This Year I Will...

It’s that time of year again!

            Faithful gym rats please vacate for the next month and a half while wannabes invade and then slowly clear out once they give up on their goal of losing weight.

            So I can aim for my usual new year’s resolutions of eating healthier, exercising more, swearing less, being a nicer person, and so on and so forth. But let’s be realistic. The chances of me sticking it out and following through with all of these are slim to none.

            This year though I’ve decided to have an overall resolution to try to be a more well-rounded and better person. I figured there are a few ways to do this, allow me to share.

            My biggest resolution is to put down my phone. My iPhone might as well be glued to my hand. If I get bored during a conversation I rudely find myself checking social media or deciding if there is a text I should reply to. I vow to start leaving my phone in my car or purse when I’m with friends. I also am going to try to become less dependent on social media. I have a tendency of checking so often there is nothing when I hit refresh and I want to rid myself of the habit.

            I also want to become more involved. I’m not sure with what yet, but whatever it is I want it to be a good cause and I’ll be doing it from the heart. Too many of my volunteer actions prior to college were honestly just for my résumé, but any college kid who says otherwise is just lying. I’m promising myself that even if I don’t outright start volunteering somewhere in the new year, I want to start putting a lot more time, thought, and effort into my dream of owning a therapeutic horse ranch. The earlier I start planning my dreams, the easier they will fall into place. This ranch is going to be my way to give back to veterans who have given to me and I know it’s going to take many years to come true, but might as well start now.

            I’m going to become a better spender and not such an impulse buyer. I tend to be the sort of person who buys something as soon as I see it. Before I do this, I’m going to start thinking it over and making the decision of whether or not it’s necessary and worth the purchase.

            Something so simple, yet so overlooked, I plan to start enjoying life more. Today’s lifestyle is so hectic and I’m the type of person to over extend and max myself out. I’m going to start taking time to do things for me and that I enjoy. I’m not sure what those things are yet, but in due time I’ll figure them out. I’m also going to appreciate life more, especially the little everyday things I take for granted.

            I vow this year to listen to my heart. Too many times in my life I’ve tried to please other people and do what I know would make them happy, putting my happiness on the back burner. This is my year. I will not sacrifice my life and my happiness and have it ruined at the expense of others. Call me selfish, but I’ve been selfless for far too many years. It’s time to follow my dreams and accomplish my goals without allowing others to stand in my way.

            Enjoy the moment. Too often I spend so much time worrying about the future I forget to live in the present. In 2014 I plan to live each day to the fullest while not always worrying about the next. Life is too short to worry and too many moments are passed by thinking about the future.

I will give more compliments, but only genuine ones. There is nothing better than a compliment you know is from the heart. It warms you and makes you feel good about yourself. I want others to feel that way too so I’m going to try to give at least one random, from the heart compliment a day.

            My list is simple. There isn’t anything here that is out of reach or crazy, yet there are also no over night transformations. This time next year I’ll obviously be a different person. I just hope that those differences have come due to the changes I want to make.

            On a more comical note, resolutions I hope to work on in my spare time:

·      Flipping an omelet

·      Stop setting six alarms and just wake up and get out of bed when the first one goes off

·      Either actually laughing when I type “LOL” or just eliminating it from my texts altogether

·      Remember to write 2014 rather than 2013

·      Try to become less sarcastic….maybe