The First Step to Self-Care: A New Year's Resolution

Happy New Year!

It is a common practice for many people to create a new year’s resolution.  It is also very common for people to never have a resolution.  I fall into this last category.  I don't recall ever having a resolution.  Don't get me wrong, I have made many transformative changes over the years, but I have never used January as a starting point.  Perhaps it's because I think in terms of an academic school year, where the new year starts in September.

Interestingly, I spent the end of 2013 on a short vacation, away from my normal life and returned with a new sense of self.  As I enter my new calendar year, and my new school semesters (as a student and a teacher), I am considering creating my first new year's resolution.  Check it out.

 

I spent the last few years focusing on the needs of others (colleagues, friends, family, and strangers). Although I'm not close to being like Mother Theresa, I did adopt an older child (19), loaned and gave money to friends and family, gave a car to a friend, fed the homeless, and donated to several charities. This year, I am hoping to volunteer with SAGE. 
Like you, my journey into feminism has taught me many things.  I have learned to empower people around me, putting my own ego aside.  Unfortunately, I didn't learn the other side of feminism, which is to radically take care self.  I have on many occasions put my needs aside creating an imbalance in my life. So, my resolution is to focus inward and cultivate more self-care.  Ironically, I know that helping others is a strong motivation for me, so I am hopeful that blogging my journey will help others, and therefore motivate me to keep focusing on self-care.   

By blogging, I will hold myself accountable to the invisible audience and critics in my head.  I will post an entry once a week on a Tuesday for at least 4 weeks.  Knowing that you could be reading this, and this might inspire you, helps keep my motivation up.  So please check this out and let me know what you think.  I could always use feedback and encouragement.

And if this does inspire you to cultivate more self-care this season, so let it be!

Happy New Year, and enjoy your resolution if you have one.  If not, enjoy mine!