't need to be such a struggle. I need to quit trying so hard and just BE. I plan and schedule and work and work and work to the point where I'm frustrated. I'm trying too hard. I often feel like I am white knuckling it....with the budget, with the schedule, with the "to do" list, with my goals, with the parenting, with my diet.  I need to "Let Go and Let God" . I need to EASE up on my expectations of myself and just BE. Let life happen naturally and with ease. Let change occur naturally and with ease.

So that is my word for the year..... EASE. I'm looking forward to seeing where this mind set will take me.

Happy 2011.

Love,
Wendy