i resolve to...

hmmm, wow. a new year. in the past i would always make my list of resolutions and, for as long as i can remember, the top of the list was to lose weight. oh, it was worded differently through the years, "lose (x) pounds by summer" or "get into a size (insert magic# here) by (magic date)" of course, sometimes it was just simply "lose weight". after having WLS there has been one standard on my list each year, "be kinder to your body by living a healthier lifestyle and set a good example for your kids." this year, i am adding another: "do not allow your mistakes to define who you are." the beauty of this resolution is that i can apply it to all aspects of my life, such as my Christianity, and my marriage, parenting, friendships, work and, pretty far down on the list, my diet. i used to see a counselor, and she told me once that i suffered from "failed perfection syndrome". not sure if you can find that in a text book, but basically she meant that i strive so hard to do everything just right, that when i mess up, i let the perceived failure define me and then i give up and beat myself up over it. at the time, i thought she had been smoking something wacky, but i have come to understand what she meant. and that she was right. the cure is to not set such high expectations of myself. strive to be MY best, not what i think the world would perceive as the best. but i also have to learn that if i make a mistake, that is not failure, but a learning opportunity. hmmm, there may be hope for me yet!  happy new year to all those reading this blog, i hope that this year you are all just a little kinder to yourself, as well as to others.