It's Much More Than That - Resolutions

Is it just me or have you ever made a list of New Year's Resolutions that you then gave up on within just a few weeks? With a new year just beginning, I thought it would be the perfect time to discuss resolutions.

According to the dictionary, a 'resolution' is "a firm decision to do or not to do something." 

For once, I actually agree with this definition in regards to the meaning of this word. When you resolve to do something, you make up your mind to do it, no excuses. When you resolve to achieve a certain goal, or to make a certain change in your life, you are making a "firm decision" to do it, no matter what. 

Many times, people take resolutions as an opportunity to change everything they want to change about themselves, their lives, etc. However, just making a resolution is not enough. You cannot simply make a list of everything that you want to change and expect that it will change. Making resolutions are great; Keeping resolutions take work and dedication.

A resolution is more than making "a firm decision to do or not to do something." Making this decision is a good starting point, but making the necessary changes and working towards achieving your goals is the next step.

If you make a resolution to "get more fit," but then you never work out or go to the gym, that resolution is only words written down on paper. Making such a resolution is not a bad thing, but then it is up to you to make time for going to the gym, working out, etc.

Moral of the post here? Creating a resolution and deciding to do (or not do) something is wonderful. Actually taking steps toward your resolution goal is even more wonderful. Make your decision and see it through, no matter how difficult it may be at times. You can do it!

What are some of your resolutions for the new year?

It's Much More Than That - Family

Is it just me or is family super important to you? I am blessed to be a part of an absolutely amazing family, and I am very close with my parents and siblings. I love spending time with my family year round, but during the Christmas season, I feel like spending time with family is extremely important.

As you may have guessed by now, today's word is family. According to the dictionary, 'family' means "a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household."

If there was ever an award for most inaccurate description of a word, this would win, hands down. Family is so much more than a "group of parents and children living together"! Family doesn't even have to include only people that are related to you by blood! 

My family is my everything, and I do not know where I would be without them. My family is there for me at all times to encourage me, to strengthen me, to make me laugh when I need it most. My family accepts me for who I am, and pushes me to be all that I can be. The relationship that I have with my family is something that I wouldn't trade for the world.

So many times, I see or hear about people taking advantage of their families or not spending enough time with them. Starting right now, I encourage you to spend as much time as you can with your family, and try to make as many memories as possible. This time is never wasted, and you will most definitely look back on it and treasure up all of the memories that you created. 

Especially during this holiday season, take time to enjoy your family and the time that you have with them. Do more than just "live together in the same household." Spend quality time with one another, creating memories and filling your days with LIFE together. You will not regret it.

What does family mean to you?

It's Much More Than That - Success

Is it just me or does society seem to have certain standards for "success?" It's almost as if there are these unwritten "rules" that dictate what qualifies as success, and tips for how to become a successful person are thrown at us left and right. 

The word for today is success. According to the dictionary, 'success' means "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose."

It does not say "being rich and beautiful and famous." It does not say "graduating college with a 4.0 GPA and getting a job that makes a ton of money." In fact, the definition does not specify any certain aim or purpose at all. But the world seems to label people as successful only once they have reached a certain aim or goal that is deemed "acceptable" by society.

To me, success does not mean the same thing for everybody. To me, to be successful is to be content. For one person, success may be getting a good job and making a lot of money. For another person, success may be learning to read, or write, or be a good parent to their children, or make it through high school.

Do not compare someone else's success to your own. You are not in the same situation as anyone else, and you do not know their struggles. You may not realize that the person who barely made it through freshman English studied for hours every night trying to read or write a few sentences. You may not understand how someone working in the supermarket bagging groceries feels successful, but for them, that might be a huge accomplishment.

So yes, success is "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose," but what we need to remember is that the aims and/or purposes by which we measure success are not the same for everyone. Create your own goals, work hard to achieve them, and do whatever you can to try and be content in this life. After all, it is your life, and you deserve to be successful in whatever way that might be for you.

Do you consider yourself successful?

It's Much More Than That - Compassion

Is it just me or do we sometimes get a little calloused and hard-hearted when it comes to dealing with other people? We see so much on television, in movies, in real life, that we get desensitized and forget that there are real people with real problems all around us. 

Today's word is: compassion. According to the dictionary, 'compassion' means "sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others."

To me, compassion is so much more than "sympathetic pity and concern" for another. To me, compassion is lending a helping hand to someone that you don't know. Compassion is taking into account that a person might be having a really terrible day before you decide to give them an attitude at the check out counter. Compassion is putting yourself on hold to help someone else in need.

If you look around wherever you are on any given day, there are bound to be lots of people in need of compassion. Be it a friend or a stranger, odds are that someone is in need of some love, attention, acceptance, forgiveness, compassion. The need is always there; we just need to be ready and available to see it. 

We need to realize that life is very real, and everyone is going through something difficult at one point or another. Unfortunately, there is not one magical "cure" for all of life's troubles. Every person, every situation is different, and deserves to be treated as such. Compassion can take many forms, and may look different depending on the person and situation it is being used in. 

Having compassion for someone may mean buying them a hot cup of coffee on a freezing cold day. It may mean giving someone a second chance that they don't really deserve, because in reality, we all make mistakes. It may also mean being sensitive to another person's needs and meeting them where they are at.

As you go through your day, I challenge you to open your heart and look for others who are in need of some compassion. It just might make all the difference in their life.

What does compassion mean to you?

It's Much More Than That - Forgiveness

Is it just me or can it be really hard to forgive people sometimes? Someone hurt you or wronged you in some way, and you just can't seem to get past it?

Today's word is one that I think is extremely important: forgiveness. According to the dictionary, to 'forgive' means to "stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake; to cancel (a debt)."

Now, I do not think that this is a bad definition at all, but I do think that there is so much more to "forgiveness" than what is stated in those two short lines. To forgive someone does mean to stop feeling angry or resentful towards them, but in doing that, you also let go of a weight that you've been carrying around with you. Forgiving someone else not only sets them free; forgiving someone else also sets you free. 

I certainly know that forgiveness is not always an easy thing. We are prideful beings, and I think that many times, our own pride gets in the way of us forgiving another person for their wrongs. We don't want to forgive them because we are angry that they hurt us. We don't want to forgive them because they wronged us and deserve to feel bad about it. We don't want to forgive them because we think that we have a right to be angry and resentful. We don't want to forgive them because, because, because...

But that's the thing about forgiveness: you will always find a reason why you don't want to or "shouldn't" forgive someone. None of us will ever deserve forgiveness. And that's why it is such a powerful thing when granted.

When you forgive someone, you are not only letting them know that you aren't angry with them anymore. You are also showing them that, even though they wronged you and they don't deserve to be forgiven, they get a second chance. And in reality, we all need second (or third, or fourth or fifth) chances. Life is a learning process, and I think that when you extend forgiveness to another, you are letting them know that you know they can do better.

And when I say forgive, I mean forgive completely. I do not mean forgiving the person in the moment, but then secretly still holding their wrong against them in case you need to bring it up again in the future. Forgiveness to me means starting over with a clean slate. When you say that you forgive someone, and when you truly do forgive them in your heart, whatever wrong they did to you should not even be in your mind at all anymore. 

Withholding forgiveness from someone can really take a toll on you. How much more happy and free you would feel if only you would decide to let it go and forgive the person that wronged you. 

My challenge for you? Practice forgiving those who have hurt you. Keep practicing that forgiveness and never stop. What does "forgiveness" mean to you?