Day After New Years Resolutions 2012

Here's to hoping it doesn't all end this year...

Yeah, this is late, but it’s still the New Year and today is a bank holiday (i.e. no work), therefore perfect for reflection and crafting Resolutions. Don’t laugh. I believe in continually setting both long and short-term goals. I enjoy the end of the year, the opportunity for a reflective period and especially Top Lists of 20__. I never understand the cynicism towards making New Years Resolutions. If anything is overrated about the New Year, it’s the parties on New Years Eve. I much rather take the time to set some goals and formulate how I would like this next year to unfurl. So what if not all of them will be achieved? One can always reassess or try new strategies.

For me, the past couple years have been odd, to say the least. Considering the young-20′s are famously formative years for almost everyone, it should come as no surprise that for me the last two have been filled with ups and downs. I guess this is what they call growing up, because graduating from college in 2010…I did not feel like a grown-up. I still don’t all the time, but I do feel like somewhere between the lessons, experiments, and let’s be honest, mistakes, I’m slowly starting to get wiser. For example, 2010 and 2011 seemed to meld together for me and I think it’s because I skipped making resolutions this time last year. I was just going to “go with it”. Despite the slow learning curve, while 2010-2011 was definitely an adventure…2012 will be much different if I have anything to say about it.

Here are my main Day After New Years Resolutions for 2012:

• Read more. A lot more. Aiming for at least a book a week, and in different genres/subjects. Obviously I am taking suggestions! Are you on GoodReads?
• Blog more. At least a post a week. Maybe about the book I read? Really…on any subject, however, published and out in the world. Consider blog overhaul. Also, trying to foster more community/participation through networking, commenting more on blogs/websites I love and guest blogging somewhere at least once before summer.
• Push myself professionally, both in my new position & independently. This means learning new skills (like more coding)
• Stay better organized by using productivity tools so that I can better keep to my word. Things like calenders, agendas, to-do lists, better email inbox, prioritizing, will all help me stay on top of commitments and stay in contact with people I love.
• Practice patience. Suggestions are welcome, otherwise I need to do some researching on this.
• Send hand-written, snail-mail birthday, anniversary and thank you cards. No excuses.
• Keep track of my money and budgets, now that I have some again. Mint.com is wonderful for this.
• Skydive. This year.