The thing is, I think that by calling it a "resolution", it makes it easier to give up. Say you want to lose 10 pounds, and make it your resolution to do so. You start going to the gym January 2nd, and you start some stupid fad diet, and by January 28th you're over it. So you just say, "meh, it was just a resolution, who ever succeeds with those anyway?" and go on with your life. You're setting yourself up for failure.
Instead, I just try to continually improve my life, regardless of what exact plan I use. But I do kind of use January as a reset to gather my thoughts and get back on whatever path I may have been on before the holidays.
Some goals I have for the next year or so are as follows:
- First, the goal that EVERYONE makes: start going to the gym again, regularly. I'm not the HUGEST distance runner in the world, but I'd like to do maybe at least a couple 5ks this year. I'm also considering changing my gym to a little bit of a nicer one, which would make me want to go more.
- My second goal kind of goes with my first goal: I want to start waking up a lot earlier, on a regular basis. I've noticed over the past year that the time I'm happiest is the time directly after I get up. I love to sit and drink a cup of coffee and maybe watch some food network. I'd like to start getting up early enough to go to the gym or for a run and then come home and decompress before starting my day. This will be an ongoing process, but I think it'll be worth it.
- Move my career forward. I've already started on this one, and am excited for what's to come. I'd like to get to a point some time in the near future (maybe not quite by the end of 2013, but soon) to where I don't have to wait tables at all anymore.
- Buy a house. Or at least make some major progress in the direction of buying a house. Jeff and I started the process last spring, and then got busy and just kind of stopped. I want OUT of this apartment, and I refuse to move until we buy a house. I'm really excited to move into a place and really make it our home.
- Start doing some DIY projects. This is a LITTLE difficult, as I don't really have an outdoor area to spray paint/stain/etc, but I'll make do. I really want to do some DIY wall art, and maybe start hitting up some thrift stores for furniture projects. I'm hesitant to do this, as I have no interest in decorating our apartment anymore and nowhere to store anything, but I think having things to decorate/furnish our house with BEFORE we buy will help a lot.
- Continue to better my diet. Over the past two years, I've been eating a LOT healthier, and trying to cut way back on certain types of foods/drinks. Currently I've been following a pescatarian (vegetarian, but with seafood) diet about 4 out of 7 days a week. I don't know if I'll ever go totally vegetarian, but I've considered it (and actually did it when I was a teenager). I also completely stopped drinking soda (except for club soda) this past year, and have practically cut out deep-fried food (though if I'm really craving it, I'll eat a little every once in a while. Everything in moderation, yo!). I feel a LOT better since I've done this, and my skin looks about a million percent better. I just look at it as an on-going process, and try not to deprive myself of anything I'm REALLY craving, which makes it a lot easier to keep it up.
- Maintain my damn hair. I kid you not when I tell you that I literally did not cut my hair ONE TIME in 2012. Not even a trim. Nor did I do anything to the color, which would be fine except for the fact that it WAS colored to start with. Luckily, my...highlights? (I don't even remember what I did with the color the last time) weren't THAT different from my natural color, so I just jokingly tell everyone my hair is ombre...and I think sometimes people actually believe me. Anyway, I love my long hair and don't want to cut it, but I need a little shape or SOMETHING, and I need to at least get a single process done and stick with it. And get regular trims, so I don't look like a homeless person.
- Try to visit home more often (both my ACTUAL home - Jamestown, NY - and my mom, in Dubois, PA). I've only been to Jamestown once the ENTIRE time I've lived in Delaware, which has been four years this week. I go to Dubois more often, but I've really been missing my family lately. It only takes 4.5 hours to get to Dubois and about 6 hours get to Jamestown, and now that I have a relatively consistent work schedule I have no excuse not to drive up more frequently. My 10 year high school reunion is in June, so I'm already on my way.
- Last, and definitely least...get adult braces. Ugh. I've always wanted/needed to get braces, but put it off because I didn't have dental insurance and couldn't afford them...or at least that's what I told myself. Really, I just don't want to deal with it. But now I DO have dental, which will cover possibly the ENTIRE COST, plus my mom has offered to pay for it, even if I want to do invisalign (which I certainly DO, if it's possible). Just the thought of having braces for who knows how long makes me shudder, but it'll be WELL worth it in the long run. I really want to have a perfect smile in my wedding pictures, so I feel as though time is probably of the essence.
So, there you have it. I'm sure I'll come up with some more stuff as the year goes on, but those are my most important goals for the time being. What do you hope to accomplish in 2013?
No comments:
Post a Comment