16 Vows To Myself That I Am Renewing in 2016 Yael Averbuch

While the New Year always evokes feelings of a clean slate and “New Year, New Me” mottos, I want to use the first few days of January to remind myself to stay true to the values that matter to me most.

16 Vows To Myself That I Am Renewing in 2016:

No regrets. I realize more and more how little I truly control in life, but I will do my very best with what I do have control over. I vow to live my life to the best of my ability in each moment so that I may never look back and say “if only I…”
Respect timing. Timing in life is everything. I appreciate that I do not control how and when things happen, only my own efforts. Sometimes timing will be in my favor and sometimes it will not. I vow never to allow this to make me bitter, but to live a life I am proud of every day.
Be here, now. While this is always much easier said than done, I will try not to look into the past or worry about the future. Part of doing my best in each moment is to vow to be fully present in that moment.
My body is my temple. I ask a lot of my body, so I must treat it well. I vow to eat cleaner, relax more, de-clutter my mind, and do yoga.
Breathe. I will do this by default, whether I think about it or not. I vow to be conscious of my breath on a daily basis, and to breathe more deeply and fully, with gratitude.
Be honest. Honesty first stems from being honest with myself before I am able to be honest with others. I vow to see myself with clarity and also speak honestly to others.
Clear and loving intentions. In the yoga class I attend, the instructor has us put our hands on our hearts and remind ourselves to have “clear and loving intentions.”I vow to keep my intentions pure.
Have compassion. I love the quote, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” I vow to live with kindness and compassion.
Don’t take things personally. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality. I vow not to take the opinions and actions of others personally.
Speak impeccably. You may have noticed a few of these vows stem from “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. Here is another stemming from there: I realize the power of words and know that everything I say will not always be positive. Nevertheless, I vow to speak with integrity.
Say yes. The 2008 movie “Yes Man” with Jim Carrey, although comical, imparted on me the value of taking opportunities and participating fully in life. I vow to say “Yes!” to more things in life and actively participate in the world.
Say no. At the same time, I realize that sometimes it is honest and liberating to say, “no.” I vow to do my best to identify when I need to say, “no,” and to have the courage and wisdom to do so with grace and gratitude.
Never give up. In any venture, I believe there is a difference between giving up and choosing another path. I vow to do my best to differentiate between the two and to never, ever give up on something I can’t go a day without thinking about.
Stay grounded. No matter what I achieve, where I live, or how many followers I have on social media, it is importantto realize that no one in the world is above or below another human being. I vow to treat every person with the respect I would hope to be treated with myself.
Be generous. I believe in giving what you can, when you can. For me, this may not mean money or gifts, but I vow to be generous in terms of my attention, efforts, and knowledge.
Live fully. I like to live simply, actively, and productively. Those things bring me joy and allow me to feel most in touch with my truest purpose. I vow to live a life filled with passion, purpose, and intensity.