New Year's Resolutions....or LIFE Resolutions?

Every year since I have been old enough to know what it really meant to make New Years Resolutions, I have made them like many others, and then epically failed at sticking to them even for a month!  So this year I thought long and hard about what it was that I really wanted to do. And I've come to the realization that the only way I could really stick to something for a whole year was to make it something that would make a real difference in my life. Without becoming too personal and boring everyone with a story most people wouldn't care to hear about....I have decided to make a difference in my self esteem.  If you know me really well, you know that I tend to find myself less worthy of stuff than what I should. This has ultimately made having a substantial relationship difficult at times.  I have spent so many days asking myself how I got so lucky with my husband, but then turned around and convinced myself that my luck would soon run out and he would realize I'm not good enough and he could find someone better.  It really has become a very tiring and stupid habit that needs to be kicked. So, here they are:  my LIFE resolutions.  I mean, why do it for just a year?  Why not make it a life decision, and really turn things around for myself?

RESOLUTION #1:   Find a work out and eating routine that kicks my discomfort with my body and gets myself to a healthy weight that I can be proud of and not be ashamed to even let my husband see!   (I intend on going about this by not setting a specific diet or putting too much pressure on myself to make it to a certain goal by a certain time....but by changing my daily routine to where I wake up happy, and go to sleep feeling good about myself. I know most people reading this are probably thinking, so you want to lose weight and feel great by...doing what? Well, I will work out by playing with cooper in the back yard and taking him for walks.  Joining a yoga class, because I enjoy it. And Eating things like fruits and stuff I enjoy, but not forcing myself to eat things I dont like.  When I do that, I just give up.  So rather than do something I will end up giving up in a few weeks, I'm going simply change how much of it I eat and work out and stay busy more by doing active things that I enjoy.) 

RESOLUTION #2:  Tell myself I am God's Masterpiece every single day, and keep a journal of the things I LOVE ABOUT MYSELF!  (This is the one that is going to be the difficult one for me.  I plan to place sticky notes every room in the house that I spend a decent amount of time in that say "You are His Masterpiece."  That will give me at least a little bit of inspiration to think of something good about myself.  If God made me to be a masterpiece, then there has to be SOMETHING good about me, right?)

I've read so many bible studies in the past that has talked about God's masterpiece and us all being created in His perfect image. So why is it so difficult for me to comprehend that?  I honestly believe that the marriage between my husband and I was one that God created perfectly.  I will, instead of focusing on what I believe has been my luck, and start focusing on what it was that God created in all of His beauty.  Two people, perfectly in love, flaws and all.  If I can perfectly love my husband with all of his flaws, then why not learn to believe that my husband can do the same with me?  First I must learn to love myself and feel worthy of being loved by another.  Luckily, my husband is beyond supportive of these resolutions and doing all that he can to encourage and build me up everyday!

"True love comes not by finding a perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person, perfectly."  Its time I start learning to really love myself again!