Resolutions Progress

I thought this would be a good time to bring up my New Year's Resolutions again and see how I am doing so far.  Part of remaining accountable is periodically checking in to see how things are going.

I read an article that said one third of the people who have made resolutions will have broken them by the end of January.  This jumps to over half by July.  One strategy the author recommends is self-monitoring, keeping track of your progress, on a frequent basis.  Whether your goal was to lose weight, learn a new language or, like me you had a couple resolutions in mind, the important thing is to periodically check in to see how you're doing.

The article also recommends that you "outsource self-control."  This means you get friends and family, social media, or in my case anyone reading this blog, involved in your resolution.  If you share your progress with other people, you're more likely to stick with it.  If you keep it to yourself, you're more likely to let it lapse since you are only letting one person down, as opposed to many.

*source

For the purpose of reminding myself what I'm hoping to accomplish, I'll paste them here:

Goals for 2012

Run a 10K

Improve my physical strength

Volunteer/Donate my time to a cause I believe in

Write every day

Learn to paint - paint something I would be willing to display in my house

Improve my photography

Make time to read daily

Make a career change

Learn French

Spend more time outdoors (but take better care of my skin!)

Become a better friend/daughter/sister/wife

Explore and share my passions and knowledge with others:  food, wine, health, wellness

Travel somewhere new(destination TBD)

So how are things going so far?  Well, I am happy to report that I've registered for an 8K!  I'm not ready for a 10K but this will be my FIRST organized race and I am well into my training.  Things are going really well so far: I've increased my distance and my speed but I still have more work to do before race day.

Improve my physical strength:  I have also been working on my physical strength, adding 3 days of conditioning every week.  Today was chest and triceps and MAN OH MAN, I was toast by the end.  I am already feeling improvements in my ability to do more push-ups.  I still haven't seen any physical changes in my body but I know it's not going to happen overnight.

Volunteer/Donate my time for a cause I believe in:  Still haven't picked the right opportunity yet.  Will keep you posted when I do.  I really want to find something that I'm passionate about.

Write Every Day:  I am doing better, but still not finding the time every day.  I am writing about 3 or 4 days a week (better than the 0 to 1 days before I made my resolutions), but I am sure I could do better.  

Learn to paint:  Nope.  Still no Picasso.

Improve my photography:  I am working on paying more attention to my photography composition, lighting and just improving my familiarity with the camera and its settings.  It doesn't come easily, so I have a LOT more work to do here.

Make time to read daily:  Still not finding the time to read (for pleasure) on a daily basis, but I finally finished What to Eat (whoohoo!) and I have moved on to a book I got for Christmas.  I'm reading about 3 or 4 days a week.  

Make a Career Change:  Nope.

Learn French:  Nope.  But I have a lead on getting free computer software for a basic French language course. 

Spend time outdoors, take care of my skin:  Yes and No.  Today I noticed tan lines above my ankles from my sneakers and below my knees from my running tights (from running outside).  It helps that the weather here has been GOR-GEOUS lately.  Unfortunately, I haven't been wearing sunscreen except on my face.  Bad Julia, Bad BAD Julia.

Be a better friend/daughter/sister/wife: This will always be a goal, I have good days and bad days.  Sometimes I'm a complete beyotch, other days sweet as pie.  Hoping to decrease the number of bitchy days.

Explore and share my passions/knowledge (nutrition, health/wellness, wine, food):  That's where this blog comes in.  I'm trying to share more and learn more.  I think I'm slowly getting better at adding bits and pieces of things I know, I just don't want to sound preachy.  It's a fine balance, I think.

Travel somewhere new:  This is in the works.  I don't want to mention where we're hoping to travel this year yet because if it falls through (and it surely could) I don't want to disappoint anyone.  Either way, we will be going somewhere new, whether it's near or far.  

*source

Overall, I think I'm doing OK.  Certain areas need some more attention (volunteering, painting, learning French) and other areas are coming along pretty well.  Reflecting on my goals every so often helps to keep them in mind.  A resolution is only as good as your willingness to stick to it.  Let's not forget why we made the resolutions in the first place.

I hope you guys do a self-inventory on your resolutions if you made any this year.  Share your progress on facebook or twitter, or if that's too public for you maybe pick one person to be your accountability-buddy.  It's OK if you have lapsed, it's not too late to pick back up again.  Just remind yourself WHY you made that resolution in the first place, forgive yourself for falling off-course, and try again.

*source

Resolutions Progress

I thought this would be a good time to bring up my New Year's Resolutions again and see how I am doing so far.  Part of remaining accountable is periodically checking in to see how things are going.

I read an article that said one third of the people who have made resolutions will have broken them by the end of January.  This jumps to over half by July.  One strategy the author recommends is self-monitoring, keeping track of your progress, on a frequent basis.  Whether your goal was to lose weight, learn a new language or, like me you had a couple resolutions in mind, the important thing is to periodically check in to see how you're doing.

The article also recommends that you "outsource self-control."  This means you get friends and family, social media, or in my case anyone reading this blog, involved in your resolution.  If you share your progress with other people, you're more likely to stick with it.  If you keep it to yourself, you're more likely to let it lapse since you are only letting one person down, as opposed to many.

*source

For the purpose of reminding myself what I'm hoping to accomplish, I'll paste them here:

Goals for 2012

Run a 10K

Improve my physical strength

Volunteer/Donate my time to a cause I believe in

Write every day

Learn to paint - paint something I would be willing to display in my house

Improve my photography

Make time to read daily

Make a career change

Learn French

Spend more time outdoors (but take better care of my skin!)

Become a better friend/daughter/sister/wife

Explore and share my passions and knowledge with others:  food, wine, health, wellness

Travel somewhere new(destination TBD)

So how are things going so far?  Well, I am happy to report that I've registered for an 8K!  I'm not ready for a 10K but this will be my FIRST organized race and I am well into my training.  Things are going really well so far: I've increased my distance and my speed but I still have more work to do before race day.

Improve my physical strength:  I have also been working on my physical strength, adding 3 days of conditioning every week.  Today was chest and triceps and MAN OH MAN, I was toast by the end.  I am already feeling improvements in my ability to do more push-ups.  I still haven't seen any physical changes in my body but I know it's not going to happen overnight.

Volunteer/Donate my time for a cause I believe in:  Still haven't picked the right opportunity yet.  Will keep you posted when I do.  I really want to find something that I'm passionate about.

Write Every Day:  I am doing better, but still not finding the time every day.  I am writing about 3 or 4 days a week (better than the 0 to 1 days before I made my resolutions), but I am sure I could do better.  

Learn to paint:  Nope.  Still no Picasso.

Improve my photography:  I am working on paying more attention to my photography composition, lighting and just improving my familiarity with the camera and its settings.  It doesn't come easily, so I have a LOT more work to do here.

Make time to read daily:  Still not finding the time to read (for pleasure) on a daily basis, but I finally finished What to Eat (whoohoo!) and I have moved on to a book I got for Christmas.  I'm reading about 3 or 4 days a week.  

Make a Career Change:  Nope.

Learn French:  Nope.  But I have a lead on getting free computer software for a basic French language course. 

Spend time outdoors, take care of my skin:  Yes and No.  Today I noticed tan lines above my ankles from my sneakers and below my knees from my running tights (from running outside).  It helps that the weather here has been GOR-GEOUS lately.  Unfortunately, I haven't been wearing sunscreen except on my face.  Bad Julia, Bad BAD Julia.

Be a better friend/daughter/sister/wife: This will always be a goal, I have good days and bad days.  Sometimes I'm a complete beyotch, other days sweet as pie.  Hoping to decrease the number of bitchy days.

Explore and share my passions/knowledge (nutrition, health/wellness, wine, food):  That's where this blog comes in.  I'm trying to share more and learn more.  I think I'm slowly getting better at adding bits and pieces of things I know, I just don't want to sound preachy.  It's a fine balance, I think.

Travel somewhere new:  This is in the works.  I don't want to mention where we're hoping to travel this year yet because if it falls through (and it surely could) I don't want to disappoint anyone.  Either way, we will be going somewhere new, whether it's near or far.  

*source

Overall, I think I'm doing OK.  Certain areas need some more attention (volunteering, painting, learning French) and other areas are coming along pretty well.  Reflecting on my goals every so often helps to keep them in mind.  A resolution is only as good as your willingness to stick to it.  Let's not forget why we made the resolutions in the first place.

I hope you guys do a self-inventory on your resolutions if you made any this year.  Share your progress on facebook or twitter, or if that's too public for you maybe pick one person to be your accountability-buddy.  It's OK if you have lapsed, it's not too late to pick back up again.  Just remind yourself WHY you made that resolution in the first place, forgive yourself for falling off-course, and try again.

*source

List-Maker, List-Maker, Make me a List!

I'm all about lists.  To-do lists, to-don't lists, lists of restaurants to try, places I want to visit, names for my future children, books I want to read, our weekly meal plan is a list, grocery list, beauty products to try, my 2012 resolutions and personal commandments....you get the point.  My mind just works best when I can see what I have to do written down in front of me.  And I really enjoy being able to physically cross items off of my lists once I have accomplished them.

Flipping through the weekly advertisements that stores mail out this time of year, it seems like everybody is trying to get organized.  I suppose after the holidays, many people resolve to clean out their closets, throw things away, donate old toys to make room for the new, and stores encourage it by marking down prices on their cleaning and organizing supplies.

I am going through a similar process of purging and organizing, only mine is more mental rather than physical.  The first part of it was writing down my list of 2012 Resolutions and Personal Commandments to guide my quest for self-actualization in the new year.  It felt so great to write it all down and see the items listed out, one by one, none more important than the others.

The second component to my mental and emotional re-organization is to GET RID of the old:  old verbal scripts, old behaviors, old negative thought-processes that were weighing me down.  I feel that letting go of this extra baggage frees up the mind to accept healthy, new ways of thinking, to allow positive emotions into the empty space and to see what could-be, rather than dwell on what was.

One tactic I am using in order to fill my mind with positive thoughts is to (you guessed it!) make a list.  This time, my list is filled with things that I am grateful for.  Coincidentally, being more grateful is one of my Personal Commandments that I believe will allow me to guide my thinking to a happier, more positive state of being.

Are there things in my life that are negative?  Things that I wish I could change?  Absolutely (I could make a really long list of those too, but I won't!).  I am trying to focus on the positives because I think that keeping these good things in the forefront of my mind will bring me gratefulness and set me up for positive thinking, which will allow more good energy to flow my way.

Some of the things I'm grateful for are silly, some are serious.  Many are generic (family, friends, health) while some are specific to me.  All of them have value to me, and to give credit to each wonderful thing in my life, each one has a special place and belongs on this list, no matter how silly/superficial/unimportant they may seem to others.

Some of the things I am grateful for today, in no particular order:

- Florida's warm, sunny weather in January
- I have no major illness or injuries (this annoying cold, not withstanding)
- I have a wonderful, handsome, smart and supportive husband who encourages me to explore and pursue my passions
- I have the best sisters and parents in the world, and a loving extended family
- I have a number of loyal and true friends who care for me
- my sweet lap-dog Hudson who always lets me know I am loved
- I can afford to eat and enjoy healthful, whole foods and these foods are readily available to me
- my charming little green, 1940's bungalow and the Great Oak tree in the front yard
- I have every material possession I "need" and many things I "want"
- I can walk 5 minutes down the street to at least 5 great restaurants and numerous shops
- Kleenex with Aloe, chicken soup, Honey-Lemon flavor Cold-Eeze and Orange-flavor Emergen-C to beat my cold
- the Chris Brown Pandora radio station on my iPhone
- Grandma's tin of christmas cookies in my freezer and a hot mug of Adagio Chestnut tea

chestnut tea, christmas cookies

get-well card from Brian, kleenex, homeopathic cold remedies

I hope you make a list of all the positives in your life.  Like I said, it's not denial of the negatives in your life, just making yourself more aware of all the good things.  Feel free to update your list frequently with new things that come into mind.  Also, read and review your list on a daily basis to stay mindful of the things you are grateful for.  Try it, especially if you're feeling a little down or experiencing a case of the post-holiday winter-blues.  I can almost guarantee that just writing down your list of things you are grateful for will boost your energy (and mood!) quicker than your afternoon cup of coffee.  


Question of the Day

What things in your life (big or small) are you grateful for?

List-Maker, List-Maker, Make me a List!

I'm all about lists.  To-do lists, to-don't lists, lists of restaurants to try, places I want to visit, names for my future children, books I want to read, our weekly meal plan is a list, grocery list, beauty products to try, my 2012 resolutions and personal commandments....you get the point.  My mind just works best when I can see what I have to do written down in front of me.  And I really enjoy being able to physically cross items off of my lists once I have accomplished them.

Flipping through the weekly advertisements that stores mail out this time of year, it seems like everybody is trying to get organized.  I suppose after the holidays, many people resolve to clean out their closets, throw things away, donate old toys to make room for the new, and stores encourage it by marking down prices on their cleaning and organizing supplies.

I am going through a similar process of purging and organizing, only mine is more mental rather than physical.  The first part of it was writing down my list of 2012 Resolutions and Personal Commandments to guide my quest for self-actualization in the new year.  It felt so great to write it all down and see the items listed out, one by one, none more important than the others.

The second component to my mental and emotional re-organization is to GET RID of the old:  old verbal scripts, old behaviors, old negative thought-processes that were weighing me down.  I feel that letting go of this extra baggage frees up the mind to accept healthy, new ways of thinking, to allow positive emotions into the empty space and to see what could-be, rather than dwell on what was.

One tactic I am using in order to fill my mind with positive thoughts is to (you guessed it!) make a list.  This time, my list is filled with things that I am grateful for.  Coincidentally, being more grateful is one of my Personal Commandments that I believe will allow me to guide my thinking to a happier, more positive state of being.

Are there things in my life that are negative?  Things that I wish I could change?  Absolutely (I could make a really long list of those too, but I won't!).  I am trying to focus on the positives because I think that keeping these good things in the forefront of my mind will bring me gratefulness and set me up for positive thinking, which will allow more good energy to flow my way.

Some of the things I'm grateful for are silly, some are serious.  Many are generic (family, friends, health) while some are specific to me.  All of them have value to me, and to give credit to each wonderful thing in my life, each one has a special place and belongs on this list, no matter how silly/superficial/unimportant they may seem to others.

Some of the things I am grateful for today, in no particular order:

- Florida's warm, sunny weather in January
- I have no major illness or injuries (this annoying cold, not withstanding)
- I have a wonderful, handsome, smart and supportive husband who encourages me to explore and pursue my passions
- I have the best sisters and parents in the world, and a loving extended family
- I have a number of loyal and true friends who care for me
- my sweet lap-dog Hudson who always lets me know I am loved
- I can afford to eat and enjoy healthful, whole foods and these foods are readily available to me
- my charming little green, 1940's bungalow and the Great Oak tree in the front yard
- I have every material possession I "need" and many things I "want"
- I can walk 5 minutes down the street to at least 5 great restaurants and numerous shops
- Kleenex with Aloe, chicken soup, Honey-Lemon flavor Cold-Eeze and Orange-flavor Emergen-C to beat my cold
- the Chris Brown Pandora radio station on my iPhone
- Grandma's tin of christmas cookies in my freezer and a hot mug of Adagio Chestnut tea

chestnut tea, christmas cookies

get-well card from Brian, kleenex, homeopathic cold remedies

I hope you make a list of all the positives in your life.  Like I said, it's not denial of the negatives in your life, just making yourself more aware of all the good things.  Feel free to update your list frequently with new things that come into mind.  Also, read and review your list on a daily basis to stay mindful of the things you are grateful for.  Try it, especially if you're feeling a little down or experiencing a case of the post-holiday winter-blues.  I can almost guarantee that just writing down your list of things you are grateful for will boost your energy (and mood!) quicker than your afternoon cup of coffee.  


Question of the Day

What things in your life (big or small) are you grateful for?

2012: A New Year, A Fresh Start, A Happier Julia

I'm definitely NOT one for making New Year's resolutions.  I don't think one day on the calendar should be the inspiration for changing something about yourself.  I think the willpower to change has to come from a deep desire within oneself and the burning of that desire is what fuels us to keep going, as difficult as it may be, to reach our goals.

That being said, I did make some resolutions this year.  These changes have been in my mind and my heart for a long time but I needed a catalyst to put them into action.  Being the private person that I am, I had never thought to share my goals with anyone, but I think that doing so will help force me to stick with them, even when the going gets tough.  I hope you help me stay accountable for the goals that I set for myself; the changes I hope to make.

My deepest desire is simply, happiness.  Am I happy now?  Yes.  But I know I could be happier.  Happier with who I am, a more "me" version of myself.  My sister calls this "self-actualization" - realizing my full potential, becoming everything I am capable of being.  Not just in my career, although that is one area I hope to address, but in all aspects of my life:  my relationships with my family and friends, my health and fitness, my outward appearance and inward perception, the ways I spend my time and my daily interactions with others.  These are just some of the areas in which I hope I can grow this year.

A few months ago I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  It was a great book full of practical advice and personal anecdotes about a journey to become happier, and it was what put the seed into my mind that I could do something about my own happiness and personal growth.  I highly recommend it, as well as the website that goes along with the book, especially if you are hoping to find more happiness in your life.  I was also inspired by a fellow blogger, Caitlin of Style Within Reach (wonderful budget glamour tips and amazing fashion inspiration), to share my resolutions for 2012.  A couple of hers really spoke to me and I realized I hope to achieve some of the same things.

This year, 2012 will be a year of growth.  Personal growth, self-actualiztion, a happiness "project" of my own, if you will.  I have set a number of goals that I would like to attain in the coming year and a list of resolutions to keep in my mind as I set out to discover who I am, to become "me."  I hope to make this process as transparent as possible, so that you can help me stay on track.  Don't be afraid to call me out if something I'm doing/saying is not in keeping with my resolutions!

In true Julia fashion, I go from making no resolutions ever in my life to making a dozen all at once.  I guess I'm making up for lost time.  I am sharing two lists.   Goals:  attainable resolutions I am making a commitment to do.  And Personal Commandments: overarching principles to guide my actions and thoughts.  Some of my Goals need some tweaking in order to make them more concrete and measurable, as I think that will help to keep me motivated.  But I thought it would be better to write down what was in my head now, rather than waiting until it was perfect.

Goals for 2012

Run a 10K
Improve my physical strength
Volunteer/Donate my time to a cause I believe in
Write every day
Learn to paint - paint something I would be willing to display in my house
Improve my photography
Make time to read daily
Make a career change
Learn French
Spend more time outdoors (but take better care of my skin!)
Become a better friend/daughter/sister/wife
Explore and share my passions and knowledge with others:  food, wine, health, wellness
Travel somewhere new(destination TBD)

Personal Commandements 

Be Julia
Explore
Be Open
Be Confident
Keep Trying
Work Harder
Stay out of my Head
Ask for Advice
Ask for Honesty
Listen
Complain Less
Be More Grateful
Lighten Up
When in Doubt:  Mantras and Meditation
Trust My Instincts
Laugh
Show Love
Smile
Say Yes
Treat Others the Way I Wish to be Treated
Act the Way I Want to Feel
Let it Go
Be More Assertive
Better is (Often) the Enemy of Good (not everything has to be perfect!)
Do Not Worry About What Others May Think


So there you have it:  my 2012 resolutions.  They may not be your typical New Year's resolutions but they are what's right for me, and only me.  Here begins my process of letting go of who I think everyone else wants Julia to be, and embracing the real me.  I think we will all like the real Julia even better.

2012: A New Year, A Fresh Start, A Happier Julia

I'm definitely NOT one for making New Year's resolutions.  I don't think one day on the calendar should be the inspiration for changing something about yourself.  I think the willpower to change has to come from a deep desire within oneself and the burning of that desire is what fuels us to keep going, as difficult as it may be, to reach our goals.

That being said, I did make some resolutions this year.  These changes have been in my mind and my heart for a long time but I needed a catalyst to put them into action.  Being the private person that I am, I had never thought to share my goals with anyone, but I think that doing so will help force me to stick with them, even when the going gets tough.  I hope you help me stay accountable for the goals that I set for myself; the changes I hope to make.

My deepest desire is simply, happiness.  Am I happy now?  Yes.  But I know I could be happier.  Happier with who I am, a more "me" version of myself.  My sister calls this "self-actualization" - realizing my full potential, becoming everything I am capable of being.  Not just in my career, although that is one area I hope to address, but in all aspects of my life:  my relationships with my family and friends, my health and fitness, my outward appearance and inward perception, the ways I spend my time and my daily interactions with others.  These are just some of the areas in which I hope I can grow this year.

A few months ago I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  It was a great book full of practical advice and personal anecdotes about a journey to become happier, and it was what put the seed into my mind that I could do something about my own happiness and personal growth.  I highly recommend it, as well as the website that goes along with the book, especially if you are hoping to find more happiness in your life.  I was also inspired by a fellow blogger, Caitlin of Style Within Reach (wonderful budget glamour tips and amazing fashion inspiration), to share my resolutions for 2012.  A couple of hers really spoke to me and I realized I hope to achieve some of the same things.

This year, 2012 will be a year of growth.  Personal growth, self-actualiztion, a happiness "project" of my own, if you will.  I have set a number of goals that I would like to attain in the coming year and a list of resolutions to keep in my mind as I set out to discover who I am, to become "me."  I hope to make this process as transparent as possible, so that you can help me stay on track.  Don't be afraid to call me out if something I'm doing/saying is not in keeping with my resolutions!

In true Julia fashion, I go from making no resolutions ever in my life to making a dozen all at once.  I guess I'm making up for lost time.  I am sharing two lists.   Goals:  attainable resolutions I am making a commitment to do.  And Personal Commandments: overarching principles to guide my actions and thoughts.  Some of my Goals need some tweaking in order to make them more concrete and measurable, as I think that will help to keep me motivated.  But I thought it would be better to write down what was in my head now, rather than waiting until it was perfect.

Goals for 2012

Run a 10K
Improve my physical strength
Volunteer/Donate my time to a cause I believe in
Write every day
Learn to paint - paint something I would be willing to display in my house
Improve my photography
Make time to read daily
Make a career change
Learn French
Spend more time outdoors (but take better care of my skin!)
Become a better friend/daughter/sister/wife
Explore and share my passions and knowledge with others:  food, wine, health, wellness
Travel somewhere new(destination TBD)

Personal Commandements 

Be Julia
Explore
Be Open
Be Confident
Keep Trying
Work Harder
Stay out of my Head
Ask for Advice
Ask for Honesty
Listen
Complain Less
Be More Grateful
Lighten Up
When in Doubt:  Mantras and Meditation
Trust My Instincts
Laugh
Show Love
Smile
Say Yes
Treat Others the Way I Wish to be Treated
Act the Way I Want to Feel
Let it Go
Be More Assertive
Better is (Often) the Enemy of Good (not everything has to be perfect!)
Do Not Worry About What Others May Think


So there you have it:  my 2012 resolutions.  They may not be your typical New Year's resolutions but they are what's right for me, and only me.  Here begins my process of letting go of who I think everyone else wants Julia to be, and embracing the real me.  I think we will all like the real Julia even better.