New Year's Resolution

I don't normally post my New Year's resolutions because I don't often have them.  A few months ago, however, I caught myself in a really bad habit of judging others.  Somewhere along the line, I subconsciously gave myself permission to determine that I know what other people should do/wear/be/etc better than they did.  (Seriously...have you seen the way I dress?  I'm not sure how I figured I could judge others on that one.)  When I realized that judging others had become a bad habit, I also discovered that it really wasn't much fun, and I was sick of it.  I don't like how it feels, how I sound when I make "observations," and I HATE it when others judge me.  Ick.

So, my one real resolution for 2013 is to judge less and love more.  That's it.  And it feels really good!

I've been amazed at the amount of love and compassion I've felt for others as I've prayed to Heavenly Father for help in this endeavor.  Just today I was watching a reality tv show (House Hunters, to be exact), and I found myself thinking, "man, those people are annoying!"  Then I felt a little nudge in the back of my mind, and I pushed a mental rewind button and thought, "I hope they find the house that's right for them because buying a house can be stressful."  It may sound stupid and a little contrived, but in the moment, it actually felt genuine.  The bottom line is, I want to teach my kids to love others, and it starts with showing them how I treat others.

Happy 2013!