New Years Resolutions

I love New Years resolutions.  Some people think they are silly useless things, but I love them. I think self improvement is so important, and everyone should always strive to better themselves and improve.  New Years is like a fresh start a chace to really wipe your slate clean and start all over.  Afterall, everyone kind of lulls after the holidays, and new years is like a good burst of fresh energy--like stepping outside of a really crowded elevator going up lots of floors.  I know this holiday season I ate too many candy canes, drank too many glasses of wine, and for some reason treated myself to several king size boxes of holiday Nerds (I really love those candies).  I am ready for the New Year, where I am planning to be healthier, happier, and more organized.  And since I have so many "resolutions" that I am starting a bit early.Let's go over what I accomplished this year (always a good way to start):

• My Blog -- I started my blog and for the most part have gone a pretty good job of updating regularly
• My Job Performance -- I am proud of how hard I worked this year.  Not just the sheer amount of things I accomplished but all the things I learned.  I am amazed at how many things I didn't even know that I needed to learn! I still have lots of other things to improve on, but I definitely think that this was one of my big triumphs of the year.
• My Diet -- I have one of the worst sweet tooths (or should that be sweet teeth?), I seriously only eat candy some days.  This isn't healthy or good for your waistline.  I have managed to get my weight down to around 125-127 consistently.  My goal is 115, so while I still have a ways to go I am happy with my progress so far.  A large part of this has been because I have been more careful about what I eat and eating more fruits and vegetables.
• My Workouts -- I have been consistent with my 3-5 times per week of cardio and this has made me feel more energetic and healthy.

Here are my big goals for next year:

• My Diet -- see above
• Get Organized -- This is a big one for me.  I am always a little scattered.  I have made small improvements over the years, but 2009 is going to be my big year of organization.  I plan to improve my space (my desk at the office and my house), my computer (yes, my files are everywhere and it is often hard to find things--I have virtual clutter!), my paper work (I plan to devise a system and stick to it), and my time (I want to be as efficient as humanly possible).
• Cook at home more often --  I used to cook all the time.  I would watch the food channel so much that I would actually know what Rachel Ray episodes were reruns (and when I had a tivo, I would record cooking shows!).  I miss cooking.  I think the last year has been snacking for dinner, and eating out.  I want to spend more time cooking and planning meals; I also think this may be a good way to be more economical and save money.
• Be more financially savvy -- I think that all of us can continue to improve our money habits.  With the economy being where it is these days I think we need to make an effort to be more thrifty (spending less and spending smart). I also want to invest my money wisely and make smart financial decisions.  I definitely did a lot of this in 2008, but I think I can continue to improve and get a lot better in 2009.  I also want to start saving up to make a big real estate purchase before the market totally rebounds.
• Socialize more -- Whether it being actually attending networking events or throwing pot luck get togethers I am going to make an effort to see my friends more frequently.  In 2008 I was so consumed with work I had little time to collect my thoughts, but I really want to use more of my time to see the people that are important to me.  So this year I am going to try and make more plans and perfect my entertaining strategy.

That's it so far, but I may come up with a few more before the end of the year!  I also need to work on making these more tangible and specific, and figure out how to translate my goals into habits.  I will put some thought into that over the next few days and see what percolates :)