What If We Focus on Self Love?

2014 is here and many of us are enthusiastically looking ahead, setting intentions, making resolutions, choosing that special word for the year to focus on. On December 31, 2013, the three of us at home, sat as usual, as is customary, to write down our resolutions. I usually balk at this exercise, even though I am a list-person. Still, this year, I was eager. I made my list. When my husband read out his list, I was impressed. When my son read out his, I was more impressed.

Then, yesterday, I invited my friends and fellow-bloggers to answer the following question:

“What is the ONE thing you’d like to focus on, this year? The One thing that makes you happy and feel fulfilled?”

I was overwhelmed when30 people responded. I was thrilled to see a majority of the answers were focused around self love or some form of self love, family, relationships, self care, gratitude and creative pursuits and I am honored to share these beautiful answers with you. I also urge you to click on their names to know more about them!

(Responses arranged in alphabetical order. Well, almost!)

Let’s focus on self love!

♥

This new year I want to focus on nourishing and nurturing ‘ME‘…me as a better daughter, a wife, a sister, a friend, a dancer, a writer and a lot more! Aditi Kaushiva

The one thing I’d like to focus on this year is enjoying my life more. I’d like to do more of what I like and less of what I don’t like! I’m outlining and researching a new book and I’d like to focus on that since I absolutely love the researching and writing process. I hope to be able to take a week vacation to go somewhere tranquil, scenic and inspiring to actually write the book after I’ve done all the research. Working on a new book will make me feel absolutely fabulous and fulfilled. Angela Artemis

The one thing I’d like to focus on this year is gratitude. I believe that you will experience peace of mind and more optimism, suffer less stress, be more satisfied with life, less materialistic, often feel more spiritual, regardless of religion. Gratitude is the key to true contentment and happiness. This quote goes with these thought perfectly: “In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy.” ~Albert Clarke Betsy McKee Henry

The last 12 months brought in a whirlwind of changes. From uprooting to replanting in another location to new persons who walked into my life and became a priority, 2013 was a landmark year in all senses. In 2014 I aspire to focus on me as a better person, fulfilling my roles better, being a better life partner, a better daughter, a better person to others as well as to myself. Bhavya Nandakumar

I would like to make every moment count. This past year was like a whirlwind and I’d like to be able to take my time with life this year instead of rushing around! Cher Texter

I’m declaring 2014 a ‘me’ year – one in which I will focus on myself – my personal development, health and generally giving myself room to grow and shine! Corinne Rodrigues

thank you Pathtowellness.com.au

This year I’m focused on counting my blessings. Every day I’m listing 5 blessings and why I’m thankful for them. I’m giving thanks for the blessings I currently have and the blessings I know I’m receiving. The quote that sums it up: – “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you ” ― William Arthur Ward. Elle Sommer

I would like to focus on providing as much help as I can to as many people I come across in my professional and personal life. It could be through providing advice, guidance, helping with chores, or just listening to people when they want to be heard. When I’m helping others, it makes me truly happy and alive and there is no other feeling like it. Hiten Vyas

Relationships. Our equations with each one around us make us the person we ultimately become- for ourselves and for others. This year, I aspire to a better human and therefore my focus this year would be to nurture each of my relationships. This year I focus on giving a wee bit more (than before) to all the people in my radar and hope that in the process I become a more generous, forgiving and a patient person. This year, I promise to hold my peeps even closer. Kajal Kapur

This year, my focus is on adding more pleasure to the everyday things. That includes the foods I eat, time in nature every day, spending more quality time with people I love. I know that discovering more pleasure in each day will bring more to everything I do this year. Karen Jolly

Now that I have begun drawing again, I would like to focus more on my art. I would like to focus on my writing continuing to write more fiction, haiku, and trying things in both mediums I haven’t before. Artistically I want to broaden my horizons. So in 2014, I would love to explore more avenues artistically writing and in the creation of artistic works. Kathy Combs

Thank you Molly Hahn, aka Mollycules

Myself: I am going to prove to myself that I am the only one who I need to prove myself to. Manika Garg

Your post made me think hard – because it asked what I’d want to Focus on instead of what I wish for! The brainwave hit me as I was reading the book Chef gifted by dear Richa. This is what I’d focus on this year – to not dwell on negative thoughts for I realize our subconscious mind is scarily powerful! Meena Menon

Lovely question.. I intend to pursue exploring the next level of my work.. It’s held hostage to my fears, my inability to be present and my being insensitive to people. Mohinish Sinha

This year I’m focusing on relationships, especially those with my family. I believe we’re all put on this earth to help others using the gifts we’ve been given. By reaching out and deepening our relationships with those around us, we create true connection to help and support others. In doing this, we grow the happiness of those we connect with and ourselves… Paige Burkes

Himalayas – would love to get back to the mountains.. it’s been 3 years and the calling is getting ever so strong. Ravi Kumar

2013 was a fabulous year. But it saw me getting very busy. This year I will devote all my energy towards better time management. And that will include writing and husband. I have decided to cancel out a lot of unwanted (society) commitments for a change…Richa Vikas Agarwal

The last few years I have focused on building a career after finally finishing my studies and so neglected something that was very dear to me when I was young – my personal life and ties. This year I wish to take my foot off the career pedal and instead focus more on love and friendship. Roshan Radhakrishnan

A new year always brings new hopes and dreams. And this year I would want to focus more on bettering myself in all relations right from been a daughter to a friend. To accept and love people as they are and just embrace each moment I get with my people. Because who knows what’s in store for us tomorrow?. Sheethal Susan Jacob

This year I’d like to focus on inner peace. As Master Shifu said, if you are truly at peace, you can do anything. Shilpa Garg

‘ME’ – A better husband, a better dad, a better writer, a better sharer and generally a better person. Sid Balachandran

I promised to write down one resolution that I have for this year. My one resolution is to be simpler. We complicate our life and lifestyles so much in order to please people or our egos. I resolve to make life easier and simpler. Sugandha Agrawal

One thing I am focusing on for 2014 is love. “Open your heart to love and allow your heart whispers to guide you. When you follow the whispers of your heart you will find the wisdom within.” Suzie Cheel

Gorgeous painting by Suzie Cheel

This year my word is Joy. I’m going to be focusing on finding joy in all things and to live in Joy. “Joy” came to me in the form of a Christmas ornament and now I look forward to how this word unfolds for me. May you find Joy too in all you do. Suzy

After quite a few years of stumbling around, I feel like my husband and I are both sort of finding our footing. I just want to enjoy walking on stable ground for a while so we can focus on the view and not our feet. Tammy Soong

This year I enlarge my focus area from merely losing weight to losing it and keeping it off. At an equal focus is writing. Oh I’ve been writing pretty regularly but this year I’ll try new stuff… Fiction, poetry, everything. Tulika Singh

I would like to focus more on creativity – in writing and in music. To transition from a blogger who writes to a writer who blogs. To rediscover the joy of rhythm and harmony. In short, using both sides of my brain. Vaisakh Venugopal

Spending more time with family. Even though I work from home, I’m not always present. Vanita Cyril

I would like to concentrate on better performance in academics, better time management, taking up more household responsibilities and trying to finish authoring and illustrating at least one book. Vidur Sury

My soul and heart choose to focus more on “positive healing” this year. To facilitate positive healing in me and to those around me feels right because the empath in me wants to see everyone (including myself) completely healed. I know a positively healed world is possible…and I am going to Do my bit. It might be a drop in the vast ocean…but is a step in the right direction. I believe we each owe it to ourselves to be totally and completely healed. Zeenat Merchant-Syal

To summarize, we have:

self love vidya sury

My heart feels full and I am so inspired by these responses.

Dear Friend,

Would you like to answer the question?

I’d love to know in the comments!

Wishing you a fabulous 2014 that is everything you hope for!