The year 2011 has gone and we begin January with hope anew, dreams refreshed, and a fire to drive the past behind us in the most dramatic and life-changing way. We will charge through this month with our hearts aflame and spirits soaring and then crash heavily upon the threshold of February, entirely spent from the effort of keeping a promise to ourselves.
New Years Resolutions have never particularly worked for me. Not that I’ve ever made the effort to make one (I’m behind before I’ve even begun), but I’m sure that if I did it wouldn’t work. Self-restraint is not one of the human race’s strong suits, myself included. The art of self-discipline is truly that, an art. It is to be studied and pursued and we “Oooo” and “Aaah” the one who has it and sneer unabashedly at those who do not. Just look at today’s society for an example. The attractive and desirable man for centuries has been strong and muscular. This man remains this way due to work out and diet regimens that he sticks to virtuously. We shun the nerds as unhygienic with their pimples and pale skin, the obese for having no self control over their diet and exercise, and fashion disasters who have no sense of style. All of these people could be perfectly desirable and disciplined and have other reasons for their stereotype-driven punishment (except for the guy who has no fashion sense. He’s a lost cause.)
The point of the attractive man tangent is this: self-restraint is a thing to be admired and not acted upon.
So this year, (here I go. My first real New Years Resolution list!) I will try to have more self-discipline and self-restraint. I will not impulse-buy a snickers or an Arizona Ice Tea with ginseng every time I go to the supermarket. I will brush my teeth and take notes with my left hand on occasion. And, perhaps most importantly, I will find that mental/verbal filter so that I don’t say so many things that make people feel awkward.
…
Whew! That felt good.
P.S. Ninjas. We admire ninjas so much because they have self-discipline and restraint and inner power and stuff. Yeah. Ninjas are pretty awesome.
New Years Resolutions have never particularly worked for me. Not that I’ve ever made the effort to make one (I’m behind before I’ve even begun), but I’m sure that if I did it wouldn’t work. Self-restraint is not one of the human race’s strong suits, myself included. The art of self-discipline is truly that, an art. It is to be studied and pursued and we “Oooo” and “Aaah” the one who has it and sneer unabashedly at those who do not. Just look at today’s society for an example. The attractive and desirable man for centuries has been strong and muscular. This man remains this way due to work out and diet regimens that he sticks to virtuously. We shun the nerds as unhygienic with their pimples and pale skin, the obese for having no self control over their diet and exercise, and fashion disasters who have no sense of style. All of these people could be perfectly desirable and disciplined and have other reasons for their stereotype-driven punishment (except for the guy who has no fashion sense. He’s a lost cause.)
The point of the attractive man tangent is this: self-restraint is a thing to be admired and not acted upon.
So this year, (here I go. My first real New Years Resolution list!) I will try to have more self-discipline and self-restraint. I will not impulse-buy a snickers or an Arizona Ice Tea with ginseng every time I go to the supermarket. I will brush my teeth and take notes with my left hand on occasion. And, perhaps most importantly, I will find that mental/verbal filter so that I don’t say so many things that make people feel awkward.
…
Whew! That felt good.
P.S. Ninjas. We admire ninjas so much because they have self-discipline and restraint and inner power and stuff. Yeah. Ninjas are pretty awesome.
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