In the days of yore, when I was much much younger, I too partook of the tradition of writing resolutions at the end of each year. I would make a long list of all the things I didn’t like about myself and ‘resolve’ to change them all in the coming year. I think I am not alone when I say I assumed I could change everything the very first day of the year. I would wake up on January first a ‘new me.’ All my faults would be gone. I would be strong, capable, outgoing, thin, clearskinned, full of great ideas and perfect in most every way imaginable. I would make it to….I don’t know….maybe lunch time? I would find myself binging on left over Christmas candy in my jammies with dishes piled in my sink and say, to heck with it. My resolution list would find it’s way into the trash never to be seen or thought of again. All that would remain was a feeling of guilt mixed with frustration and it would start all over the next year.

Sounds like kind of a stupid tradition when you think of it that way, doesn’t it? A smart person would maybe do it differently. Instead of expecting to be perfect right off the bat, maybe doing it in baby steps would be a good idea. Maybe a resolution a month, or steps TO the resolutions. I’m sure there are people much smarter and stronger than I am that do wonderful things with their resolutions. For me, I gave up on them. The only resolution I ever made that I have religiously kept is the “no more resolutions” resolution.

You may think that I have sunk to a life with no direction because of this decision, but not so my friend. Instead of resolutions (I am sick of typing that word and it will hereafter be only an R instead to refer to the word formerly known as the word above….) I decided that setting goals all year long is a much better system for me. Setting goals is something I learned as a teenager (or before…) when it was the program at church. We had several different categories we were supposed to set goals in and check in on a regular basis. The goal setting program really worked for me. I picked when where what etc that I wanted to do. I could do it at any time and end it any time. Much easier and much less pressure than a R that had to last a whole year.

So, now I set goals all year. My latest goal was set a few weeks ago when I picked my classes for the spring semester. I’ve been working on my main book for a couple of years now. I started it before Brad died and, predictably, it fell by the wayside for a while as I got my new life in order. I really want to finish it tho so I decided to set a goal date. I am adding it onto my philosophy class to make it an honors class. Just having a DUE DATE will make it easier for me to accomplish what I want. I am excited and have taken the steps to help me succeed in my goal.

One of the steps I took was to purchase this awesome Mac air that I am currently typing on. It is amazingly cool. It weighs about 3 oz and can slip in my back pocket of my jeans! Okay, so maybe it isn’t THAT small, but still…it is tiny compared to my old laptop. I’m having fun typing on it as I watch my son do his Mixed Martial Arts. No more sitting her wasting my time playing bejeweled or chaos collapse on my phone. I will be using my time productively! Focused and ready for my goals to be achieved!

Wait a minute….I just downloaded an awesome Yatzee game on my phone…..hmmmm…..I think I’m gonna play that for a while. I mean, it is fun and I typed all this, and Ethan’s almost done and, heck I can do what I want! Cause I said so……..