New Year’s Resolution for 2011: Get Engaged

No, not to be married. Thankfully, I’ve already accomplished that goal. This year, I want to focus on energizing my life.


First, I want to engage in the community. I remember when I was growing up, I knew all of my neighbors. I also participated in many community events and took pride in my community. Since moving to Utah, I know little of my neighbors, nothing of my community and have not participated in a single community event other than a few firework displays. I would love to do some volunteer work. I know I have a full time job as well as an awesome family which I already have to divide my time, but I truly believe service is the only way to really appreciate your blessings. I have been reflecting on the past year – as is customary for this time of year – and have come to discover that many of my blessings are being taken for granted. Instead of saying “thank you”, I’ve been saying “why me?” and “more, please”. This is not the attitude of gratitude I was raised to have. Therefore, my first resolution is to spend at least one night or day per week in service of others. I’m also going to take this opportunity to get to know my neighbors. If you need an act of service, let me know!

Next, I want to engage in my work. I have recently changed jobs and let’s just say I haven’t exactly been jumping from rooftops with glee. I have made mistakes in the past with my career. Part of this resolution is to learn from those mistakes and propel my future by making smart choices and staying focused on the job at hand – pun intended. My goal is to give this position my all. I want to be the kind of employee I would want working for me. That includes having integrity, being proactive and staying positive. Even if parts of this position may be sour fruit, I intend to make a delicious citrus blend of it and rise to my full potential.

Third, I intend to engage in my spirituality. True, I still struggle with religion as a whole, but I did keep my 2010 goal (for the most part) and have continued to increase my spiritual side. I engage in prayer much more often and feel a stronger connection to my Heavenly Father. This does not mean I am ready to forge ahead with white robes and golden headbands, but I do want to continue exploring my relationship with the spirit and gain more knowledge about the church and its teachings. I feel this is the only way I will be able to decide whether or not I have a testimony or I don’t.

I want to engage my body. This may be a bit of an annual cliché, but I know how much better I feel when I take care of myself, inside and out. Smaller portions (which was already underway as of a few months ago and is coming along nicely), better food choices and much more physical activity. I am a sucker for spreadsheets and graphs, so I’ve already built a spreadsheet with various exercises and charts to show just how many calories I’ll be burning with each workout I perform. Hopefully this keeps my motivation up through the year and doesn’t fall by the wayside, as so many resolutions do.

Finally, I want to engage in my relationships. I have spent more time with my family this past year than I can ever remember. I have so enjoyed getting acquainted with my adult siblings as well as my recently added in-laws. I am surrounded by such beautiful people. I want to encourage these relationships to grow even more by getting to know more about those I love and who love me. My husband is a wonderful man, I love him dearly. I want to meld our marriage even more with daily effort to appreciate and show my love for him. My children are such a source of pride for me. I know I sometimes felt misunderstood at their age and want them to feel that I have at least tried my best to know and understand them. It may not be appreciated now, but hopefully it will be when they have children of their own. My sisters are so incredible. They both have amazing talents and I love spending time with them, getting to know who they are and what they stand for. We may not always agree, but we have so much to share with each other. My parents are such an inspiration. I revel at what my step father has done for me over the years. What a person it takes to take on the responsibility of four children in addition to a new marriage. He has done his best to guide me on the path of righteousness and given me a great father figure to look up to. I know he loves me just as much as he would love his own biological child. My mother has suffered great sacrifices in her life to give me the life I have today. I know I’ve said it before, but I am so thankful for everything she’s taught me, big and small. The older we get, the more humility we tend to have and this is so true for her. I can see a shift in her priorities as well as affections for her family. I know she’s always loved me and the rest of my siblings, but I feel as though all of our relationships are progressing toward a more honest and sincere platform. I reached out to my brother recently. I have not seen or spoken to him in over 5 years. He is a stranger to me and I intend to learn about him this year. I don’t want him to be a piece of lineage on some website; I want my brother back in my life. I am blessed to be part of such an incredible new family, The Garns. These guys really know what family is all about! Sure, there are the occasional tiff’s here and there, what normal family doesn’t have them? But every single one of them has gone out of their way in one way or another to make me feel welcome and loved. It can be overwhelming during the holidays to spend so much “together time” with family, but I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every second of it this year. Everything from visiting Temple Square to the new (and I hope recurring tradition) Christmas Eve Eve dinner has been such a blessing.

Yes, these resolutions will definitely take some serious engagement, but each of them is a worthy cause. After all, it is better to give than to receive. Happy New Year!