But back to resolutions. They are, by and large, about bettering oneself. This in and of itself isn't a bad thing, I think we should all try and be a better person every chance we get. The problem with resolutions is that they are rarely carried out, which then sort of makes the resolution-maker feel worse for failing. So this year, instead of resolutions, I am setting goals. (And if you're questioning what the difference is, it's probably non-existent. "Goal" just doesn't carry with it the same sense of impending failure as "resolution.") So here are my goals for this year, in no particular order:
1. Learn how to do 3 new things. I don't know exactly what yet, although I do want to get my motorcycle license this summer, so even though technically I can sort of already ride, I may count that as one. I do want them to be fun things, so if anyone has anything they want to teach me, I might be up for anything!
2. Stay in touch. I love my friends, but I'm not the best at staying in touch. Facebook and email are my primary forms of communication, mostly because I pretty much hate talking on the phone. I feel like I have lost touch with many great people from my high school and college days. Come May I will be parting ways with many amazing people I have had the privilege of befriending over the past few years and I plan to make sincere efforts to stay in touch with them, as well as get caught up with friends from the past. My days of screening calls and letting my voicemail box get full are over.
3. Stop planning. As I grow older I realize that I am neurotic in many ways. One of my biggest neuroses is my need to plan things. I'm not talking about little things, like what's for dinner or what I'm going to wear tomorrow because when it comes to the mundane details of life, I'm pretty laid back, even indecisive at times. I'm talking about the big picture. While I don't so much care what I'm doing tomorrow, I would really enjoy knowing where I'll be and what I'll be doing this time next year, as well as five years from now. Maybe I'm a a control freak. Maybe I'd appreciate it if God would give me a roadmap so I could at least make sure I'm on the right track. I know, I know, it's the unknown that makes life worth living, blah blah blah. But every once in a while, a hint would be awesome, or if God's already been handing out hints, maybe he could make the ones intended for me a little more obvious. At any rate, perhaps my goal is to be more open to changes in the plans I make for myself rather than to stop planning altogether.
4. Take better care of myself. This is, admittedly, where the whole working-out-and-eating-better comes into play. This year it's a combination of cardio and Nautilus machines at the community center and my Wii Fit, just to make things fun. And only having class three days a week will hopefully make it a little easier to fit my new fitness goals into my schedule. Coupled with my own fitness goal is my goal for Doc. The vet says he needs to lose about ten pounds, so we will be venturing out into the neighborhood on a more regular basis.
5. Figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Not necessarily what I want to do for the rest of my life, just maybe what to do for the next ten years or so. Maybe I'll put my education to good use. Maybe I'll try out for a reality TV show (see previous post for more info!). Maybe Sarah and I will rent out a strip mall and open the bevy of businesses we keep adding to every month, which up to this point includes Sarah's baby boutique and card store and my shoe/gift boutique and cafe. Ooh, maybe I'll just start designing shoes and Christian Louboutin will want to hire me! Or maybe I'll come up with a gimmick to make my blog more interesting and marketable and sit home in my pj's all day and watch the cash roll in.There it is. My plan for self-improvement in 2010. Maybe my blog gimmick should be tracking my progress...
