To My Friends and Family

Happy New Year everyone!

As the new year begins, most people reflect on the past year and resolve to improve certain aspects of their lives in the coming year. Some of the most popular new year's resolutions include:

- Spending more time with family
- Exercise more
- Lose weight
- Quit smoking
- Enjoy life more
- Quit drinking
- Get out of debt
- Learn something new
- Help others
- Get organized

(source: http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/holidays/tp/resolutions.htm)

While these are all good resolutions, and I admit to using some of them in previous years, this year I decided to really, REALLY think about one thing that I would like to improve upon, and while I was in the shower, it came to me. It's really a two part resolution, but they are definitely interconnected.

Resolution Part One: Stop Spending Time With the Wrong People

This is a problem I didn't even know I had until a few days ago. I started to realize that I often go out of my way to allocate time for people who are either too busy to make time for me or don't value the time they have with me in the first place. I read somewhere that if someone wants you in their life, they'll make room for you, and you shouldn't have to fight for a spot, which is something I completely agree with. If the people you make an effort to spend time with don't reciprocate, then they probably don't deserve it.

Which brings me to the next part of my resolution.

Resolution Part Two: Start Spending Time With the Right People

Low and behold, this is also a big problem for me, but not one I wasn't already aware of. I'm terrible (like, terribly terrible) at making time for the people in my life that really matter, which is ridiculous. Why wouldn't I make time for people who I genuinely enjoying spending time with, who love and appreciate me and always push me to do things that I'm passionate about? People who pick me up when I'm not feeling my best or stick with me even when I'm being a pain?

These people are the ones who make us feel more alive, and not only accept who we are now but also who we want to be, unconditionally. These are the people who are really deserving of our time, so why is it so hard for us to give it to them?

I think the main reason is because we get so caught up in everything that is happening in our lives that the genuinely important things get lost in the shuffle, which is an unfortunate but often true fact.

With that being said, friends and family, I resolve to make more time for you because you are the ones that really deserve it.

"I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar."

                                                                    - Robert Brault