New Year's Resolutions: Personal Edition

1) Organize my closet. Participating in Kendi's 30 for 30 Remix challenge showed me that I can do a lot with a little, and the fact that I felt overwhelmed by my closet when I was done with the challenge? That seemed like a problem to me. So I aim to change that in 2011.

2) On a completely related note...stop shopping. Or, at least, cut back on the shopping. I spend way too much money on things that I don't need, because, really, do I have to have a cardigan in every color? And just how many black v-neck sweaters could I possibly wear in one lifetime? I will be following Kimmie's lead this year, because she has set herself an annual clothing budget that she seems to abide by very well, and she looks more adorable every day than I probably could with unlimited funds. But, a strict budget most likely means no new purses.

So...this could be tough.

3) Eat right, exercise more, etc, etc, etc. I am participating in an online weight loss challenge to kick off the year, sponsored by Jennie, which I hope will set me off in the right direction. I don't think I stand much of a chance of winning the challenge, because I don't think I have a huge percentage of body weight to lose, but I do know that I have too many pounds on too small of a frame, and that should probably change. And I respond very well to peer pressure.

I was doing a pretty good job of changing my mindset about food before Christmas rolled around, eating only when I was hungry and stopping myself when I was full (which seems so simple, but is so very hard for me sometimes), and I had actually lost a couple of pounds. Then, I got caught up in the Christmas cookie craze, and I'm back to mindless eating and too much sugar and I feel terrible. Not the 'oh I feel so bad, I ate all of that food, I'm an emotional wreck now' kind of terrible, but the 'my stomach hurts, I can't go to sleep now, I may be sick' kind of terrible. And that is miserable and something that I should probably stop.

4) Start reading again, because I got a bunch of new books for Christmas. Not anything involving the deeper meaning of life, or whatever, but just well written, entertaining kinds of things. And since Brigid was born, I haven't really read anything more than what comes across on my Google Reader and the occasional issue of US Weekly, so I should probably start with the easy reads before I delve back into War and Peace.

A book a month, that's what I've promised myself. We'll see...

5) Start writing more. I love to write because it's just so darn cathartic. And let me tell you, I have some issues. And it's probably better to take my frustrations out on paper instead of my husband, so it's a win-win for the whole family!

Bring on the new year!


If you're interested in reading about my goals for my family as a whole, you can see them here.