I'm not usually one for making New Year's resolutions. I do set goals from time to time, but I usually leave them just vague enough to save me too much disappointment when I don't get around to them for, you know, a few years or so.
I just don't trust myself, and for good reason. When I was a girl, I would write long, reflective entries in my journal around the beginning of the year (often occasioned by holiday road trips, breaks from school, and the celebration of another birthday on January 3). I would wax philosophical about the passing of time and pledge earnestly to write in my journal more often from now on. I have to laugh when I look back at those journals; probably 90% of the entries are dated somewhere between December 25 and February 14.
Well, this year I'm attempting to change my ways. There are a few things I've been wanting/trying/failing to do for several years now. They're always there in the back of my mind, but rather than being motivated to find time for them, I typically just end up feeling guilty. Or I start out optimistically, then realize two months later that I haven't even given them a thought for weeks.
I admit I'm hesitant even now to post something like this online, where other people can see it. I know I am very likely to utterly fail and feel like deleting this post by the end of April. The thing is, I really do want to pursue these things. They aren't essential things, like reading my Bible more or becoming a better parent, but they are things I've wanted to do for a while.
My three main resolutions happen to begin with the letter R, so they're conveniently easy to remember. There are a couple more, but they don't fit my nicely alliterated list, so I'll save them for later.
Three Rs for 2011:
1) Reading - read at least one book (or 200 pages) per month
2) Running - learn to run (walk/run 3x per week until I can run 5K)
3) Russian - study Russian at least 3 nights per week
So, can I do it? I really don't know, but I hope so. My suspicion is that what I really need is some accountability/encouragement. Taras has already promised to help me make time for things and keep me accountable. He possesses the self-motivation and persistent dedication that I often lack, so his support will be very helpful. But I've also decided to blog a little about my goals, in case anyone else cares to give me a exhortatory kick in the pants every now and then.
I'll probably talk about these more in some brief upcoming posts. I'm compiling a reading list, and I'll be asking for suggestions, so be ready. The running thing has a pretty cool reason behind it, too. And Russian...well, that one's pretty obvious, but it's cool anyway, right? Blogging isn't on this list, but I do hope to blog a little more, especially in relation to whatever I'm reading/learning as I tackle my three Rs. Even if no one reads it, putting things "on paper" always helps.
Let's just hope I can make it past February. :-)
