2010 Resoutions and Getting Started on the Right Foot
Christian Louboutin Piagelle glitter 10 cm
How do you feel about New Year’s resolutions? Did you make any resolutions at the start of 2009? How’d you do?
For years, I didn’t set any because I felt it was setting myself up for disappointment. Last year, I got a wild hair and decided I would (1) lose 10 pounds and (2) read 12 books in as many months.
On the first goal, I didn’t actually lose any weight. However, I took a systematic approach involving regular exercise and careful eating choices. I developed a pretty good exercise pattern, and I learned to challenge myself a little bit, which made a huge difference in my overall sense of health and well-being. I still have some unhealthy eating habits, which is probably why I’ve stayed about the same weight despite exercising more. I want to improve that, but I also learned this year that I really don’t believe in punishing myself just to be thin.
On the reading goal, I passed with flying colors. I revisited books I loved before and tried again with books I once hated, which was pretty enlightening. This is definitely a new tradition for me. For 2009, I didn’t have a clear plan of what books to read, and I just found them as I stumbled along. That resulted in some cool finds (re-reading the book that first got me interested in writing followed by a biography of the author), but it also left me floundering when I was too busy to even think about what to read. I think for 2010, I’ll better avoid slumps if I start with a reading list, so that’s my homework for the next couple days.
So, what about you? Do you plan to make a resolution? Or maybe you can dedicate your year to a theme. My sister (a painter) dedicated 2009 to creativity, and she produced some truly amazing work this year. You could dedicate 2010 to creativity, health, improving your career, planning your wedding, making new friends, or trying new things.
How will you gear yourself up to accomplish the goals you’re setting right now? We’ve all had resolutions that went absolutely nowhere because we didn’t have a plan or any motivation. I highly recommend vision boards, inspirational objects and themed play lists to help keep you focused. You can incorporate your goals into your daily routine in all kinds of small and large ways. You can tell people about your goals via your blog, Twitter or Facebook and get moral support from your friends that way. You can use 43Things to track your goals and progress and to find others with similar goals. You can even join Meetup groups of local peeps peeps who share your interests.
Personally, you know I love to publicize my goals and progress via the blog, since it keeps me honest. But there are some goals I prefer to keep to myself until they’re ready to be hatched. For those, I’ll be using vision boards made up of glitter, stickers and inspirational magazine clippings. What other ideas do you have?
Tags: 2010 | goals | health | New Year | reading
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3 Responses to “2010 Resoutions and Getting Started on the Right Foot”.
I’m still sort of musing over all of this stuff. But I recently listened to a very interesting podcast episode on the subject: New Year’s resolutions: Why we may fail to act on these intentions.
I think that’s a great idea to keep your biggest goals to yourself. When I tell a lot of people that I’m going to do something, it makes me feel less motivated to do it. But when I keep it to myself, it’s fantastic, and even more fantastic to reveal the finished project/reached goal to my friends and family. For example, in January 2009, I vowed to quit biting my nails, like I do every year. But this year, I wasn’t going around telling all my friends that. I just got regular manicures and didn’t think about it. Now it’s the end of the year, and friends are starting to notice on their own that I’ve reached my goal!
And also, doesn’t it make you smile to think you have a super top secret project to yourself?
John, oh thanks for the link. I’ll have to give that a listen.
Lauren, agreed! If I tell everyone about a new project, I tend to expend all my “project energy” on talking about it instead of doing it. On the other hand, when you’re trying to develop new patterns or habits, it sometimes helps if others share your goal and can help motivate you (like having a workout partner).
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