So, every year I look back at my New Year’s resolutions to see if I have achieved them, and of course I never have. They’re always things like “lose weight”, “write in diary more”, and other vague goals that don’t affect my day to day activities.
Yes, I want to lose weight.
Yes, I need to write in my diary more.
But I never think, in the middle of July, “Oh, I need to write in my diary tonight, because that was my New Year’s Resolution.”
And a lot of my resolutions aren’t about the things that really matter. I would like to write in my diary more, but is it a PRIORITY? Probably not.
So:
Post resolutions somewhere visible.
Done.
Gain weight.
I figure, either this is one resolution I will be happy to fail at, or I will at least get the satisfaction of claiming I gained weight ON PURPOSE. Besides, if I have another kid, I will almost certainly gain weight. So it is all the more worth achieving!
Get older.
I know this is like Joey Tribiani ordering his pet duck to “stay white”, but after all, if the inevitable must come to pass, we can at least pretend it is under our control.
Take advantage of being a grown up.
We forget sometimes. We’re so bogged down with the pressures of mortgages and work and brushing our toddlers’ teeth that it’s easy to forget how many choices we have.
PH and I used to go out for midnight pancakes every now and then just because we could. Unfortunately, we can’t do that any more but there is probably a whole world of things we could do and just don’t think to. I want to discover some of those.
…Preferably the ones that don’t cost money, because, you know, pressures of a mortgage etc.
Go on more date nights.
PH and I get a reasonable amount of date nights but we need more. My work schedule is going to be getting even heavier, and that always takes a toll on us because I’m stressed and PH is pouty about not getting to see me ever.
Our relationship is important.
So MOAR DATE NIGHTS.
Concentrate monetary spending.
It’s too easy and vague to say “spend less money”, not to mention impossible considering that cars break down, family reunions must be attended etc. However, we tend to fritter a lot of our money away while still refusing to buy ourselves things we would actually use.
I resolve to spend MORE money on the things we need, like items for organizing the house, groceries, and stuff for my business, and date nights (see above) and less on things like DVDs we will never have time to watch, video games we won’t have time to play, and lunches that I could have brought from home.
Take care of my Beloved Dog
Poor Beloved Dog. He hasn’t been groomed in four years, he only gets a good run once a week or less, he is constantly being ordered out of the way by an imperious toddler who has stolen all of my attention from him, and he still sometimes screams and come running to us, shaking, for no apparent reason despite two ultrasounds and a set of xrays.
He needs attention. He needs care. He’s my Beloved Dog. He needs to become more of a priority. He is at the groomer RIGHT NOW. I’m taking him to work to get his teeth cleaned NEXT WEEK.
Put down the book and step up to the sink
I waste too much of my time reading. Yes, it’s sanity time, yes, I need it, but you know what else I need? A house that doesn’t drive both PH and I crazy. The least, the least I can do is wash the damn dishes after PH has cooked dinner every night.
I think that’s good enough.
Those are excellent resolutions. I too plan to get older this year. In fact, I believe I will resolve to turn 32 this year. Your more serious ones are good too. We have these SMART goals we have to make for school every year and mostly they get forgotten, but I do like that they have to be very specific. So not “students will do better” but “students will improve their math marks by 10%” or something like that.
BTW, you mentioned reading Shades of Grey in a previous post and I’m dying to hear what you thought of it. I haven’t and won’t read it, too many triggers, but I’ve read a lot about it and would love to know what you thought of it.
These all seem sensible. Speaking as the person who used to do all the cooking, you absolutely should be doing the dishes if PH cooks. You cook, you don’t clean up seems a fair rule. 🙂
Pingback: F*** You, 2013 | If By Yes