2011: A New Year with New Resolutions

It’s almost 2011—and how weird is that? For once in my life, I feel like any goal I set I can actually achieve. I just found out I got an A (102%, to be exact) in my only class, The Grammar of English. What’s more, I’ve just gotten my room sparkly clean for the first time in at least a year. And I’m the first one to admit that my room is a fairly accurate reflection of my state of mind at any given time.

My goal in creating my new year’s resolutions is to set the bar low, but higher than it is currently. I don’t think that unrealistic-for-me goals, e.g., lose 50 pounds in 2 months, will do anything but frustrate me and make me abandon my resolutions too soon.

With that in mind, here’s the list of things I’d like to accomplish in 2011:

Health & Fitness

v Lose at least 5 pounds a month from January to October. (Averages out to 1–1.25 lbs/week.)

v Don’t gain any weight from November through December.

v Exercise at least 3 times a week.

v Drink no more than one can (12 oz.) of carbonated beverages per day.

v Drink at least 2 bottles (32 oz.) of water per day, and other non-carbonated beverages totaling 64 oz. per day.

v Create and follow a weekly dinner menu of healthy dishes.

Education & Mind

v Study twice a week for my Independent Study class (Monday and Friday evenings).

v Get an A out of my chosen class in Fall 2011.

v Read at least 50 books, including at least 25 from cover to cover.

Finances

v Save at least 20% of my gross income each paycheck for long-term goals.

v Save enough to buy my Mac by the start of school (end of August).

v Save enough to buy a nice camera by my 23^rd birthday (January 2012).

v Use no more than $100 per paycheck in discretionary funds (i.e., books, music, movies, gifts, food, craft/hobby supplies, etc.)

v Save at least $1000 by the end of the year, just because.

Spiritual

v Read my scriptures (at least a verse) every single day.

v Once I finish this time around (I’m at the end of Helaman now), read the entire Book of Mormon again by Christmas.

v Finish reading Preach My Gospel.

Preparedness

v Create a meal plan for our year’s supply of food and begin to purchase items from that list, so that by the end of 2012, we have at least a six month’s supply.

Personal Enrichment

v Teach myself to make jewelry.

v Attend BYU Education week in August.

v Write in at least one blog once a week.

v Organize my personal library (this falls under personal enrichment rather than organization because it’s so fun).

v Invent a language or two for my fantasy world.

v Finish my 2010 NaNo novel before November 2011.

v Participate in and win NaNoWriMo 2011.

Business

v Complete at least two major editing jobs for 2012.

v Get my new jewelry Etsy shop up and running, and sell at least three pieces of jewelry by the end of the year.

Organization

v Follow the House of Order Handbook’s instructions for creating an organized home.

v Clean/organize every room in the house by the end of the year.

v Re-clean/organize my room on the first Friday of each month.

Family History

v Finish Dad’s life history and have it published by Christmas.

v Begin work on transcribing Dad’s journals.

v Finish Marjorie’s diary and have it published by Christmas.

Family & Friends

v Write at least one email a week to close friends.

v Purchase at least one Christmas gift per family member or close friend before December.

Service

v Start a Girl Scout troop with my sister and someone else (anyone out there up for it?).

v Plan a special Christmas surprise for a deserving family in my neighborhood/ward.