It’s the start of a new year, which means some of you have made New Year’s Resolutions. I hope you are seeing great success with them.
While I don’t make annual resolutions, I do spend time reflecting over the previous year and choose a few areas of my life in which I want to see change. Two of the areas I’ve chosen for 2016 will have a direct impact on how I feel about life. Here are two things I am aiming for in 2016:
Volunteer more – I love to volunteer and only wish I could make a living at it. Ha! When our kids were young and we would do a volunteer project as a family, my husband made a point to say to them, “This isn’t about us. It’s about those we’re serving/helping.” Nothing recharges the human spirit and outlook on life faster than when we put our focus on others. I encourage you to look around your community and neighborhood for others who need your help. It’s amazing how your act of generosity will affect not only others, but you too!
Spend more time with a hobby – Medical studies show that participating in a hobby activates the part of the brain that controls how we feel about life. So when you are over worked or feeling stress, there’s no quicker way to restore balance than doing something that brings immediate pleasure. Even if it’s just for ten minutes. My hobbies are relatively simple and ordinary – I like to work jigsaw puzzles, garden and sew for my grandkids.
By being intentional with these two items I’m hoping to increase the amount of time with each. For example, last fall I made a commitment to my church to teach a class in February and March so I’ve got those dates blocked off on my calendar. I also recently purchased some puzzles and plan to busy myself with them throughout the long Minnesota winter.
