Its a new year. A new day. A new week. A new month. Lots of new things. It is even a new semester at school. Here’s hoping I don’t get surprised with any new students. It’s really irritating to get new kids in the middle of the year. All my lists and gradebook pages are off then. Fingers crossed.

If you know me at all, you know I am kind of an ‘anti-resolution’ girl. I fight them. I have publicly said how stupid making New Year Resolutions is. I don’t see what is so special about kicking off the new year with a list of restrictions and new guides that you are destined to fail. Talk about depression causing activities. Why would I want to start off a brand spanking new year knowing I was going to fail? No way.

But. Captain Awesome and I have been talking a lot while he has been home from college. He is so darn inspiring! Am I allowed to not feel like a complete failure as a parent if I have ONE out of seven children that is thriving? Maybe I don’t count the ones still at home. That would put me at….1 out of four that is thriving. That’s an F in my grade book, but in the book of life…maybe it’s not so bad? I digress…

We have been talking about goals and direction and vision and the future….all those shiny bright things that lay ahead of you when you are a Junior in College and rocking it. I used to be very goal oriented. I attribute that to my years in Young Women. Personal Progress was a good thing for me. I loved setting goals and then checking them off when I accomplished them. I loved making lists and being organized and knowing where and what I was doing/going. I have always had goals. Some were small, like clean the bathroom once a week. Others were bigger, like finished my Masters. Lately, I don’t think I’ve really had any goals.

Once I was finished with my own schooling, goals kind of became ‘get through this day/week/month/quarter/semester’ things. Those aren’t really goals. I feel the Cheshire cat looking down at me with his irritating smile twisting around, laughing at me because I don’t know where I want to go. This is not a good feeling. That cat always creeped me out.

So, long story short, I am about to be a complete hypocrite and set some New Year goals. These shan’t be refered to as “resolutions”, but rather, Goals. There is a difference in my mind. Resolutions, in my mind, are something that produce a sigh of resignation. I know that may seem opposite to some, but to be resolved to do something makes me think of giving up and saying, “Fine. I’ll do/be that. I give up.”  I’m sure it is just a weird quirk I have in me caused by too many hot wings or drinking tap water, but there it is. I think the word “goal” feels more like a driving force kind of word. It has power, passion, and drive behind it. It PUSHES.

So, in the spirit of true goal setting, here are a few of mine, written down.

*Live within my budget (this will require me to make a real (and realistic) budget

*Hit that gym weekly (notice I didn’t say how many times…#lessroomforfailure

*Go to the temple twice monthly (could be two sessions in one day…#creativetimeuse)

*Write every day (could be a sentence in my journal…again…set for success)

*Find my passion – every day, in some way. Maybe school, family, dating, writing, gardening…. but I want to find passion in every day.

It isn’t a long list and I don’t think it should be. I’m still working on a long-term goal. It may take me a while. I’ve had ideas…but I want to be sure. I’m thinking of getting national board certified for teaching, getting my full English endorsement, or maybe finishing my book. I need to let those percolate a bit more in my head/heart before I commit to them.

My overlying goal for the year, and the rest of my life really, is to live with joy. There is a lot of negativity in the world. Bad things happen. People die, do bad things, hurt you, and sometimes things just go wrong. But, I truly believe there is always good to be found. Joy to behold. That is where I want to be. LIving with joy.

Happy New Year….cause I said so.

Photo credit: Mother Nature Network