New year, New Goals

I know I am few days late.  I don't necessarily have a new year’s resolution this year- I just have a few objectives I would like to accomplish and incorporate in my life in the upcoming year.

1. BE MORE ACTIVE

I know a popular goal this time of year is to lose weight or get more exercise and mine is similar. But really I want to get out there and move. We already do Orange Theory Fitness twice a week, and I am running (just not as much as I would like). Between OTF, running once or twice a week, biking (I got a bike for Christmas!) and walking one mile on rest days- hopefully I can just move every day. So I am telling the WORLD in order to hold myself more accountable. Bahaha. 

2. EAT HEALTHY

I already eat pretty healthy. At least 90% (maybe 80%) better choices than most of Standard American Diets but I'd like to clean it up more. Maybe 2014 will bring me less beer and more broccoli. That sounds terrible but definitely healthier. I'd like to stick to my guns and only partake in things that are less healthy when it's really really needed not just because it's Friday.

3. BE THANKFUL ALL YEAR

I really have a great life including a wonderful husband, great family and an awesome group of friends. There is so much to be thankful for- I am choosing to look at what I have and not at what I do not have. And to just be appreciative.

4. SHED THE EXTRAS

As of yesterday, we have already started to do this with cutting the cord (for Cable, that is). I want to learn how to say no and not take on too much. I have a tendency to say yes to everything, to watch too many TV shows and to keep watching just because I have for the last X number of years, to think I can get everywhere in in 15 minutes and to basically over book myself. Not being employed for the past couple of months has shown me that taking the time to do that basics can really make you value the whole experience even more. Does this make sense? Maybe less really is more? I would like to take this year to figure that out for sure.

5. FIND A NEW OCCUPATION

Whether it is in the field that I have been in the last 8 years or even another avenue. I would like to find an occupation that I am passionate about.

6. SUPER SECRET 

As open as I am, sometimes you need to keep some ambitions to yourself. If it comes to fruition, you'll be the first to know. :)

7. SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY

I am very lucky, we have only had one death in my extended family and that was many years in the making. Last year brought sickness. One of our strongest, healthiest, most stubborn members suddenly came down with one of the worst cancers. Never in a million years would we have expected for him to become so sick so fast. I love our joint families but life gets in the way and sometimes you don't spend enough time with them as you intended. I'd like for 2014 to be the year to change that. This personal experience has shown me that you never know what the next day will bring. Spend it with your loved ones. No regrets.

8. GET MORE SLEEP

For some people this is an easy one. Not me. I am terrible at sleeping enough. I start off good and have intentions of getting my 8+ hours of sleep but this never happens. Usually it’s more like 6 hr., maybe 6 1/2 hrs. and almost never anything over 7 hr. This needs to change. It's not good for me and although I am naturally a night person, I need to start getting up and resting with the sun.

9. TRAVEL

We already have a trip planned for early this year to see family up in Virginia. Whether it be saving up for one large trip or taking a bunch of mini trips. I would just like for us to spend time seeing more of the world.

10. KEEP IN TOUCH

Along with spending more time with family, I would like to keep in better touch with my friends. I'd like to reconnect with the women I was once incredibly close too. I'd like to get more regular updates from those friends who have moved away. And I would love to have more tete-a-tete's with the friends I see regularly because sometimes a personal connection can really be just the thing we all need.

I am sure if you looked up common New Year's objectives or goals or resolutions (whatever you would like to call them) many of the above would be listed. However I think they are still worth putting out there. There is always room for improvement especially if it also improves the fullness and overall richness of one’s life. Maybe I will not succeed in all of these in the upcoming year but I am going to try. Plus there is always the next year. 

This reminds me of a fitting quote I once heard.

"You can’t win at everything, but you can laugh at everything." -Robert Killinger

Too bad you can’t make money on quotes. We'd be rolling in it over here. :)