Reflections

I've always thought New Years Day is a totally overrated holiday. Since I now have a small child who's an early riser, staying up until Midnight just to say "Happy New Years" does not sound like my idea of fun. But even before that, I was disillusioned with New Years. I'm sure as a young girl I came up with resolutions for the new year like 1) study more 2) hit my sister less 3) be nicer to my mom. And I'm sure I always failed...like within 24 hours. And I know I'm not alone. Studies show that two-thirds of New Year's resolutions are kaput by St. Patrick's Day. So after failing and failing at keeping my resolutions, the past few years I haven't even bothered to make them in the first place.

So today instead of setting myself up for inevitable failure, I thought I would take a few moments to reflect on 2010 and dream about 2011.

Reflections of 2010:

1) Making my health a priority. Exercising regularly this Spring and Summer including jogging, swimming, yoga, and weight lifting.

2) Blogging (semi) regularly

3) Learning to accept that I need more sleep than most people and trying not to ignore that fact. I napped during the day when my child napped.

4) Making a lot of authentic relationships with other moms at my church and in my neighborhood. I'm so grateful to have such an amazing group of friends in my life.

5) Treating myself to Girls Night watching "The Bachelor" and sipping Mexican martinis.

6) Rejoining the church choir. It's been nice to worship God in this way. I had some performance anxiety in the beginning, but I worked through my irrational fears.

7) Taking the Marriage Course at my church last Spring did wonders for helping my spouse and I to communicate more effectively. And the 4 course dinners and childcare were amazing!

8) Remodeling our kitchen was a pain but it will be well worth it. Thank you my dear sweet Jake for all your help and patience. And thank you to my parents for opening up their home to us for 3 weeks while it was being worked on.

Dreaming of 2011:

1) Make my health a priority. Exercising not just in the Spring and Summer, but also in the Fall and Winter.

2) Remember to take a multi-vitamin every day!

3) Find a therapist. (It's been a couple years now since my last therapist retired. I'm hoping I can find one that I can occasionally see if my panic/heart palpitations flare up.)

4) Read the bible (a lot more regularly).

5) Cook healthy meals for my family. I'm hoping my new kitchen will help. Maybe start a vegetable garden?

7) Do less

8) Love more (and that includes myself)

Postscript: I did make it up until Midnight last night. We had to cancel our plans with friends because my husband got sick, but I did ring in the new year with my sister and her boyfriend. And by "ring in" I mean I got out of the bathroom in my pajamas to give them both a pathetic hug. But I made it, and I'm ready for 2011.