New Year’s Proto-Resolutions 2019

I think I do New Year’s Resolutions differently than most people. First, I usually take the first few weeks, or even months, of the year trying my hand at what I’d like to do. I kind of make proto-resolutions.

For instance, if I want to work out more, I’ll go to the gym every day for a week, or once a week for a month, and I’ll try to get a feel for what’s actually going to work for me. I don’t make the “resolution” until I already have a pretty good grip on what I want to do and what I can sustain over an entire year. Then I take those yearly goals and break them down into months, weeks, and days, and — daily, weekly, and monthly — I review how I’m doing. Then I rewrite or adapt my goals.

I think, sometimes, we tend to make goals black and white. We win or we lose. And, judging by the sudden drop in attendance most gyms see after January, that idea that we succeed or fail at our resolutions doesn’t serve us very well. With that logic, if we “fail” at our resolutions by February, we’ve blown our one, annual chance. The natural response is to maybe try again next year at the whole resolution thing. Or maybe we stop making New Year’s Resolutions entirely.

For me, it’s useful to see my goals for self improvement as points on a continuum, and I’m allowed to move those points around as much as I want. I still make SMART goals (sustainable, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely), I just allow myself to move them around a lot. I don’t worry too much about winning or losing. And if you can’t win or lose, you also can’t quit.

So, with that in mind, here are my proto-resolutions for 2019:

YEAR OF SERENITY

Overview: I picked Serenity as my theme this year because I’ve made some rather lofty goals, and if I’m going to stay on top of them, I need to be balanced, calm, and optimistic. I need to accept my efforts and adapt with grace.

Physical

• Prepare for Two Weeks Before the Mast by working out 1-5 times a week at the local gym.
• Take another aerial fabrics course.
• Organize my recipe books.

Mental

• Take 4 college courses.
• Read a new book I love. (I’m so picky, I have to read a lot to find something I like.)
• Take more walks.

Spiritual

• Read through the Book of Mormon.
• Establish a family routine for Come Follow Me.
• Pray more.

Professional

• Finish first draft of the Island Book by May.
• Write/submit 12 new pieces (Poems count!)
• Apply to/attend Clarion West.
• Attend Storymakers Conference.
• Participate in Two Weeks Before the Mast.

I’m so excited to share my 2019 goals with everyone. There will be more information about each of them as they come up, especially things like aerial classes, Clarion (applications are due in March), and Two Weeks Before the Mast, which is a two week sailing trip where you train as a crew member on an eighteenth century replica tall ship!

Thanks for coming on this journey with me.
~Christine