Resolute

I can’t for the life of me figure out why everyone I know is so dang against making New Years resolutions…it’s almost like it’s uncool for members of my generation to make goals for themselves; or at least, to stick a ‘start’ date on them. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had regarding NY’s resolutions in which my peers say that they’re just not ‘into’ making them, or that if they have a goal, they would just start working toward it whenever it came to them.

Well, here’s the thing: I think New Year’s Resolutions are awesome. I’ve made them every year of my young adult life excepting one, (because of peer pressure regarding NYR’s lameness) and I regretted it that year. In fact, I had 6th and 7th formers make them today in class!

Sure, if I have a goal or mission or change in my life that I think of in November, I’m not going to wait till January to start it…and I don’t use them as an excuse to binge or be lazy or financially irresponsible or whatever for the last couple months of the year (I use the holidays as my excuse for that).

Instead, I think that starting our lives in a new year is a pretty big deal–the whole timeline of our lives is run on the passing of years. So I don’t see any shame in taking the New Year turnover as a time to reflect on the past year and pump up for the next. For me, that includes making some goals and examining some ideas about changes I’d like to make in myself.

So, without further ado, here is a list of things about which I feel resolute for the upcoming year:

1. Focus less on what I want to be or might be or was or will be, and more on what I am. Many of my anxieties and falls in inspiration are often rooted in my fixation on actions in the past, worry about the future, wishing I were something I’m not, wishing I weren’t something I am…so my goal for 2012 is to become more aware of, in tune with, and accepting of who and how and what I am in this moment in time.
2. Continue a few healthy practices that I’ve been working on now for almost 2 months: Running (4-5 days per week), Yoga (at least 20 mins daily), and Meditation (currently at a humble 15 mins per day).  I cannot describe fully how much my mood, my mind, my emotions and my spirits were lifted when I reintroded these habits to my life…and I don’t want to sink back to where I was before then, either. At the same time, however, I’m going to do my best not to get burnt out by running, like I did this summer when I pushed myself too hard.
3. Drink more water! I have been half-heartedly trying to do this for some time…every time I get serious about it, I just get annoyed at how often I have to pee. But, I want to get my mind and body over that and keep myself hydrated better.
4. Study for, take, and do well on the GRE; hopefully in May. (Since I’ve decided to not worry so much about the future, I’m not writing: and apply for Grad schools, Fulbright, and other post-PC plans)
5. Start learning a language other than Azerbaijani (TBD: whichever I’m least intimidated by on Rosetta Stone. So far Arabic and Mandarin have both scared the shit out of me…)
6. Finish the English Teaching Resource Book that I’ve started working on without hurrying it, half-assing it, or giving up on it. Then, get it printed/distributed and host a series of teacher trainings in my region based on the project.
7. Bring some of the pizazz that I had in the classroom a year ago back into my teaching…my teacher-y inspiration needs a boost, big time.
8. Inspire and be inspired : )

Yeah!