First off, apologies for the looooong delay between my first post and this one. I planned to update every week but between finals, some silly unemployment shenanigans, and an absurdly long flare up, I found my newfound blog left by the wayside. I'm hoping to fix that and make it a bigger priority from now on!
And with that, I begin my next topic: resolutions for 2012! 2011 was such a terrible year for me that I have all the hope in the world for the new year, and for the first time, I really want to make some resolutions I can stand by and accomplish. Usually, like most people I know, I dash off a few goals the night of New Year's and forget or simply stop trying after the joyful rush of the holidays is over.
So what's the secret? Are resolutions really just made to be broken? Is it like a party thing that nobody ever gives a flying monkey about after the parties are done? Because I really wanted to set some goals for 2012 and make it a year to look back on even if the universe doesn't hold the greatest of things for me, I started thinking about how to make some achievable resolutions. Here's my list of achievable resolution traits:
1) Make them reasonable. It might be easy to say you want to lose 100 pounds to really look your best. But really, when you wake up on January 1st and look at that goal, it feels monstrous. Make resolutions that are do-able. Maybe you have one that's a little more difficult. It's okay to push yourself. But don't give yourself something that is absolutely impossible. Nobody wants to follow through on those.
2) Give yourself a variety. If you have a couple goals to set for the new year, make some a little trickier if you like to challenge yourself (but refer to #1). Don't be afraid, though, to give yourself a simple resolution or two. Tell yourself to have more fun. Tell yourself to relax a few more hours next year. Give yourself a resolution that's not all workworkwork or pushpushpush.
3) Let your passion and interests dictate your resolutions. Don't make yourself do things you hate. Encourage yourself to be healthy if that's your desire, but pick healthy lifestyle goals that are interesting for you. I want to be healthier and more active next year but I'd never make myself run every day, because I hate running and would not follow through.
4) No regrets! Look back on your year. What did you miss out on? What do you feel like you regretted most? I hate looking back into my past and thinking, "oh, I really wish I had had the guts to take that step and do [that really cool thing which would have boosted my coolness factor by 100]." Regrets are the worst. If you didn't do that really cool thing in 2011, and you regret it, do it in 2012!
I guess the bottom line here is that setting distasteful, single-minded or highly improbable resolutions for yourself really makes accomplishing those resolutions discouraging and impossible. The more I throw away resolutions mere days after having made them, the worse I feel about my success for next year, and the less inclined I am to make any at all. I'm a driven person, though, and stubborn like crazy!! I want to achieve more in my life and I think New Year's resolutions are a great way to start doing that.
After that long-winded (and terribly unplanned) rant about how to write the proper resolutions, here are mine for 2012:
1) Be HEALTHIER. Yes, I want to lose weight. Yes, I want to be more active and eat better. I don't, however, want to focus just on a weight loss goal or a precise exercise routine. I think perfectionism in weight loss leads to some very unhealthy ideals, so I want to make this a fun goal that will allow me to explore my body, nutrition and diets helpful for RA patients.
2) Visit my pony more! Uno is my BABY and I know he misses me when we don't see each other enough. I want to spend more time with his lovely self.
3) Be positive. I like to think things over. A lot. More than necessary. I will brood over things long after they have ceased to be at all relevant. This tendency often makes me quite pessimistic, and I don't like that anymore. RA has taught me a lot about staying positive, so I want to continue this trend into the new year.
Fourth, and finally...
BLOG MORE! Since I started this blog I've been brainstorming topics, doing research, looking into other bloggers, and thinking endlessly on ways to find myself some more readers! I love this as a hobby and a way to reach out to people. I want to continue! I hope to stick to a weekly schedule, and I definitely want to throw some guest posts in as well. I already have some fun ideas! Please let me know if there's anything I you would like me to cover.
Having said all that, what are YOU doing for New Year's Eve? The boyfriend and I are having a small gathering at my house, as always. We will play Apples to Apples, dance around like loons, and celebrate the big box of PS2 games I just inherited from my stepdad. I can't wait!
Please, have an exciting New Year's Eve! Everyone be safe. Next week I'll begin a series of posts on chronic pain and intimacy, including issues in self esteem and relationships. I can't wait to dive in!
See you in 2012! :)
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