My nearly three years of being the Relief Society President came to an end last week. There were tears, although I don’t know whether more were from happiness or sorrow.  This has been my favorite calling I’ve ever had. I adore being able to walk up to anyone at church and genuinely ask them how they’re doing and quite often they’ll tell me the truth. I love getting to hear of the endless acts of service that the sweet women of my ward do without expecting anything in return. It’s nice being in the loop and knowing a lot of the things that go on, whether good or bad. I know all the gossip.

I instructed my new replacement (who is one of my best friends and was one of my counselors) that this calling is really just a marathon. I haven’t ever run a marathon in real life because, well, why would I? (My motto is “why stand when you can sit? Why sit when you can lie down?”)  But I read about marathons and they seem to be about pacing. About not trying to sprint the whole time or you’ll wear yourself out before you even get started.

As I think about the beginning of this new year I realize that our lives as women are best viewed the same way. I tend to look at my weekly to-do list as a bunch of sprints  (I have actually sprinted in real life, thankyouverymuch). Get A,B, C and D done as quickly as possible without passing out or killing anyone.  But sprinting is exhausting. It takes its toll. I find myself worn out a lot of the time.

Better just to plod along. Keep the pace slow but do-able.

I could set a spectacular bunch of resolutions for myself today, this shiny first day of January. No doubt I could find lots of tips on Pinterest to make these goals “easier” to keep. Or I could just set myself one realistic goal. One that I know I can do. Like putting my clothes away every day when I get undressed. Maybe this is something you always do. I don’t. I always let a little stack accumulate on my bathroom counter before I start putting things where they go.

I’m not going to worry about losing a bunch of pounds or journalling every day or reading the scriptures for half an hour.

Nope.

I’m going to lace up my marathon shoes and take a little shuffling step. And then another. I’m done with sprint after sprint after sprint. I’m all about slow and steady this year.