2014 Resolution: Kicking it to the Curb

I LOVE this time of year. One thing I look forward to is making New Year's resolutions. This year, though, it's been tough. I just haven't been sure where to start….Then, I ran across this:


"“If we can keep [covenants, doctrine, faith, revelation, and spirit] in our families,…maybe a lot of other things start to take care of themselves. Maybe a lot of other less-needed things sort of fall out of the wagon. I’m told...handcarts could only hold so much. Just as our ancestors had to choose what they took, maybe the 21st century will drive us to decide, ‘What can we put on this handcart?’ It’s the substance of our soul; it’s the stuff right down in the marrow of our bones' (Jeffrey R. Holland). Or, to put it another way, it is what is written in our hearts!" (Linda K. Burton).

image: mormonhistoricsites.org

This is what I've decided to base my resolution on.

image: purlem.com

It seems that I use a lot of effort jumping on the "bandwagon." Over time, I fall off, and then time and time again, I spend what remains of my energy worrying and putting forth effort to get "back on the wagon." I want my life to be full of so many good things that I've gotten so that I've finally arrived at the point where I don't want to be involved in any of them.

I say, so much for jumping onto wagons! My focus, I've decided, will be based more on throwing things off the wagon I'm already on. Life is just too short for so much fluff.

You know, you hear stories about those pioneers who left their nice homes and tried to take all that they could with them not knowing what lay ahead. They took things like the piano and the family china? Yep. That's been me.

As these pioneers got going down the trail and saw how difficult the journey was, they started throwing things out one at a time to lighten their load and make their travels easier. They had to prioritize. That's where I'm at now. I want to end up choosing those things that resonate with me….Those things that make me happiest; that make me feel fulfilled as an individual.

image: crackersmaracas.tumblr.com

The rest, I'm planning to throw to the dogs.

By the end of 2014, you might not want to walk in my tracks. Who knows what you'll find that I'm throwing out on any given day.

I haven't quite decided yet what this is going to look like. I'm working on a plan right now, but I'm thinking each month will have a focus and each day will have a simple system of accounting. Although this might be easiest if everything I was sorting through was a tangible item, I don't plan on limiting this to things I can put my hands on. Actually, I'm thinking of starting with the spiritual and mental junk I've been carrying around for so many years and going from there--keep (and repair, if needed) the good, toss the bad.

At this point, it's all very interesting to ponder. I'm looking forward to lightening my load and traveling lighter in the future.

So, here's to 2014! Getting down to the "substance of [my] soul." The year of the lightened handcart!

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