With the new year comes new goals, new ideas, and a chance t..

With the new year comes new goals, new ideas, and a chance to start a new resolution. While fitness resolutions seem to be a gold standard for myself and others, I’ve decided that equally as important for my existence and the improved existence of others, I’d like to commit to a non-fitness related resolution this year too…. A few days ago at the grocery store I stepped up in the check out line after a long, but fun day of horseback riding and farm work. I wasn’t wearing anything special just a pair of riding pants, boots, and a riding shirt with a light jacket, lost in my thoughts as I loaded the conveyer belt. I had my hair in a typical ponytail with a hat pulled over it to cover the tangled mess construed by my helmet. I looked up at the clerk whose eyes suddenly found mine and instantly shined with a surprised gleam as she excitedly and enthusiastically voiced how she thought I was beautiful. Feeling a bit derailed by the unexpected compliment despite my soiled barn clothes and messy hat covered hair, I beamed back at her. My southern manners intact yielded a thank you as I fumbled with my words. Further attempting to repay the welcomed feelings of joy she had produced came an automatic smile while I felt a reflexive boost in my mood. Over the following days to come I found myself once or twice grinning in the mirror with the thoughts of her words bouncing inside my head. I even teasingly shared the scenario with friends at dinner, proudly reveling in how I had received a random compliment at the grocery store from a stranger in my barn clothes. Her words gave me repeated surges of positive feelings of worth, which may not have even been because she told me I was beautiful, but her kind tone and chosen words made me feel seen that day. This 5 second event inside a grocery store has had me thinking about how I would like to be bold and humble enough to share words of love and kindness to random strangers when I am out and about. I often think them, but just as frequently I keep them to myself and I don’t bother to send them out to the deserving recipient before me. And why not? Especially after taking time to reflect on how large an impact such a little deed can make. Her words have provided multiple moments of good for me and even influenced my thoughts for how I can do similarly for others. A perfect example of how kindness can spread. So for my (non-fitness) New Year’s resolution I would like to be more vocal with my kind thoughts. Uninhibited in sharing words of encouragement; to take time to help others have a moment like mine that causes more moments to follow of feeling seen and admired. Reflectively I should also like to be more reserved and guarded in how I discuss matters that could be hurtful or misconstrued. Life is hard enough with the hate that will always be, but I can make this conscious effort to spread love and kindness as is fitting, and so I will. Let’s be beautiful inside and out … we can all learn to contour our face and polish our looks, but let’s not forget in 2024 that the words we speak should be beautiful too. 💜 Shelly