Saturday, January 3, 2009

Trueblue New Years Resolutions 2009

Years come and go, especially the longer we live. Many of us may in fact get "New Years resolution fatigue," we just get tired of another round of tries and failed resolutions attempts. If we keep on trying something and never succeeding, maybe we need to take a step back and try something different?
The typical new years resolutions have been on dieting and exercising for us Americans. These of themselves are good. But I think it is a symptom of American culture. In the overall context of our lives including our spiritual lives, I remember reading an newspaper article around the year 1999 on religion/spirituality in American, based on a Gallup study. The title of the article was something like "Spirituality in America a mile-wide and an inch deep," which talked about the general shallowness of faith and religion in America. The rivoting title may have been an exaggerated judgment, yet is was probably reflective of our culture.
How often do we hear or read of resolutions to love people better>? Isn't that a part of the Golden Rule afterall?

On the morning of January 1, 2009, not pre-planning this, on the spur of the moment, I jotted down a few intentional selfless outward-focused New Years resolutions which may be considered universal, timeless, and thus inspiring? It is for these few simply aspirations that may be inspirational to others that I decided to write them into a blog. This is my second blog I have ever published. My life mission is to help inspire humanity to better living, to work toward religious tolerance and love and peace among the beautiful diversity of the tapestry of humanity.
Here are these few simple yet profound spiritually-centered resolutions:

To increase my capacity to love and for love (love in most broad and pure sense: love of human beings and love for God).

To strengthen my belief and attitude in the innate dignity and deserved respect of each, every, and all human beings.

Resolve to speak only positive words to others. (This is one I really need to work on, for I am quite imperfect like yourself I'm sure.)

Maintain an attitude of hope for the future even if circumstances around look bleak.

I wanted to come up with a catching title for this blog, and "pure" or "spiritual" just does not presumably grab the general audience. I thought "Trueblue..." was catchy while maintaining the integrity of the theme.

May you be blessed spiritually and temporally in 2009!
Markforgood