This is the first year I haven’t made some sort of resolution. To be completely honest, I’m rather terrible at them. It’s a bit daunting to make a goal to accomplish within the next 365 days in the future. There’s just too much time for life to happen and goals to be lost, forgotten, or just given up on. I used to make a bunch of resolutions because a year is such a long way away. I thought I could (in my mind) do all of those things because it’s a New Year (and preferably a Monday, because all things just go better when started on a Monday) until suddenly the year wraps up and I’ve accomplished hardly any of my goals and I end the year focusing on the negative. This year, I’m picking a word. A word is reasonable, a word is something I can focus on and that can bring me back to where I want to be. A word doesn’t require me to make any major life decisions or goals, it just gently nudges me to being the person I want to be. This year I’m choosing less.
less
- to a smaller extent, amount, or degree
- smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much
- fewer
I have an abundance of things in my life that are important, yet I have more things in my life that I simply don’t need. I am surrounded by stuff – a closet full of clothes that I don’t wear, a fridge full of food yet there’s nothing to eat, and friends that always know what I’m doing, but I haven’t seen them or actually spoken to them in years (I’m looking at you, Facebook). My life is overflowing and sometimes it’s quite overwhelming.
I want to take the time this year to have less, for I feel that with less, I’ll have more. Less time on social media means more time to spend actually connecting with those around me. Less beating myself up mentally about my weight and body means more time learning to love myself. Less eating of junk food to soothe an uncomfortable emotion leaves more time to heal and to enjoy living in a healthier body. Less spending money on more stuff to fill our home leaves more money to go on adventures as a family.
This year, less is more. I constantly fill my life – whether it be with social media, eating, watching TV, anything really – to avoid being alone with myself. I’ve made some good strides in bettering myself over the years. I’ve worked really hard on becoming the best I can be, and yet I cannot go further without spending time with myself. Spending time alone is scary – my thoughts, my fears, all of my self doubt – it screams loudly in my head and I tend to silence it with more distractions. I’ve decided it’s time to remove the things that are making me less in tune with myself.
At first this word felt a bit like a cop out. Really, couldn’t many of us do with less? Yet it kept coming to me and grabbing at my attention as if saying, pick me! I think this word, less, will allow me to have more than I could ever want. For the next 358 days, less is more.
What’s your word or resolution for this year?
I adore this post <3 what a great view you have on a single word. I think we could all do with less in our lives. Less of everything except love and time – it's always handy to have more of those.
Thank you – I’ll admit I was a bit nervous posting this, but I’m glad I was able to share it 🙂
I don’t really have a word for this year. But if I did it would be LEARN!
Learn is a fantastic word and something I strive to do every day 🙂
love your insight, and I could most definitely do with less as well.
Thanks, my dear – I’m glad you liked this 🙂
So much YES going on in this post as I was reading it. I chose “Kindness & Balance” for my words this year, but I think I too could do with less, which would probably work in with balance.
I want to spend less time on social media and the internet, but outside of those social circles I don’t have any friends offline. So perhaps focusing on quality time when online rather than browsing reddit would help.
Thank you for this post. As I take my leave you have left me with much to think about.
Quality time online is something I’ll be trying to find some balance with. As a blogger, social media is a bit of a necessity, but I just need to spend my time more wisely on there. Glad you liked the post 🙂
This is a really great word to choose, and your reasoning was lovely. 🙂
Thank you 🙂
I love your choice of words! A few years ago I decided to go through all my belongings to see if I really needed everything – I ended up giving about 80 % of my things away, I think. It was crazy. And I was much happier for it (not saying you have to get rid of so much, lol, but just a little can feel like such a relief). Good luck with your 2016 projects 🙂
I should do that because between myself, my husband, and my son, we probably have WAY more stuff than we could ever need.
What a wonderful word! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Thanks 🙂
I think this is fantastic. I’ve been trying to cut down on clutter in my life. “Less” is indeed the word <3
Thanks 🙂 Clutter is another area that I could use a lot less of!
Oh man, I love this post! Less really is more. Less material stuff and less time wasted on unimportant things means more time doing things you care about with people you love. Very inspiring post<3
So glad you love it – it’s been hard trying to waste time less, but I just keep saying less is more to remind me to get back on track 🙂
Fantastic word choice. I really love it. I spent most of reading this post nodding my head in total agreement.
Thanks – I feel like this is going to be a big challenge for me, but I’m ready for it 🙂
This is such a wonderful post Danielle, and I think your word choice is perfect! Not just your choice, but the reason WHY you chose it – acknowledging that you want to fully embrace it and make your life better for it is awesome! I wish you the best with it!
Thank you so much – it’s definitely not easy to try and focus on less, but I think it’s going to be well worth it 🙂
Yes! I love this! So much! Also – Have you read the book that everyone was talking about there for awhile? The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up? If not, you totally should. It totally will help you on your journey!
That book is on my list as I’ve heard amazing things about it 🙂