the 2012 outlook.

**before I really get into this post, I have to say that the information in italics  is all in fun, just a joke, not serious, playful in fashion, not in any way sincere, totally in jest.  I am not full of myself nor do I think I am awesome (all the time).  it was just a funny story, and a great lead-off into the things I would like to do in the year to come.  okay?  so don’t go reading on and get all huffy and call me a snob.  I am only kidding.**

(imagine that this picture is in italics, kay?)

it was suggested in our sacrament meeting on sunday, to write your goals (or resolutions, if you prefer) on a 3x5 card, and tape them to the mirror as a way to help you to remember them everyday.  I just happened to be sitting next to my best friend (who appreciates my sense of humor) and suggested to her that we had nothing to resolve this year, nothing that needed improving. 

“we might as well go home and write, ‘continue being awesome’ on our 3x5 card.”

that earned a giggle.

we listened to this particular speaker end the meeting and I said, “okay, let’s go home and write our resolution on our card!”

right after that, the opening chords of our closing hymn were played by the organist.

you’ll never guess what our closing hymn was.

“be thou humble”.

“is this a sign?”  I was sincerely worried.  but only a little.

so I am not one to necessarily believe in “resolutions”.  I prefer the word “goals” and I also prefer this “self-improvement” process to be an on-going one, not one that happens once a year.

(apparently I prefer quotation marks as well.)

there are many things I find that I need to improve upon throughout the course of the year, and as I discover those things, I readjust as needed.  but there are things I would like to accomplish within the course of that same year, and make those my goals. 

I prefer not to set outlandish goals, things that will set me up to fail, things that will be entirely out of my control, like “win the lottery”.  yeah, cause I have all power there.

I set realistic goals, things that I am truly interested and personally invested in, things I know I can do, and things in which I will have the support of my family and friends.

for example: I will never set a goal to not eat sugar.  that is too unrealistic for me.  I will also be lacking in the “support of my best friend” area, because that is something we enjoy doing together.  dude, I am so not sacrificing good times with my best friend, oh, and I don’t wanna quit sugar.  do I look that crazy?  I so wouldn’t last a day.  nope.  not a single day.

instead, I set a goal to eat sugar every day.  that way, I win.  every day.  and if I don’t, well, I really don’t feel like a failure.

so this year, for the very beginning of the year, I have two things (because small is so manageable) that I have set out to accomplish.

- crochet school.

- get better acquainted with my new camera friend.

okay, so somebody might look at me and say I already know something about both of those things.  yup, I do.  and I enjoy them, and I can get better at both!

see, they are things I like.  so there’s my motivation.  and like I said earlier, there is always room for improvement (no matter how awesome you are).  and they are totally realistic. 

I will most likely add to this list as time goes on.  so the fun is guaranteed to continue. 

I decided long ago that I was done looking at everything I hadn’t accomplished the year before, almost taking inventory of my failures, and starting the year trying to be something that I obviously really didn’t want to be, and hating every second of it, feeling every inch of failuredom (totally invented a word, should have put “invent a new word” on that list) and feeling like a sucky horrible person every day I didn’t do what I thought I might just pull off.

I also learned to not make those lists too long.  crazy long lists are also motivation killers. 

last thing I want on my hands is a murder.

so there you have it.  I have picked the things that I am genuinely interested in, have motivation to further my skills and knowledge, and I am excited!  so they won’t take a year to do, but I am guaranteed to grow during the process.

so go ahead, give yourself permission to go and be awesome this year.

(and if you are interested in crochet school, you should do it with me.  I dare you!)