New Years Resolutions

[Deleted User]

I know they say just take it one holiday at a time, but I'm curious to know if any of you have already started thinking about your new years resolutions.

For those who have, care to share what yours are and/or why you made them?  For those who haven't, care to share why not?

I haven't given mine a ton of thought, but I've been thinking a lot more about gratitude and I'd like to make this a focus in my life.  I bought a book and a journal a few weeks ago and am kind of scared to open either one, so maybe the new year will give me that kick in the pants I need.

amelisha

I don't do resolutions. I do give the house an extra good scrub though, lol...and this year because I'm getting married in May I will need to really watch what I eat starting in January, as I have a horror of my boobs bursting out of the top of my wedding dress/fat arms in photos. I'm planning to be unnecessarily thin so at least the photo my mom will display over the mantel at home for all eternity doesn't make me mad every time I look at it, haha. So I guess "diet" is kind of a resolution this year, trite as it is...but I do plan to pile ten pounds back on immediately following the wedding so I'm not sure if it counts :P

JCbride2015

I generally don't do specific resolutions but I do tend to think about plans and goals for the upcoming year.  My overall resolution, that I've already started working on, is getting better at managing my money.  This is the first time in my life I actually have a significant income to manage; I also have significant debt, both CC and student loan, so it really requires a lot of thought and budgeting.  I recently was approved for a loan from my bank to consolidate my CCs, although I may not accept the whole amount, so that's a good first step, I think.  Fi and I are both working on reducing convenience spending and planning our meals ahead more so we are buying less food during the workday.

I'm continually working on how to be better at my job.  I'm still getting my feet under me here.  The next year is enough time, I think, to try some projects in new practice groups and make a point of reaching out to more senior attorneys to get experience that will really help me learn and grow.

Getting my health squared away is another big goal this year.  I need to baby my new implants so that they "take" the right way and then get the permanent crowns sometime in March.  I'm going to start PT again for my joint pain/ hip injury so that I can get back to a regular exercise routine.

Oh yeah... and get married!!!!!

[Deleted User]

Ha ha!  I'm hoping to clean up my eating a bit more myself, but not so much for photos- although weight loss and health improvement do have those "shallow" benefits to them.

I've done well for the last 2-3 months, but even though I didn't think I'd eat much for Thanksgiving, there were lots more good things on the table than I thought there would be... 

And I don't frequently drink any kind of alcohol because of the stuffy head I get from it, but the last few weekends, I've had at least one drink on both Friday and Saturday *gasp*!

Love the good house cleaning- very good way to start of the year!  I don't pick a certain time of year to do it but usually 1-2 times in a year I'll get a cleaning urge and the whole house a good scrub. 

luckya23

I can't wait until January to start reorganizing my house!!! Hopefully it will lead to a huge purge too!

beethery

• Be less chunky
  
• Cook new meals and write about them
  
• Do more art
  
• Get married
  
• Buy a new car
  

cupcait927

I've got major goals for this year but no specific plans in place to get them accomplished. First and foremost, I want to pay down a significant portion of our debt. We have significant student loan payments every month and if I could free up that money, it would help immensely in paying down other debt. Money is my biggest stressor and I have to come up with a way to combat that stress and get the finances under control.

My other big goal is to get healthy again and improve my eating habits. Anyone looking at me would say that I'm thin but I feel like a giant lump. I'm out of shape, have horribly eating habits, and I'm unhappy. I want to start eating better and running again so I can run a half marathon in Lake Placid this summer. H will be running the full marathon so that will *hopefully* motivate me.

esstee33

I'm not really looking to lose weight, per se, but I'd like to stop getting fatter. I've really abandoned any kind of healthy eating in the past few months because life has been so hectic and stressful, so I'm looking really forward to getting back on track and eating things that don't make me feel awful. 

[Deleted User]

JCbride2015, those are great goals. I know what you mean with the budgeting thing.  Long story short, I trusted my ex boyfriend with my money when I shouldn't have and didn't pay enough attention to it.  He (and I by giving him too much control) got me into over 10K in debt and I have no idea whatever happened with money from a 401K I had to cash out because he basically absconded with it (looked in lawyers and all that shit but I didn't have enough proof for anyone to take the case).

So I know what you mean by getting a hold of your finances.  It took me about 3 years to repay all of my debt, but I did it and now the only thing I have is my student loan on my plate.  I have a credit card, but it's only for work travel, so I pay it off every month in full as soon as I get my reimbursement from my employer.

GOOD LUCK!  And, I'm glad you mentioned this because I may make it a resolution for me too.  I've recently been promoted and that came with a raise and I should probably think about where that extra income is going to go so I don't just spend it all on books and music and fun stuff!

Good luck with the implants; I lurked your postings on the topics- doesn't sound fun...  Maybe my extra income will go toward the braces I've needed my whole life...

I too need to get better at job stuff- especially w/ the promotion!

ETA:  info

amelisha

FeeleyToBe said:

Ha ha!  I'm hoping to clean up my eating a bit more myself, but not so much for photos- although weight loss and health improvement do have those "shallow" benefits to them.

I've done well for the last 2-3 months, but even though I didn't think I'd eat much for Thanksgiving, there were lots more good things on the table than I thought there would be... 

And I don't frequently drink any kind of alcohol because of the stuffy head I get from it, but the last few weekends, I've had at least one drink on both Friday and Saturday *gasp*!

Love the good house cleaning- very good way to start of the year!  I don't pick a certain time of year to do it but usually 1-2 times in a year I'll get a cleaning urge and the whole house a good scrub. 

I always take the time I'm off at Christmas for cleaning because then I can tackle it over a few days and move the furniture one room at a time. It's a good feeling to go back to work in January with the house super clean and all the junk gone and donated.

I'll be honest and say I'm in for weight loss 100% for shallow reasons. I eat pretty carefully, about 60% vegetables and almost entirely from scratch, and am very healthy and at a healthy weight now, but there is something about knowing I'm going to be looking at those stupid photos for years (because my parents' house is already a shrine to me, the only child) that makes me anxious and wanting to be at the absolute bottom of my "healthy" size so I don't have to cringe at my arms and cleavage for the next forty years. It's only ten pounds and they're straight vanity ones but still.

jenna8984

I need to get serious and crack down on a plan/ diet to lower my cholesterol. I'm only a size 6 and somewhat of a runner/ in shape but I inhereted my parents' high cholesterol. High is considered 240 and mine is 300 right now which is not really ok, and I can't take medication since I plan to get pregnant soon. So I have to try and do it the old fashioned way which seems like torture cutting out any of my favorite dairy products. But hopefully I can get used to it and find a happy medium that I can commit to.

And texting while driving. I have been trying to stop this for years but I really need to start keeping my phone zipped up in my purse the entire ride.

kat1114

Nothing that major or exciting on my resolution list- just your standard stuff like:

• get rid of CC debt by April (I've made a repayment plan- let's see if I can stick to it)
• start investing in my 401(k)
• save money because my student loans are going to go up a shit-ton starting 12/31/15
• buy a new car
• figure out my stomach pain issues because it's been 3.5 years and I'm tired of dealing with it on a daily basis
• tone it up- I'm by no means overweight, but I feel flabby because I have no muscle whatsoever

jenna8984

@beethery You are not chunky- you're a hottie

tcnoble

We are getting married in March so I want to focus on creating and maintaining a strong marriage. 

I want to continue a focus on healthy eating and not let myself gain back the 20+lbs I've lost.

I also want to focus more on my horse and riding. That's definitely been put on the backburner this year with wedding planning, moving, and work.

carrie0924

I don't usually do resolutions, either, because I feel like they make me feel pressured and then I go all "I'm an adult. I don't have to do that!" like somebody OTHER THAN MYSELF is forcing me to do something I don't want to do. So instead, last year about a week before New Year's Day, I decided I was tired of feeling like a whale and that all the excuses in the world were just me being lazy and self-defeatest. I signed up for Weight Watchers and set a goal of 50 pounds in a year. I've lost 35 pounds, and have hit a plateau (because I'm not being vigilant anymore but hey, at least I haven't gained any back!). So this year I'm setting a goal to lost the last 15 pounds in the first 3 months of the year. I was in between sizes when I ordered my dress, so I ordered down, so I have to!!!!

beethery

I appreciate it @jenna8984

[Deleted User]

jenna8984 said:

I need to get serious and crack down on a plan/ diet to lower my cholesterol. I'm only a size 6 and somewhat of a runner/ in shape but I inhereted my parents' high cholesterol. High is considered 240 and mine is 300 right now which is not really ok, and I can't take medication since I plan to get pregnant soon. So I have to try and do it the old fashioned way which seems like torture cutting out any of my favorite dairy products. But hopefully I can get used to it and find a happy medium that I can commit to.

And texting while driving. I have been trying to stop this for years but I really need to start keeping my phone zipped up in my purse the entire ride.

Rock on with the texting and driving thing!  That scares the crap out of me.  Luckily I hardly drive any more so there's much less "temptation" for it. 

[Deleted User]

tcnoble said:

We are getting married in March so I want to focus on creating and maintaining a strong marriage. 

I want to continue a focus on healthy eating and not let myself gain back the 20+lbs I've lost.

I also want to focus more on my horse and riding. That's definitely been put on the backburner this year with wedding planning, moving, and work.

If I owned a horse, I'd have a hard time keeping a job!  LOL!  I've always loved them, took lessons when I was younger, and in college.  There's no better feeling than being up on a horse! 

But LORD I've heard they're expensive- so I'll only get one if I win the Lotto.

Kudos on building a healthy marriage- hopefully you've started on that through the earlier stages of your relationship.  Fiance and I are going to read some books (we already did 5 Love Languages- I'd done the "singles" version a few years ago), but I found a marriage counselor who does like 6 pre-marital sessions for a grand and I'm seriously thinking about asking him if he'd be interested in doing it.

climbingsingle

I really don't do resolutions. But I've been trying to do something athletic or active every day. I tend to get a little sedentary in the winter and I'm trying to fight that. So, even if it's just going to the gym for 30 minutes, I need to do something every day. 

buttercup1958

Mine are

Build up my savings/checking and not spend money all the time (I'm ok at this but need to be better)

Focus on schoolwork so I can get into grad school (It's decent but it can be better)

Do more yoga, it relieves stress for me

Enjoy my time with V since we will be long distance because he is going to grad school

And impress my boss as much as I can (he is my menator and pretty much one of the main reasons I'll get into grad school)

lacqueredlover

I don't believe in New Years Resolutions.  It puts too much pressure on it.  I believe in making changes to my life whenever they feel right, whether that's January 1st or July 28th.

beachyone15

Mine is always to be healthier in the new year (more exercise and eat better). Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. It's a very loose "resolution".

Seriously though, I've had a very "all or nothing" attitude lately. Like, if I don't go to the gym 4-5 days a week, why go at all? I know that's terrible, so I'm going to work on changing my mindset and doing a little bit each day. Focus on the little wins. Hoping that will help!

LadyMillil

lacqueredlover said:

I don't believe in New Years Resolutions.  It puts too much pressure on it.  I believe in making changes to my life whenever they feel right, whether that's January 1st or July 28th.

Ditto. I have things I want to do next year like finish my PhD research, but if I want to do something like eat better or exercise more I make the change "starting next week" or "after the vacation".

chibiyui

I want to lose the 20 fucking pounds I gained this year.

I want my Web comic up and running no later than june. With a healthy 2 or 3 week lead on updates.

tcnoble

FeeleyToBe said:

tcnoble said:

We are getting married in March so I want to focus on creating and maintaining a strong marriage. 

I want to continue a focus on healthy eating and not let myself gain back the 20+lbs I've lost.

I also want to focus more on my horse and riding. That's definitely been put on the backburner this year with wedding planning, moving, and work.

If I owned a horse, I'd have a hard time keeping a job!  LOL!  I've always loved them, took lessons when I was younger, and in college.  There's no better feeling than being up on a horse! 

But LORD I've heard they're expensive- so I'll only get one if I win the Lotto.

Kudos on building a healthy marriage- hopefully you've started on that through the earlier stages of your relationship.  Fiance and I are going to read some books (we already did 5 Love Languages- I'd done the "singles" version a few years ago), but I found a marriage counselor who does like 6 pre-marital sessions for a grand and I'm seriously thinking about asking him if he'd be interested in doing it.

I owned a horse for 6 years when we lived in Wisconsin - that was relatively cheap because of the land and access to hay. Living here in Vegas... total utter sticker shock. FILs have horse property here, so boarding isn't an issue, but paying $18-22/bale for hay is just insane. It's definitely a big change from big open fields and cheap boarding options. 

We have been together for over 6 years at this point, so we have had lots of trial/error/success in building that relationship... but I know living together and marriage will add a whole other element!! I'll have to look in to that book... I'm a big reader, and while FI doesn't love reading he is always receptive to things I want to discuss so I think that could be good for us!

NowIamMrsKlein

Mainly just working on motivation. I find, especially in the winter months, I don't really have the drive to do accomplish anything. I say that I'll get up early and work out, but i've only done it twice in the last 2 weeks. I am the queen of coming up with excuses.

The DIY aspects of our wedding, the materials have been long purchased and sit in the office awaiting 'a cold day project' yet when its been -40 out I've done nothing but cuddle on the couch and watch TV.

So, resolution is motivation. If I say I'm going to do something, no excuses. Whether it be exercising, crafts, cleaning the house, etc.

Also get outside more! It's so easy to stay inside when theres 5 feet of snow and its super cold. But I definitely get the winter blues because of it. FI and I have discussed investing in some snowshoes or cleats for our shoes in order to get some winter outdoors activity in.

[Deleted User]

tcnoble said:

FeeleyToBe said:

tcnoble said:

We are getting married in March so I want to focus on creating and maintaining a strong marriage. 

I want to continue a focus on healthy eating and not let myself gain back the 20+lbs I've lost.

I also want to focus more on my horse and riding. That's definitely been put on the backburner this year with wedding planning, moving, and work.

If I owned a horse, I'd have a hard time keeping a job!  LOL!  I've always loved them, took lessons when I was younger, and in college.  There's no better feeling than being up on a horse! 

But LORD I've heard they're expensive- so I'll only get one if I win the Lotto.

Kudos on building a healthy marriage- hopefully you've started on that through the earlier stages of your relationship.  Fiance and I are going to read some books (we already did 5 Love Languages- I'd done the "singles" version a few years ago), but I found a marriage counselor who does like 6 pre-marital sessions for a grand and I'm seriously thinking about asking him if he'd be interested in doing it.

I owned a horse for 6 years when we lived in Wisconsin - that was relatively cheap because of the land and access to hay. Living here in Vegas... total utter sticker shock. FILs have horse property here, so boarding isn't an issue, but paying $18-22/bale for hay is just insane. It's definitely a big change from big open fields and cheap boarding options. 

We have been together for over 6 years at this point, so we have had lots of trial/error/success in building that relationship... but I know living together and marriage will add a whole other element!! I'll have to look in to that book... I'm a big reader, and while FI doesn't love reading he is always receptive to things I want to discuss so I think that could be good for us!

You should know that the Love Languages book is written by a Christian author, so there's some God references and such.  I have recommended the book to people of all religions though and just said that if you can "read around" those references, you will still get a LOT out of the book.

Nice thing about the book too is that while reading the whole thing is a good idea, you fiance could still get a lot out of it just by reading the relevant chapters.

The book includes a quiz (which might also be available online) that reveals what your "love language" is.  You can then go to the chapter about that love language and just read it and your partner's (if different from yours) and get something out of it. 

You may even find that if just those chapters resonate with him, he might read the whole book- I know a few people who had that happen with their SOs.

If you're going to have children some day, they also have the Five Love Languages of Children.  (I believe they are the same, just presented from a different relationship perspective).

ETA:  Yes, you're right about how living together changes things.  My fiance and I started living together 3 months ago.  It hasn't been THAT much of an adjustment, but it is different than just spending weekends and/or extended weekends together like we did for the last 3 years.  There's more "checking" in to do to make sure we're not royally pissing each other off.

[Deleted User]

SoontobeMrsKlein said:

Mainly just working on motivation. I find, especially in the winter months, I don't really have the drive to do accomplish anything. I say that I'll get up early and work out, but i've only done it twice in the last 2 weeks. I am the queen of coming up with excuses.

The DIY aspects of our wedding, the materials have been long purchased and sit in the office awaiting 'a cold day project' yet when its been -40 out I've done nothing but cuddle on the couch and watch TV.

So, resolution is motivation. If I say I'm going to do something, no excuses. Whether it be exercising, crafts, cleaning the house, etc.

Also get outside more! It's so easy to stay inside when theres 5 feet of snow and its super cold. But I definitely get the winter blues because of it. FI and I have discussed investing in some snowshoes or cleats for our shoes in order to get some winter outdoors activity in.

I too find winter motivation especially hard.  I don't much like the cold.  I want to look into snow shoes too and I think I saw something in my area for a beginner's snow shoeing class that might even be free.

I'm not much a procrastinator (not saying never, but not very often), but my fiance can be with some things (he's been saying for 4 months now he's going to call one of his aunts to get addresses so we are ready to send STDs early next year and I'm still waiting on that to happen) so that's been an interesting adjustment.

abl13

I want to shop my own closet for a whole year. I have way more clothes, shoes, bags and jewelry than is normal and we really want to build a house in 2016 so I need to save the money. I also want to run a half marathon. I was injured last year so we'll see.

steph861

Mine's more of a hope than a resolution, but my goal next year is to take in a womb-boarder for a little while.

[Deleted User]

steph861 said:

Mine's more of a hope than a resolution, but my goal next year is to take in a womb-boarder for a little while.

I almost asked what the hell that was! Can you tell there be a vacancy in my womb forever?!