goals

I realize this is maybe a few days late, but I am not really considering this a list of ‘resolutions’. I don’t really like making resolutions because I feel that is a sure way to set myself up to fail. I like to think of it as more of a ‘to do’ list. Or in the case of some of these goals, ‘a to do less’ list.

I’ve mulled over this list for quite a while, and I am actually looking forward to this time next year when I can look back and {hopefully} have the feeling of pride for accomplishing even a handful of these things.

You also may be wondering what these photos of my kitchen have to do with my goals. Admittedly they seem random. These are some photos a took quite a while ago – one morning when I came down stairs and realized that my kitchen was actually ready to be used. Dishes were washed and drying, cooking surfaces were cleared, coffee was ready to be brewed. There were even some cookie bars ready to nibble on. It was peaceful and perfect. I’m not totally sure how it got that way, and I’m quite sure it hasn’t been like this since. So this one of my goals – do the work at night to allow for a peaceful morning. And since I am notoriously not a morning person, I need all the extra serenity I can get.

Here are the rest of my goals:

• Try a new workout. I have ordered a Bar Method workout DVD and I’m totally excited about it. I don’t live close to a studio (and even if I did I have horrible fears of working out in public) so the DVD’s are my best bet. Don’t worry, Jillian, I’m not abandoning you, I just need to see some other people for a while.

• Lose the weight I’ve gained since Halloween. Cliche I know, but for the last several years I have worked very hard to lose the ‘baby weight’ and keep it off. This was an off holiday season for me and I got lazy and slightly more ‘padded’ than I’m comfortable with. I need to kick my butt back in gear with activity (see above); and perhaps a vegetable or two.

• Post and share healthier menu items – with you! I’ve gotten a bit sweets crazy {I blame Santa} and while I am never one to cut them out of my life completely, they need to return to the moderation of my pre-Halloween habits. I’m only thinking of the health of my jeans’ side seams. And that’s the last I’ll say about the health/weight biz.

• Work on and improve my photography. It is my passion. I love it and I have oh so much more to learn and I can’t wait to learn it.This will hopefully lead to:

• Buy a new camera. I’m pinching all my shiny pennies for this one.

• Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) – I am totally excited about this one and am in the final decision stages of whether or not to do it. Do you belong to one? If so, do you love/hate it?

• Use my compost that I started last year. I am diligent about taking all of my kitchen scraps out the bin and properly mixing in the ‘brown’ items, but this spring/summer my challenge will be to actually use the compost. In my garden. which brings me to my next goal:

• Plant more variety in my garden.  I am notoriously horrible at killing house plants, but last year I actually had some mild success in my outdoor garden beds. Turns out that you have to water your plants if you don’t want them to die. Who knew? 

• Drink more water. If it works for my plants it will work for me, right?

• Read more.

• Make ahead and freeze meals.

• Go to Trader Joe’s more often.

• Come up with quick but interesting breakfast ideas.  I love my multi-grain Cheerios, but I could enjoy something with a little more excitement in the mornings.

• Make a firm schedule for blogging. I tend to work as along as I feel like it, whenever I feel like it and it sometimes takes over my entire day. I need to have more control over my daily schedule.

• Go out on more date nights.  This two-dates-a-year nonsense must end.

• Put my phone away. This is tricky, because I am loving my iPhone 5. I seriously need to be cut off, though.

• Cook foods that I’ve never cooked before.  This doesn’t necessarily mean really exotic things – although I’m open to that – but rather things that for one reason or another I’ve always just avoided. For example: a whole fish, lamb chops, short ribs and a souffle. I know that I can figure these out, I just need to stop being a wimp and cook them already.

• Focus on being my best self. I realize this is cheesy, but it’s also true. I need to not worry about what everyone else is doing, saying and achieving and do what is best for me and my family. Besides that, nothing else really matters.

So there you have it. These are my ‘goals’ for this new year and I’m sure they will be fluctuating constantly. What are your goals and hopes for the new year? I’d love to hear about them!

Now I’m off to work on those healthy but crazy tasty meals that I mentioned above.

Happy Friday!