Resolutions

Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve...roughly six weeks of loosening our self-discipline and our belt buckles. From turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing, to frequent parties with all kinds of yummy hors d'oeuvres and drinks, to Christmas cookies and egg nog, it's an eating celebration with few regrets.

Until January 1.

It's a new year and time to get back to a more disciplined life. Here come the resolutions: Go on a diet, get organized, quit smoking, start an exercise program, etc., etc., etc....

Been there, done that, too many times, except for the quit smoking. (I've never smoked).

People tend to create resolutions as a punishment for their over-indulgent behavior, but a person can endure punishment for only so long. People also tend to create resolutions that are too big and broad, and those are hard to meet. And then it's February 1 and the resolutions have gone by the wayside.

I have found that taking a closer look into my life and making smaller, more specific resolutions, success comes more easily. My 2014 resolutions:

READ
Five books are on my reading table:

• Quiet by Susan Cain. It's about being an introvert in a world that can't stop talking.
• My Life in France by Julia Child. Julia Child was a woman who dove into an unfamiliar culture, embraced it, and pursued a passion.
• Inferno by Dan Brown. Brown's 4th book with symbology expert Robert Langdon.
• Cooked by Michael Pollan. How food improves health, connects us with others and the natural world, helps us achieve self-sufficiency.
• Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. A cookbook with beautiful photos, stories, and recipes. Reading and cooking all in one!

FINISH THE AFGHAN

My nephew graduated from high school in May and is now a freshman at Ohio State. I started a hairpin lace afghan right before he graduated with the goal of completing it for his birthday in July. Didn't happen. So then the date of completion was set for when he left for OSU in September. Nope. Christmas. Not finished. It's going to be a good project for this winter and will be done by the time he completes his freshman year.

CROSS SOMETHING OFF MY BUCKET LIST

Actually, I don't call it my bucket list; it's my living list. On my birthday in September, I resolved to do 56 new things before turning 57. I've done 20 so far.

BE MORE DILIGENT WITH MY BLOG

Last year I made 65 posts in House Dust and Wanderlust. My goal for 2014 is 100.

WEAR MORE COLORFUL CLOTHING

I wear a lot of black. It's a go-to when I can't decide what to wear. Particularly for spring and summer, I want to have bright, fun colors in my wardrobe.

RUN A HALF MARATHON

Last year, one of my resolutions was to participate in an organized athletic event and I ran in the Air Force Marathon's 10K. My daughter wants me to run a half marathon with her. 13 miles seems like a long, long way, but I will do it...I CAN do it. 

LEAVE THE COUNTRY

In 2010, hubs and I went to Italy to celebrate our 30th anniversary and ever since then I have be dying to go back to Europe. I have so many possible itineraries planned! As fate would have it, my sister who travels internationally for her job, called and asked me if I wanted to go to Madrid in March! ¡Sí, sí, sí!

New Year's resolutions offer hopefulness and are about embracing the present, the here and now. 

"Approach the new year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day."

~ Michael Josephson

Happy 2014!