I am welcoming in the New Year with a sense of determination and optimism. You know, just like every year, and just like everyone else. 
And I’m armed with a ton of resolutions and plans for life changes, just like every previous New Years.
This year, however, I am breaking those goals out – month by month. Rather than start January 1st with 452 things I am going to CHANGE OVERNIGHT *cue marching music*, I am going to slowly but surely attempt to tackle littler things, bit by bit.
Overall, this year is about remembering to learn balance so that I can slowly craft the life I want. I am the queen of open-ended projects and tasks, because I am like uh-mazing at starting things and, er, less than stellar at finishing them because I like to tackle 600 things at once. Patience is a virtue I apparently lack. So this year, I am attempting to make little chunks of difference in many areas of my life: health, happiness, personal time, charitable actions, growth, conquering fears, having adventures, being appreciative. My aim is to post each month’s little goals at the beginning of the month, and then weigh in on how well I was able to keep them – all with a fabulous banner… but I’m out of time right now, so text is all you get! 
January’s Goals
Sleep: For someone who wakes at the slightest sound and can take two hours to fall asleep, the very idea that I stay up until 2am when I want to be up by 6am? Ridiculous. Yet that’s my routine. It was all fun and games when I was 23, but I’m 28 now, and girlfriend needs to rest. The aim here is two-fold: Get into bed, lights out, by 11pm and, for the love of god, slowly work up toward waking at 6am. Because as funny as rolling out of bed at 7:30am and flying through the house on a quest for clean pants, coffee, and car keys was for the first 24 months? It’s getting a touch old.
Water: I don’t drink juice. I don’t drink soda. I don’t drink milk. I do, however, thrive on a 16 ounce thermos of honest-to-god-sugar-and-cream coffee every morning and then … forget?… liquids for the remainder of the day somehow. I may get 32 ounces on a good day, and then look shocked when my hair begins to feel dry and my knuckles are flaky. Thus water? Is a goal. I used to down 80+ a day without thinking twice, before We Bought a Coffee Pot, and since then? Shame on me.
Eat at Home: Not only does eating at home typically mean less calories (typically… you’ve apparently never seen the friendship between myself and butter), it’s often healthier (read: butter) and cheaper. Yet when I fell off the gluten-free wagon I really need to be captaining, it was really easy to suggest Domino’s on Fridays (listen.. . they have a white sauce that pairs fabulously with MY FACE) and Taco Bell on Wednesdays and since we’re out, let’s just grab Panda Express. Part of this is that we eat dinner around 8:30-9pm. It horrifies people, I know, but that’s when we’re free and hungry – and the idea of standing in the kitchen for 30-45 minutes to cook at 9pm? Doesn’t always sound like a party. BUT the budget-conscious in me has taken over, and it’s my goal! We did it second nature when Sean was laid off, so it’s quite possible. So even if it’s a frozen pizza being heated up, if it’s at home, I’m counting it!
Game Planning: Between working full-time, college part-to-full-time, my Etsy shop, a husband and a small zoo, I need to stay on top of The Life if I think I am going to add in things like training for 5Ks, more volunteer work, more personal time, more travel, more naps, etc. I even suckered in and got a new planner – which I’m sure will get filled in for a week before I leave it in the study and forget I even had one!
Move More: Whether it’s vacuuming, dancing, dog walking, or actual real exercise – my aim is to simply be moving more than before.
Stop Dieting: WHAT? Who says NOT dieting is their resolution?!? Crazy people, that’s who. Last year, I read an amazing book. And, despite her own tale of how she actually gained weight at first and it took her a year to get the swing of not dieting, I ignored it. I was going to lose right away. Be amazing. I was going to be the tops at not dieting, watch me go! And, much like everything else that takes time and patience to succeed at, I blew past it full force and.. ran out of steam a few months in. It’s taken me this long to really accept how hard it is, how terribly uncomfortable and stress-inducing it is, for me to not diet. This will, by far, be the hardest chunk to tackle in 2012 and be on-going. I’ll expect failures and successes and will just need to keep chugging through. No faking that “this is a lifestyle change” but it’s really a diet. No cleanses. No pills. No counting. No programs or apps. Just no diets. For my health.
What are your NY’s goals or aspirations (if you’re the non—new-year-goal-y type)?
