Cheers to a New Year & another chance to get it right!

"I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. "

~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

... Okay- so I pushed it a little bit further than the 2nd... say- the 12th? Heck- what difference does it make so long as we`re still close to the beginning of the New Year and have 300+ days to look forward to? I`ve been a little late getting my act together. It`s not because I`ve been particularly occupied, but you know how it goes. The 1st is still technically a holiday. And then school doesn`t really begin until the 5th. And the first week is really only half of a work week since it started on a Tuesday. Anyways- scrap all that! Tomorrow is a Monday, it is a full week, and it is most definitely NOT A HOLIDAY---- so all bad habits are out the door from here on in!

I know we don`t tend to stick to the resolutions that we make for ourselves at the dawn of a New Year, but I`d really like to this year & you just never know! Maybe I`ll take myself by surprise this year. Maybe not. All I know for sure is that a New Year wouldn`t be a New Year if we didn`t at least pretend that we were motivated to make some changes in our lives. So here goes- my 2009 resolutions defined (alas!):

1). Start running.
(This year I`ve learned in my psychology courses that we are in our prime (physically) in our mid 20`s. This being said- I want to get my body into great shape!)

2). Healthy eating leading to losing 10 lbs
(need to shed the 8 lbs I put on while living in the country)

3). Travel to at least 5 countries.

4). Take part in more humanitarian work.

5). Find a hobby. (Yoga?)

6). Spend my money more wisely & save for September.

7). Let my hair down & put myself "out there" more (not so stand offish)

8). Live for the moment & worry less about tomorrow...

9). Be a social drinker & not a binge one.

10). Interact more with nature (especially when traveling)

11). Be a better person (kinder, etc)

12). Smile more.

13). Take more time to write.

14). Learn to apply make-up.