What will 2011 bring?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

You know how some people are list people and some aren’t?  Some people have a detailed calendar they keep with them at all times and others need repeated reminders about upcoming events?  Some people are rigid Type As and others are the polar opposite?

Well, I think I’m somewhere in the middle…call me a Type B+.  I have a calendar, but I never write anything on it.  I bought a purse-sized one to keep everything straight last year, and even wrote stuff in it, but never checked it.  I always make a list when I’m packing to go somewhere, but never for the grocery store.  I do better when I break down goals and keep written track of them, but I don’t feel compelled to do so.  I love how nice my house looks clean, but I usually don’t notice the mess until its falling in around me.

I’m not sure what that says about me as a person, but at least I’ve come to grips with who I am.

This year, when I was thinking of goals for 2011, I decided on a few basic ideas that I think will make me a happier, healthier person. 

1. I want to be more “in the moment.”  I want whoever I’m with to feel that I really care about them & what they have to say…whether it’s my family, friends, or the lady checking out my groceries at Walmart.  I want to stop thinking about the 50 things I want to get done or trying to check my email while Oren is telling me some 10-minute-long story about something that I got confused on 2 minutes in and he’s still just a-talking.  I want Emma to know that I value her opinion even if it’s something I don’t see the point in or understand why she’s so determined about it.  I want Chris to know that I love everything about him and am so happy to be his partner in life.  I want my friends to know that I value their friendship and their role in my life.  I want my family to know that they are so important to me and so much more important than the mundane everyday tasks that life throws our way.  This will not be easy for me, but it’s who I’d like to be.
2. I want to be healthier.  I try not to make staunch "I'm going to lose 15 pounds by doing this, this, and this." resolutions because it's too easy for me to backslide and then give up on them.   But this year, I want to try harder to make healthy choices for me and for my family.  Losing 15 pounds would be great, but I’d rather that be a side effect of smarter food choices and remembering what exercise is (hello dusty Yoga DVDs) than a directive I’ve made on myself.  I LOVE to eat, so restricting myself from the beginning doesn’t work for me.  I have to find new ways to enjoy food in healthy portions so that the occasional dessert doesn’t do me in.  I do want to make exercise a more permanent part of my life.  I used to be dedicated to exercising, but then I slowly missed a day, then two, and now I’m not sure I could run to the end of our driveway (it is really long, in my defense) without passing out.
3. My crafty goal is to "Admire less, Accomplish more."  I think so often I read blogs and admire others work and then have nothing to show of my own.  I spend so much time thinking of ideas and admiring people's that I don't do enough of my own.  I want to change that this year.  I want to be able to make a mosaic at the end of the year of things I've made that I'm really proud of.  I also want to get things made to actually put in my etsy shop.  It's sitting there so sad and lonely right now...

And this is where my B+ personality comes in.  I think all of my goals are fairly laid back and easy to work with.  But the only way I know I’ll follow them is to make a chart.  In the past, I've had luck accomplishing things when I’ve made a calendar with clear goals on it and made myself keep track of my progress.  For instance, I’ve made fitness calendars with my beginning weight and measurements on it along with my goals for the month.  Each day I kept track of my exercise and water consumption.  At months’ end, I’d weigh and measure again to compare my progress.  The only pressure on me was my will to see progress and that was enough to make me keep up with it.  Seeing a week empty of exercise felt worse than not losing that pound or inch.

So, as you can see, I’m a little contradictory and maybe confusing, but it makes sense to me.  I'm off to create some calendars and finish up a few projects so I can start 2011 with some things to show off around here. 

What are your goals in the upcoming year?