Hopes for the New Year

I'm not really one for New Years Resolutions any more. In the past when I made them, like most of the population, I always failed to keep them. I remember one year as a kid, I made a list of three items on an index card and then taped it to my wall. Did I keep those resolutions? Honestly, no. I certainly tried for the month of January! haha

So instead of making resolutions, I am simply thinking of my hopes, goals, and dreams for this New Year. There's lots of changes I would like to make, but I know I probably won't accomplish all of them this year. Here's a list of things I would like to continue doing, do more of, or start:

*Read, read, read lots of books

*Be more diligent about reading the Bible

*Run more than I did last year

*Do at least one 5k race this year

*Take lots of pictures

*Be more active in the kitchen-- actually, cook or bake something (anything!)

*Save more money than I did last year

*Write in my journal more

*Sew a skirt with mom

*Get back into scrapbooking

*Enjoy the little things... take time to be immersed in nature and reflect on God's greatness

*Be more compassionate to those who have less than me

*Keep on substituting and enjoying teaching

*Remember that every customer I help is a fellow human being- whether they frustrate me, are incredibly mean, or the nicest of them all... remembering that they all have a story, hopes and dreams just like me.

*Continue to change over to more natural products & foods

*Find time to relax and just do nothing!

*Enjoy being a student and make meaningful connections with my classmates and professor

Yes, that's a big list but I don't feel like any of those things are impossible to achieve. They're all things that I can achieve or keep on doing. I think that should be the point of "resolutions." Why set yourself up for failure?

Having hopes for the New Year means that one understands there will be challenges and victories. There will always be ups and downs. So these expectations we set for ourselves should be positive. No sense in creating lofty goals that will only lead to disappointment later down the road. There's already too much negativity in the world as it is!

What are your hopes and dreams for 2011?

Hope it's a good year ahead for each and every one of you :)