Write alternative resolutions
Poetry (pen) Pals #50
I wrote a Note on here last week which I am still very much embracing:
I’ve been enjoying feeling cocooned in that middle space between Christmas and New Year. Which isn’t to say that life has been perfectly gentle and idyllic, as the word ‘cocoon’ might suggest. Our family life doesn’t resemble the one you sometimes see on social media with everyone sitting nicely round the table enjoying each others company (if we’re lucky we might get ten two minutes. The best poem I’ve written was one about finding my temper at the bottom of a bin bag of crumpled wrapping paper). But the word ‘cocoon’ does describe my focus. Inward. Homeward. Transformative - by which I mean deeply inquisitive. Perfectly clear on my priorities right now. Heading out for walks and park trips only to scurry back inside for hot drinks and jammies. A lot of journaling. A lot of gratitude.
This is a poem I wrote last year and have updated slightly. It describes some of what I feel at this time of year and is actually a sentiment I could happily embrace year long.
Average Resolutions - 2025
Embrace exceptional and unexceptional
Notice the 'nothing to write home about's
No great shakes
Look for your lane
Aim for, 'could do it in her sleep'
Find things simple (or simple things find)
Try being all parts of yourself
Start off close to home
Be happy enough
Don't take life too seriously
Or set the world on fire (too many do)
Be really glad you came.A Writing Prompt for This Week:
Write a list of Alternative New Year Resolutions.
Perhaps you want to rally against writing resolutions in the first place (I’m here for that) or maybe try, ‘Ten Resolutions I Want to Break by Easter.’ Maybe you decide to write a list of five new year resolutions for cats (?) Seven resolutions for your Father in Law who has driven you crazy over the holidays. Maybe it’s writing a list of ‘realistic’ or ‘more meaningful’ resolutions for the year ahead (I suppose a bit like I have). Or look up some lists of common New Year Resolutions online and turn them upside down? Oh hang on, maybe it’s your own list of ‘potential’ resolutions that you want to challenge.
Whatever you fancy. Have a play. We are still playing right?
I’ve still got most of a chocolate orange to see off.
Nelly x
P.s This is normal service but a slightly ‘new’ normal service will resume next week. Just as soon as I get these kids out from under my feet.
New Year’s unresolutions
.
Learn a new skill: I probably won’t. Not out of a desire to flout someone else’s dream, but because I have a hard time reading the directions for a new board game. My sixteen-year-old had to step in as a ringer for “Dixit” yesterday because I couldn’t understand how to play, even while reading the instructions.
.
Practice mindful eating: Sometimes when I’m really hungry, I eat so fast that I bite the inside of my cheek and it swells up, so that I keep biting it over and over again for a few days. I’d like to avoid that, but I’m not sure that’s what mindful eating is. I’m not trying to make fun; I just don’t think I will learn how to do it. Maybe I should?
.
Keep a journal: I won’t. I’m not anti-journal. But I kept a journal for years and years and years, since I was a little kid into adulthood, and then slowly I didn’t want to anymore. I’d love to be able to forgive myself for not being a journaling person anymore. Let myself off the hook.
.
Weight loss: I would like to be healthier. But I’m finding that no matter how I exercise, I don’t seem to lose weight at this point in my life. And I’m so tired of trying.
.
Smoking cessation: I already don’t smoke. Nailed it!
Resolutions
--
I resolve
not to care
about what I need to do
in arbitrary timescales.
-
If my time
comes along
on the first day of NEW YEAR,
let it be thankful for fluke—
-
if it needs
my resolve,
which I'm not sure that it does.
That's fine. The feeling's mutual.