New Year's Resolutions

It’s almost that time of year.  Hard to believe it has rolled around so fast again.  Wow.  I’m awesome at setting resolutions.  Not always so good at following through with them.  And I don’t even set ones I know I could never do like “eat less junk food/sweets” or “give up soda”.  Two years ago, apparently I was wise enough NOT to set resolutions in 2016, I had three resolutions: update the blog more, train for another half, and read for myself more.  Hmmm.. the blog fell off the face of the planet for a while, I haven’t run a half in a while but I do try to read every single day.  But it’s not really “for myself” as I read, almost exclusively, teen fiction to share with my students.  But I do enjoy those books so I’m not complaining.  

One thing I do want to do in our household this year is an idea I got from Pinterest.  You take an empty jar and put notepaper and a pencil next to it.  Every time something good happens, even a little something, you put it on a piece of paper and put it in the jar.  And then next New Year’s Eve we can pull out our happy moments and reflect on all the good in the year.  I’m super excited about this idea and can’t wait to start it.  

What resolutions can I make that I may be able to carry through on… hmm….  I resolve to worry less.  Yeah, that’s not going to work. I worry about how much I worry.  Something more realistic.  Like maybe, I resolve to get up each morning. I can do that.  Okay.   Serious now… I think I have to turn to my ever popular Pinterest for ideas on New Year’s resolutions.

Okay #1 - Learn something cool in my spare time.  I could do this.  What is something cool that I can learn to do?  Ideas?  Suggestions?

#2 - Create a gratitude journal.  Well, I tried that once.  I was about as good at keeping up with that as I was blogging.  But I do keep a journal and I do try to find positive things to write about as much as possible so I’m checking this one off as done.

#3 - Go to sleep at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning.  Sorry..wait..can’t breathe..laughing so hard… yeah, that one is not going to happen.  

#4 - Stretch of a morning?  What does that even mean?  Do they mean stretch every morning?  Yeah - being a realist I’m going to say that one probably won’t happen either.  I could set a goal to stretch out after working out in the mornings but that would require me to not hit snooze so that I would have time to stretch after working out.  

#5 - Break a bad habit.  But I don’t have any… at least not any I am willing to break.

#6 - Set aside 30 minutes to write.  Oh goodness.  Well, I already write a lot.  Like a lot.  So yeah.  Done.  

#7 - Put away $50 or 10% of your paycheck every WEEK.  Oh dear.  That would be an excellent resolution, not realistic for us, but excellent.

#8 - Stop buying coffee every day.  Check.  Done.  (Gross)

#9 - Stop drinking caffeine and fizzy drinks.  Hold the phone.  Slow down.  Wait a damn minute.  Cut back, maybe.  But “stop”.  Let’s not get crazy here.

#10 - Go Vegan/Vegetarian.  This thing is getting ridiculous.  I’ll give up meat when animals go extinct.

#11 - Literally stop drinking alcohol.  I’m about done with this crazy list.  How did we go from resolutions to flat out nonsense?

#12 - Meet new people.  I’ve met so many new people this year.  Most of them related to Tim.  The others are all DE families.  Speaking of which.  I’m so not used to big schools.  Sophie was out for volleyball.  She had a dozen or so team members.  I learned ALL of their names, even some of their parents.  And then basketball season started.  Do you know how many are out for basketball out of the dozen or so girls?  Not a one.  I am struggling to learn new girls.  And there are girls with the same name but they aren’t the same!  Like an Emily for volleyball and a new Emily for basketball.  Wait, make that TWO new Emily’s for basketball.  It’s all so confusing.  And Sophie will ask to go to someone’s house and I won’t have a clue who she is talking about.  It’s like a foreign language.  Thank goodness that I have Tim as my interpreter or Sophie would never go anywhere. So yeah, I’m gonna go with “check” on that one.

#13 - Start a little Etsy homemade shop.  Totally giggling here.  What could I make?  Besides jokes that no one laughs at?  I like to color in adult coloring books.  Anyone want to buy a used up coloring sheet?  Gonna have to skip this one too.

#14 - Watch less TV.  Supposedly the average American watches over 5 hours of TV a day.  Seriously people?  How the hell is that possible?  Last night I asked Tim if the Voice was on.  We had watched a couple of shows when they were choosing their teams “the other day”.  He informed me the season was over. Yeah.  How does that happen?  Or more accurately, how does one have time to watch 5 hours of TV a day.  I might get 45 minutes of Netflix in on the treadmill/elliptical.  That’s my TV time.  So… check.

#15 - Clean the clutter in your house.  Umm.. weekly trips to donate at Goodwill and a person who is a complete neat freak.  I’m going to go with check and mate on that one.  

#16 - Stop being late to everything.  Who’s late?  Me?  Not on your life.  Unless my kids make me.  Is there a resolution for not screaming at your kids for making you late?  That one I can get behind.

#17 - Face a fear.  Hell to the no.  I faced a fear in 2015.  I faced my fear of guns by learning to shoot one and got my permit to carry.  What’s left?  Snakes, bats, spiders, mice, heights and water.  Yep.  Those aren’t made to be faced or beaten.  I’m okay with those.  I can live with those.

#18 - Up your relationship game.  I’m not exactly sure what this one means.  Hey - I met a guy, got engaged and moved in with him in 2016.  I think my relationship game is strong.  But I could always work on letting him know how much I appreciate him and love him, so this one is something I can do.  

#19 - Drink 2 - 3 litres of water a day.  This is where I admit I struggle with the damn metric system.  But being as I’ve had kidney stones in the past my daily goal for water intake is a gallon a day.  I think I can say check on this one?  

#20 - Save up for Christmas before Christmas time.  I like this goal.  It ranks right up there with buy presents early.  Except I always lose the damn gifts in a great hiding spot and well, saving $200 a month from resolution #7? Let’s not get greedy.

#21 - Do an experience once a month.  I don’t even know what this means.  What’s an experience?  Taking the kids to a movie can be a damn experience.  Trying to get 4 teenagers out the door anywhere is a freaking experience.  Teaching sixth grade is not only an experience but a challenge.  I experience a lot of stuff daily.  Does that count?  

#22 - Do one of those 30 day challenges.  Is there one about eating a new kind of chocolate every day?  Or taste testing wine?  Oh I know!   A sleeping in challenge.  I like this idea!

#23 - Watch the sugar movie and go totally sugar free.  First my Dt. Mountain Dew, then meat, next you tried alcohol and now SUGAR.  Stop the insanity!  

#24 - Stop ordering takeout.  Yep.  Officially done with this list of suggestions.  

Well - Pinterest has failed to motivate me with good ideas for New Year’s resolutions.  So here are my vague but hopeful goals for 2016:

I hope to be able to find the positive in even the worst moments.  I want to build my strength in looking for the good in others and forgiving those who don’t ask or feel they need to be forgiven.  I want to continue to grow in my faith and pray daily.  I want to stop judging others and encourage my kids not to judge and jump to conclusions, but to look for all possible solutions and remind ourselves that we only have to love our fellow human beings.  I hope to continue on a journey to be healthy and physically stronger.  I hope to love others as they deserve to be loved and spread that love and joy in all I do.  I want to build patience, spend more time doing the things I love with the people I love and try to trust in God’s plan more.