New Years Resolutions 2014
So I have never really been big on New Years resolutions. Partially because I associate New Year's Resolutions with weight loss and even though I am an overweight woman I have very little doubt that is not the way to change...
I am also a Catholic and Catholics like to do resolutions for 40 days not for a whole year- we call it Lent (which is the 40 days before Easter where Catholics are invited to fast, pray, and take on new practices).
But this year I have had a nagging sense of wanting to do a couple of resolutions. The problem with resolutions is that if you just keep them to yourself you will never actually do them. So here goes:
1. I am going to write letters to politicians about political issues I am concerned with.
2. I am not to do mindless online shopping. (2. I am not going to follow links on shopping deals for things I am not actually in the market for.)
1. I am going to write letters to politicians about political issues I am concerned with.
So around Christmas I was very aware of the way that my life is not connected to a life of service to poor and marginalized communities. The life of having young children is that we cannot work at a shelter, we cannot go to a food bank, I don't have time for a long term commitment to any organization right now. My kids are simply too young to get involved in direct service. I accept that; at another point our lives will open up again to this possibility. It isn't now.
However, social change must involve service and advocacy. I do have bits of time to write letters. I have bits of time to sign petitions. I have bits of time to explore issues of social concern via reading and then can respond in little bits. So I am going to work on doing this. I hope to write 1 letter a month. This is a small step for sure, but I trust it will open me up to exploring topics I might have not concerned or that I might be newly concerned about at this point in my life.
2. I am not going to follow links on shopping deals for things I am not actually in the market for.
For me one of my temptations is following links to groupon deals, zulily deals etc. I see an add that says, "children's shoes for $7.00"
"Wow," I think, "What a good deal."
It is a good deal, that is true. Except that we don't need shoes for the girls. The fact of the matter is that most of my online shopping doesn't involve buying. I put things into online shopping carts and then I close the window.
However, I think that online shopping ends up fostering a spirit of consumerism. It makes me think about what I want and what is cool. It makes me ponder what is stylish or cheap. Then, when I am at an actual store instead of feeling like, "oh I don't need this." I think, "Oh I have almost bought a ton of stuff this week and I said no so I will now give myself permission to buy this..."
So there we go. Wish me luck! And Happy New Year.
I am also a Catholic and Catholics like to do resolutions for 40 days not for a whole year- we call it Lent (which is the 40 days before Easter where Catholics are invited to fast, pray, and take on new practices).
But this year I have had a nagging sense of wanting to do a couple of resolutions. The problem with resolutions is that if you just keep them to yourself you will never actually do them. So here goes:
1. I am going to write letters to politicians about political issues I am concerned with.
2. I am not to do mindless online shopping. (2. I am not going to follow links on shopping deals for things I am not actually in the market for.)
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| Hmmm this captures these two issues. Ocean Pollution is a political issue that needs to be dealt with and the transportation of goods I would like to opt out of. |
1. I am going to write letters to politicians about political issues I am concerned with.
So around Christmas I was very aware of the way that my life is not connected to a life of service to poor and marginalized communities. The life of having young children is that we cannot work at a shelter, we cannot go to a food bank, I don't have time for a long term commitment to any organization right now. My kids are simply too young to get involved in direct service. I accept that; at another point our lives will open up again to this possibility. It isn't now.
However, social change must involve service and advocacy. I do have bits of time to write letters. I have bits of time to sign petitions. I have bits of time to explore issues of social concern via reading and then can respond in little bits. So I am going to work on doing this. I hope to write 1 letter a month. This is a small step for sure, but I trust it will open me up to exploring topics I might have not concerned or that I might be newly concerned about at this point in my life.
2. I am not going to follow links on shopping deals for things I am not actually in the market for.
For me one of my temptations is following links to groupon deals, zulily deals etc. I see an add that says, "children's shoes for $7.00"
"Wow," I think, "What a good deal."
It is a good deal, that is true. Except that we don't need shoes for the girls. The fact of the matter is that most of my online shopping doesn't involve buying. I put things into online shopping carts and then I close the window.
However, I think that online shopping ends up fostering a spirit of consumerism. It makes me think about what I want and what is cool. It makes me ponder what is stylish or cheap. Then, when I am at an actual store instead of feeling like, "oh I don't need this." I think, "Oh I have almost bought a ton of stuff this week and I said no so I will now give myself permission to buy this..."
So there we go. Wish me luck! And Happy New Year.
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