My Personal New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I hope your holidays have been full of joy, peace, and time with those you love.

Mine certainly have been, yet I find myself wishing for another three weeks to enjoy the tree and fireplace and anticipation of fun events.

It was also my birthday (go Blondie, it’s my birthday…) and I had the distinct pleasure of spending the day exactly how I wished:

A little work, then a sunny morning in the hot tub drinking coffee and having breakfast with my mom. 🙂

She made me breakfast tacos.

Scrambled egg, ham, avocado, and salsa in an organic, gluten-free, taco shell.

Make that three taco shells.

I also had two workouts: a killer leg session with my own trainer and then my absolute, favorite spin class, which is like going dancing with positive affirmations being drilled into you.

🙂

Later, some friends and I had some delicious gluten-free pizza and wine and lots of sweaty, post-spin laughs.

I spent my New Year’s Eve honoring an old tradition of family game night wrapped into a little birthday celebration.

Here’s my nephew getting our crab all festive. 😉

Between Christmas and my birthday, I’ve received fabulous gifts, like new Hunter boots (totally needing a rainy Seattle trip now), a jacket, new towels, copper cocktail mugs, shopping gift cards, jewelry galore, books, and more!

One of my favorite gifts was a donation in my name to Heifer International that included fruit and vegetable seeds to start a small farm in a third world country, chickens to raise, and training in sustainable farming and nutrition.

Love, swoon, and joy (www.heifer.org).

Since it’s officially day 1 of 2014, there is a ton of chatter about whether to make New Years Resolutions.

On one hand, I firmly believe that each day—no—make that each minute—is a unique opportunity to change the direction of your own life.

That said, there is also something special about a clean slate. A fresh start.

If we don’t make goals in the new year, or a plan to grow as a person, when will we?

I often sit down and plan and and make lists and goal-set, but not everyone does.

And, what’s the point? Does it really matter if we do or don’t have specific goals?

A mentor of mine once related not having goals to walking into any old restaurant, shrugging your shoulders, and telling the waiter you’ll have whatever.

You could get served your least favorite food.

Like canned, mushy asparagus.

Why not tell the waiter exactly what you want and exactly how you want it?

If you don’t ask, if you don’t plan, it simply will not happen.

Dreams do not come true by wishing for them.

You ask for them.

You strive for them.

You feel gratitude in accomplishing them.

Do you feel inspired to set some resolutions now?

Here are three tips to help you get started if you haven’t got a clue what your goals are:

1. Start With How You Want to Feel.

For instance, I like to feel organized, energetic, and joyful.

Now, what activities support my desire to experience those feelings?

For me, it’s having things in their place and scheduling things that make me feel joy (like spin class with friends and coffee and breakfast in the hot tub).

To feel energetic I go to bed early, eat foods that bring me life, and exercise.

2. Pick No More Than Three Things

Too much is too much. It’s likely you won’t do it. Set yourself up for success.

3. Make Your Three Things Doable.

And also make them something that if you truly did, you’d feel like a rockstar for doing.

If you want to feel healthier, committing to working out 6 days a week and eating zero carbohydrates is likely a recipe for failure.

No one wants to feel like a failure.

But, you could say, I’m going to lift weight twice a week and do cardio twice a week and switch to mostly organic produce and proteins.

That’s doable.

That you’ll kick ass at.

What are my New Year’s Resolutions?

I have many, many goals, but here are the three things I’m serious about this year:

1. Taking and Sharing More Photos (and keeping them organized).

Kodak Gallery shutting down threw me for a loop. I’m not a Shutterfly fan. I need a new system.

2. Not Looking at my Phone in the Car.

Seriously, nothing urgent is happening. It’s a terrible habit. I’m done with it.

3. Blogging at Least Once Per Week

I have big plans here, including video blogs, interviews with experts, Ask Andrea, book and product reviews, etc.

The first video is coming tomorrow.

🙂

OKAY.!.!.!

What are your three things?

Please tell me in the comments section below!

I want to hear all about your plans for 2014.

Sending you love and radiance.

xo,

Andrea