It’s the beginning again. I love that.
The idea that it’s a new, fresh start from all the shit of the last year. Of course there are some things that have transferred over, but that minuscule detail is not what’s important.
It’s that time of year where we sit down and write out or think up our goals. We make outrageous promises, blindly ignore past discrepancies, and then sadly slide off the wagon when we don’t succeed.
Last year my resolution was to not make any resolutions. I was able to keep up with that all year round, though I was very tempted to make a promise to lose 50 pounds around march — but I stuck it out! And it felt very good! Oddly wonderful. To actually stick with a resolution. It was a simple and absolutely attainable goal and I stuck to it.
This year I’m following my own example and doing my resolutions in the same fashion.
- Start a YouTube channel.
I have wanted to start a YouTube channel since it first popped up in 2005. I’ve never had a clear vision of what I wanted to blog about, and that (as well as fear) has kept me from doing it. I get pumped about it, and then chicken out at the last minute. My only goal is to start the channel. Post one video and that’s it. Obviously I’d like to keep up with it, maintain my content and become rich and famous — but I digress.
2. Be more productive at work.
I love my job. Absolutely enjoy 90% of it, and that last 10% is NOT loathing. I simply don’t enjoy that part. But it does not kill me to do it. My ongoing issue is the paperwork side of things and I wish to be more productive in that resepect. I want to do the work well, turn it in on time and make it a habit so that I don’t struggle so much with it.
3. Lose 15 pounds.
That’s it. For some that may seem like a normal amount to want to lose, but let me be clear: I need to lose 200 pounds. And every year I fail. This year I am aiming for 15 pounds. I struggled with the wording of this one, since I’d like to ignore numbers and just say “be healthier”, but that is so vague that it’s not a goal unless you flesh it out. So right now it’s 15 pounds.
4. Hydrate
Water people. WATER.
5. Be a better friend.
I am not a bad friend by any means, but this year I’d like to focus on building my friendships, keeping up with those I say I’ll keep up with. Make the actual plans to catch up and then follow through. It’s a huge joke that adults do this. We see each other, say ‘let’s have lunch soon’ and then never do. On one hand we say this to be polite but never actually intend to see the other person. On the other, we truly would like to see the person more often and spend time catching up, but we know we won’t because we simply don’t have the time. I have 4 friends that I wish I saw more of. So the goal is to see them once a month every month.
Well that’s it. My 5 attainable goals that are not difficult to maintain, though I’ll probably only succeed in 2 of the 5. Who knows! Maybe I’ll surprise myself at the end of the year and have 2 years in a row where I’ve stuck to my guns!
