1. Get Healthy
Yep, pretty vague, but it encompasses a lot. Specifically - eating better, working out more, finding good ways to relax. Since Christmas break started I've been to the gym 4 times, and done a lot of relaxing, but I definitely can't say the eating has been the best or that I can keep up the relaxing when work starts again next week.
a) So my workout goal is to go 3 times a week - twice between Monday to Friday, and once on the weekend. I think I can handle that. If I try to do anymore than that, I usually end up crashing and burning and after weeks of working out get exhausted and don't see the gym again for months. So with that goal at least two times could technically be on the weekend if necessary.
b) My food goal is to cook more at home, and more healthy options. We have been getting into a bad routine of pizza on Fridays, and either going out to dinner or getting takeout on Saturday, if not more in a weekend. Matt is an incredible cook and I am already starting to do a lot more in the kitchen, plus with an influx of Christmas gift cookbooks, we have a lot of options for home-cooked meals. We both love going out to dinner, so we'll limit that to maybe once every other weekend, and good balanced meals during the week. We'll save money this way as well. I'm going to load my meals with vegetables as well. Getting better with protein, but the carbs and snacks can drastically decrease. Typical resolution, I know, but hopefully I can stick to it.
c) For relaxing, I want to do Yoga or Body Flow again - I did this a lot a few years ago and didn't keep it up. This will also work its way into the workout routine, so it's perfect. I want to improve my core strength, stability, flexibility, and balance, along with losing some pounds and toning the super-weak muscles. Naps will help with relaxing too - keep up with the naps...
2. Take Pictures
This started yesterday with my photo-a-day challenge! I want a better camera, but ultimately I just want more pictures. I was really good the year we got married - I was a shutterbug indeed, but then I just stopped, and have very few pictures from the past few years. And NOT just pictures of house stuff - of outside stuff, where I actually see natural light and sunshine. Plus it will get me outside, and active, and again relates back to the health goal. My brother is getting married in the summer, and so is Joni, so the family and friend photo ops will be plentiful!
3. Reconnect
Whether this be through seeing family and friends, making more phone calls, or even blogging, I need to reconnect with people! We did a lot of family things on the holidays, but other than that, we just stayed in the house. Not that I don't love relaxing with Matt - we really needed it, but it's still nice to get dressed up or go out and just see people. I need to call my long distance friends more, and I definitely need to keep blogging, which brings keeping in contact with people full circle.
4. Save Money
This is more a continuation rather than a resolution. I'm a pretty good saver when it comes to money. Just need to keep it up so we can keep up any house projects, travel around (want to do New York City this year, and other parts of Europe next year). Of course around Christmas I spend a lot, so now back to saving for the "just in case!"
5. Get Creative
This has to do with teaching. This semester has been weird - I haven't been as motivated as I normally am to create unique lessons that engage my students. I think I started off the year tired, and with a tough class, it just didn't get off on the right foot. I'm hoping for the next semester, starting in February, to create some new ways to teach my lessons, and not just notes and PowerPoint and worksheets and tests. More articles and activities so students aren't bored, and so I'm not bored!