New Year, new choices

Every year, it's so easy to set goals for the coming 365 days - to say that "By next January, I will be xxx pounds lighter, I will run a marathon, I will have developed a career I love." However, having learned a little something about myself in the last year, I'm not going to set new year's resolutions this year. I'm going to set new MONTH'S resolutions. Each month I will determine what changes I know I can make in my life and I will put those changes in place. Once one change has been mastered, I will be able to add the next step. Knowing the sort of mental organizer I am, I firmly believe that building on past successes throughout the year will make a difference in future successes. Each of my resolutions will be based on action, not on an endpoint. For example, rather than stating that I want to lose X pounds in the first month, my goal would be to exercise three times a week. I can ensure that happens, whereas I cannot ensure the weight loss to accompany.

That being said, I have a few resolutions for the coming month to get my year off to a positive and pleasant start.

Eating: Restaurant visits will be limited to one per week. Even with self-employment, I have been visiting restaurants far too often...and not good ones that I can write about on examiner.com (except Thirsty Lion, but that's another story...)

I will change as many grains that we consume to whole wheat/whole grain foods as possible. It's time to remove processed foods from our diets.

I will cook at least one meal per week with Li'l Miss. She enjoys cooking and it's a great opportunity for me to teach her healthy, natural cooking. She has moved up from Sous Chef to Executive on things like Devin Alexander's macaroni and cheese and my spaghetti. I think we can try something a little more challenging than that.

Home: This will make OTL happy - he would like a cleaner home...my goal for January is to keep the bottom floor clean. Part of this is to teach the shorties to clean up their messes, which they have greatly improved at over the last month...I have faith in them. Then if all goes well, I'll tackle the (insert sinister music here) crafting room.

Job: I plan to devote, in January, at least ONE hour a day to writing. This should be easier, because I have removed all of the time-wasting games (buh-bye Frontierville) from my Facebook. Admittedly, I will still be playing Tetris in the hopes of winning an iPad, but that's a worthwhile pastime, right???

Exercise: Lastly, I will make it to at least half of the tap classes this month. It's not a ton of exercise, but it's a beginning...and a fun, noisy one at that.

Wish me luck over the next thirty-one days! If you care to join me, let me know. I can use support, and I'll offer it.