10 for 2018. UPDATED

Bacall Approved Resolutions!

For some reason, the past couple of years, I have had ten New Year's Resolutions and when I finished writing down my resolutions for 2018, you guessed it....

10 Resolutions!

I keep a list of my Resolutions on my phone and I have them written in a journal so they stay visible to me all year long.  I'm someone who is constantly looking for new ways to improve, expand and enjoy life and resolutions are a way for me to do these things in a concrete way.  

So without further ado, my 2018 Resolutions

1.  At least 26 'Something to Think About' Journal entries.

When the O Magazine first came out, I was a subscriber and every month there was a cardstock tear out with a journal prompt and questions on it.  I saved them every month and put them in a three ring binder thinking that I would do them someday.  I've done maybe 10 of them in the years since and I have close to a hundred.  It's time to use this easy journaling prompt.

RESULT:  I did 19 which is more that I had done since collecting them in my folder and am completely ok with this.  I will continue using these simple journaling prompts in 2019

2.  Bucket List items

I know you are in shock that this is on my Resolution list again.  Hey, I love this, so it's here to stay and I consider Bucket lists as nothing more than a Life Resolution list so why not make progress every year.  

RESULT:  Once again, not the ones I thought, but the ones I needed

3.  Get outdoors more!  Hiking, snowshoeing, x-country skiing, rowing, camping, etc.

I LOVE being outside!  I am not always the best at getting out there though....daily life gets in the way, so I thought if I made it more of a focus and even making it a regular part of my workout routine, I would get outside more...  Nature fulfills me in a way that I can not explain and the more the better.

RESULT:  Better but still not as much as I would of liked.  I did get rowing again, though, and that made me insanely happy.

4.  See if the idea in my head really is a novel

You are either going to think I'm crazy or totally get this, but I have a few characters in my head that want to be in a story.  I've been doing research as the year has come to an end on how to start to write a novel.  I'm going to dedicate a certain amount of time each week and maybe even join a writing group and see what happens.  It may be end up being a short story or novella, but I need to do this...

RESULT:  This was an adventure.  I now understand why in author's notes when they say it took them years to write the book.  I have learned a lot, made mistakes, and kept going..... and will keep going in 2019.

5.  More water.

I had a hit and miss year with drinking the amount of water that I need.  If I am drinking water at the level my body likes a couple of things happen---1.  I don't drink carbonated drinks and 2. The weight I want to lose is easier and when I'm at a healthy weight, it's easier to maintain.  Plus it's just a healthy thing to do.

RESULT:  I started with a small goal and then bumped it up every month until I hit 80 ounces a day, which I now maintain.  I kept a daily log and will continue with that, it's a HUGE help and reminder.  I now notice when I haven't hit my goals.  If I'm not feeling well, my first question to myself, is how much water have I had?

6.  Work on my lettering/calligraphy

I follow people on instagram, facebook and blogs who are AMAZING letterers!  I have been downloading practice sheets and such for about a while now, but haven't taken the time to actually start and try this.  I may suck and I may not continue but until I practice on a regular basis and maybe take a class or two, I have no idea whether I can do this or if it's just something that I appreciate.  This is the year I find out.

RESULT:  I got supplies, I learned, I took classes and I found out that I really enjoy doing this even if right now, I'm not very good.  I'm rolling this into a 2019 resolution to get me consistent...

7.  Try something new every month....a restaurant, activity, etc.

This actually sprung from a couple resolutions of 2017 and I want to keep it going.  It keeps me out of my comfort zone, I'll learn new things and try new food, so this is just good all around.

RESULT:  Every month, I did something new and most months I did multiple things.  I'm morphing this into another goal for 2019.

8.  Find and maintain my Meditation Practice.

A couple of years ago, I made a resolution to meditate every day and I fell in love with meditation.  I did find out that in meditating every day, I lost the reason for it.  It became something I had to do, not needed and wanted.  In my quest last year of self-care, I gravitated to meditation often, but then would not have a formal meditation for a while.  I was massively inconsistent, that's what I want to fix.  Have a formal meditation practice that is practical in its repetition, but not a chore, yet often enough that I don't go 'Why don't I do this more?'

RESULT:  I believe I found and maintained my Meditation this year and it makes me so happy.  

9. Travel Solo

My only straight carry over from 2017.  I had ideas, but nothing ever got past that in 2017.  For 2018, I have two separate concrete plans.  If one ends up being a solo trip, the other can become a friend/family trip or maybe I'll do it twice.  It will happen this year.

RESULT:  Concrete plans can be messed up by work and that happened this year.....and it can still be ok

10.  Penny savings challenge

This is a crazy simple savings plan.  I'm not doing this for my main savings, it's a mad money kind of a deal and at the end it's almost $700 saved.  I'm allowing myself flexibility on the schedule but not the participation.  I think the main reason I want to do this is to focus on why I spend the money I do. Intention is becoming a major thing with me and this is a way to examine it in a money sense.

RESULT:  It turned out not to be my favorite way to save money, the odd amounts started to drive me crazy, so I would round up, but it got me thinking about saving extra on a regular basis.

Here's to another year of Resolutions!  

and if you're curious to see how my 2017 ones turned out, I updated the blog that dealt with them and you can read about it, HERE...

Melissa