New year, new you, even 2020 ridiculously promised. Remember?
Even I, lover of lists, and the promise of a new day, and goals, and dreams don’t buy the notion that a new year makes a new you. Eventually we fall into the habit of writing the date correctly as we fall into other not-so-new-you habits.
I was scrolling through Pinterest for written workouts when it dawned on me that Pinterest is trying to convince me no matter what my body might look like, it isn’t suppose to look like this. Pin after pin showed sculpted bodies and women who looked very hungry. I was only looking for a few HIT workout ideas and caught myself judging my own body for not looking like those bodies. I don’t want my body to look like those bodies! I like a donut once in a while and good dark beer and bread. And cookies.
This week leading to a new year, I’m going to fall into the common trap of believing a new year can make a better me. But in 2021, I’ll be the same me who sometimes chooses to get up in the morning and exercise and sometimes sleeps in because that’s more important. Sometimes I will choose vegetables and other times I’ll skip them. I’ll get some things right and others wrong, which is nothing new at all.
And through it all, the God who made me won’t give up on me. More likely, God will say, “Yep, that’s Lisa. That’s the real her,” because I’m not so interested in a “new and improved me”. I prefer a forgiven and beloved me instead. The effort is more God’s than mine.
Although donuts may not be calorie free here, they can be guilt free. And that is enough.
Lisa Lewton 