At this time of year, everyone wants to talk about their new years resolutions, but I don’t. Mainly because resolutions never really pan out for me. I set them—lose weight, read more, write every day—and then I do nothing to make it happen. I’d rather talk about what is important to me in the coming year. I’m putting it all out there into the real world (via cyberspace) for all to see. But, first want to visualize it. Allow me to take you into the future, 365 days from now to be exact. This is what I’d like my life to look like on January 2, 2020.
- A skinnier me. — I won’t say how much weight I will lose. I’d just like to be thinner than I am today. And I will fit into the clothes that are at the top of my closet which don’t fit right now. And I will come home from work to find a Stitch Fix box at my doorstep filled with new clothes that look amazing on me and are a size or two smaller than what I would order today.
- A healthier me. – I won’t say a prayer at the doctor’s office every time I have to take a test or get my blood pressure checked. Why? Because I will already know that I am doing all I can to pass with flying colors. And then I’ll head home to a well-balanced meal that I planned out ahead of time. I will also make sure that I am in the best frame of mind from a mental health standpoint, and if I’m not, I won’t wait too long to make an appointment with my therapist.
- A happier me. — Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy, but I’d like to put some things to look forward to on my 2020 calendar, like pre-planned date nights and a relaxing all girls’ weekend. I also want to come home from work every day feeling satisfied that I made a difference in a concrete and measurable way. In my current position, this isn’t always the case. And since writing has always made me happy, I will carve out time to work on my (first!) book to raise awareness about something that is close to my heart, but more on that later.
- A stronger me. — One of the hardest things I will have to do in 2019 is send my oldest off to college in the fall. For the last 18 years, I have given her roots and I will soon give her wings. I will make sure that she is safe and happy, but not in a helicopter parent kind of way. She must figure things out on her own terms, and hovering has never been my style. It won’t be easy, but I’ll send her out into the real world and be here for her when she needs me. And as a result, I know that my own world will inevitably change and I don’t even know how yet, but I hope to have the strength to embrace it.
Quite a list, right? Next up, figuring out how to make this list come true.