New Year's Resolutions for 2013

We welcomed 2013 this year by having some close friends come over the house.  The two boys, Lewie and Landon, made time capsules, played with toys, and watched some Scooby Doo mysteries while "the adults" wrote down New Year's resolutions for themselves and for each other in the group.  The fun part was trying to guess who wrote each New Year's Resolution and then trying to guess whether the resolution was for that person or someone else in the group...  (While all of this was going on, we had a precious one year old that kept us entertained as she explored everything...thankfully we still had Lewie's old baby gate to keep her away from the stairs...)

This year I came upon the following quote:

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. -Swedish Proverb.  

Interestingly enough, I saw this quote at someone's house; each part was neatly stenciled on each tier of a wooden staircase where the top stair started with "Fear less, hope more."

I was instantly drawn to this saying and within the last few weeks, I decided to make this my New Year's Resolution.  Lately my days have been fearful...I find that I worry obsessively over both big and small things--things I can't control.  I also spend too much time rushing around frantically to get things done.  Instead of savoring moments, I find that I forget everything (even things that were done a minute ago) because I live in this perpetual "to-do list" fog.

This year, I'm doing what this proverb suggests--I'm changing my worry to hope; I'm savoring moments by looking at quality instead of quantity, and I'm loving more.  It won't be easy, but when I'm worrying or rushing around, my goal is to stop myself and change course.  After all, how can I be happy if I'm too busy worrying?  How can I enjoy life, if I'm too busy rushing through each day?

I wish all of my beloved family and friends a very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year.  To all, may you "live every moment, laugh every day, and love beyond words" (another favorite quote of mine).  What's your New Year's Resolution?