Usually New Year's Resolutions take place at the very beginning of January, but it took me a little while to get this posted. Regardless, it is still January.
This year my focus is on HEALTH. In all areas of my life: Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, Spiritually, Socially, and Financially.
PHYSICALLY:
I want to challenge myself to establish and follow through with a good daily routine, particularly when it comes to diet and fitness. I want to eat simpler & cleaner foods, manage portions & calories, actively plan meals, and research & try new recipes. I want to commit to exercising more regularly and being more active. I want to get back into the swing of visiting the gym almost every day, whether it is to go run or lift weights or do Zumba. I want to start going to bed at a decent hour so that I get a good night’s sleep and actually feel refreshed and ready to take on a new day of work. This needs to be a lifestyle change.
Long Term Goal: Complete a 5K.
MENTALLY:
I want to challenge myself to actively learn more. When I was in school, I was constantly exposed to new information all the time. I spent so much time reading and researching, and I loved learning new things. I need to ask more questions. Read that article. Look up the definition of that word. Listen to that informative podcast. Go to the library. Visit a museum. Volunteer. Explore the world a little more. Travel. Create new memories. Meet new people. Say yes to more opportunities. Attend unique or once-in-a-lifetime events, festivals, concerts, etc. Expose myself to new music, literature, film, art, etc. Appreciate new ideas, cultures, religions, etc.
Long Term Goal: Read more nonfiction.
EMOTIONALLY:
Emotional health is often overlooked, but I have discovered it cannot be ignored for long without taking its toll on your physical well-being also. This year I want to really focus on positivity. I want to embrace a new outlook on life. I want to challenge myself to be more content, to be more grateful, to find joy in the small things, and to count my blessings. Life is short, and I want to live it to the fullest. I have already spent so many of my days filled with anxiety and paranoia. I want to worry less. I want to live in the moment more. I want to strive to rid my life of stress and negativity. This includes letting go of unnecessary things in my life that add stress. I want to get more organized and less cluttered. Spring Cleaning is around the corner, so this is the perfect time to get more serious about cleaning up and clearing out. I want to find creative outlets that help me not only cope with stress but also help me enjoy life. Fitness is one area that I think will be especially beneficial emotionally as well as physically, but not only do I want to start healthy habits, I also want to start or resume healthy hobbies: read, write/journal/blog, dance, sew, craft, etc. I want to have ongoing projects that I look forward to doing, but I also want to challenge myself to finish what I start.
Long Term Goal: Live in the moment.
SPIRITUALLY:
I want to learn to be more intentional. To do more things with purpose.To take more chances, embrace more opportunities, to be open to new experiences, and to be more adventurous and spontaneous. This begins not only by getting in touch with myself but also by drawing closer to God and reading His Word. I have definitely not been growing and walking with Him as much lately, and I have struggled a lot with feeling lost, anxious, and dissatisfied. I want to seek Him more and learn to be all that I can be. I want to be more authoritative, more assertive, more confident. I want to be less doubtful of my decisions. I want to break my habit of needlessly apologizing for things that are beyond my control. At the same time, I want to learn to take responsibility faster for things that are my fault. I also want to learn to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I want to challenge myself to refrain from gossip and negativity. I want to discover my purpose on this earth; I want to seek out what my heart truly loves to do. I want to embrace life.
Long Term Goal: Read more of the Bible.
SOCIALLY:
I want to nurture my existing relationships as well as create new ones. I want to work on communication, contact, and community. By communication, I mean that I want to learn how to interact with others in a more positive way, particularly how to have healthy discussions and avoid arguments. By contact, I mean that I want to have more meaningful interactions with the people in my circles by being better about initiating contact with them. I want to challenge myself to not rely as heavily on lazy technology such as social media or texting; I want to pick up a phone & call or make plans to visit people in person. And I want to do this more often and more consistently. Although I am an admitted homebody, I want to spend more quality time with loved ones. I want to reconnect with family & friends. By community, I mean I want to push myself to get out there in the world more and meet new people. I want to join more groups, get more involved, interact more, and cultivate a wider group of friends. I want to make meaningful acquaintances while I nurture old relationships. I want to create a healthy support system for myself, but I also want to be a better friend and support system for others. I want to open myself up to a new community, whether it be through a church group, book club, dance class, etc. I want to give back to that community by actively volunteering; I want to search for a worthy cause that I connect with and get involved in helping others. I also want to take more breaks from the online community; I want to engage a little less with social media and focus more on the people right in front of me.
Long Term Goals: Make New Friends But Keep The Old.
FINANCIALLY:
I want to create and stick to a feasible budget. I want to have money set aside for important categories such as medical, insurance, car, bills, groceries, etc. I want to plan wisely for the unexpected to occur and have a backup plan. I want to stop spending mindlessly on things that I want but don’t really need and start thinking critically about living a more minimalistic lifestyle. I want to become more fiscally responsible by researching things like 401K, ESOP, stocks, & bonds and understanding how those work. I want to start actively and consistently putting more money in my savings account. I want to be able to invest in a way that I can work toward a house, family, and retirement one day as well as use extra money to bless people who I feel need assistance. I want to think long term about the future and plan for what I want to achieve and then go out and accomplish it.
Long Term Goal: Develop a 5 year plan.
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