It’s 2019, a new year. Whether it’s seeing the ‘lose weight now’ ads or the social media streams of new years resolutions, a new year brings about the thoughts of needing to reevaluate one’s life. It causes you to take a hard look at the choices of the past year and to see where you can and should make improvements. If you are anything like me, making these resolutions is pointless because by the time February rolls around, I’ve broken them all.
Now that I have a daughter, I look at these various ads that tell us that we need to change somehow, and I get a bit upset.
I don’t want my daughter (and future children) to think that you can only make changes in your life once the ball drops on a new year, OR that changes must be made at all. Changes can be made whenever you want.
So I write this ‘New Year, Same You’ letter to my daughter;
You are everything, but those who don’t want everything should get nothing. You are who God made you to be and that is everything. You should never change yourself to fit in with the cool kids (or anyone for that matter). You should always be true to yourself and know that it will always be enough. If there are people out there who don’t like all of you, then you shouldn’t waste your time trying to please them.
Mommy and Daddy aren’t perfect, but we try our hardest. We will never be perfect, and we don’t want to be perfect. We mess up all of the time but learn from our mistakes. We don’t always know the answers, but we will help you find them. And sometimes you will have to find the answers alone but know that we are right there next to you. There’s no such thing as perfect, just self-happiness Remember when I said that Mommy and Daddy don’t want to be perfect? Well, we don’t but we always want to be happy. Be happy with your choices. They may not always be the easy one or even the right one, but they were yours.
Be happy with your life and the people and things in them (this is NOT the same as being satisfied). Be happy with the ability and opportunities to always be learning. Be happy with failure as that is also a time for learning. Know your self-worth, and that you are always worth it. You are worth your weight in gold times infinity. You are worth all the love and joy in the world and the stars in the sky. Never second guess that, never think twice about it. No one can and will ever take your self-worth away from you because it is yours. Things take time, don’t give up. Nothing happens overnight. Anything worth having will take time and hard work. You can do it! And it’s ok to take a break from something that is proving to be difficult as long as you promise yourself to get back to it with new and fresh eyes. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. A second set of eyes can always shed new light on the situation.
So, my dear wonderful daughter, a resolution doesn’t have to be made at the start of a new year, nor does it have to be a life-altering change. It can be made whenever you want for whatever reason you want. But my wish for you is that you will always strive to be the best you that there is.
