New Year Goals

With 2014 coming to a close I am reminded again how refreshing the prospect of a new year is. The theme for 2014 was development, and I really feel like I did quite a lot of that during the year. I had some low points for sure: physical therapy which sapped both my will to live and my ability to run, walk, or do any significant exercise. Exercise hits a special trigger with me that really impacts my happiness when I don't have it.

For the past several years I've been focusing on a theme for the year because the prospect of rigidity in "new year resolutions" feels like too much to keep up with, too much pressure, and too much specificity - not leaving me enough room to really grow and instead forcing a structure on me that encourages rushing through a thing just to cross it off a list.

Lately, though, I feel like I need that structure again. I do love a good list, after all, and I've been accomplishing my goals well enough by using the theme method for each year that I'm ready for a change. So here is my list of goals for this year, in no particular order:

• Achieve 100% visiting teaching for each month in 2015
• Blog - if not daily, at least once each week
• Attend a writing seminar or retreat
• Join a knitting club - with meetings and everything
• Complete a minimum of one knitting project each month
• Plan and start Christmas knitting well in advance of Christmas
• Achieve a 15 mph walking pace
• Read at least 24 books
• Walk my dog(s) more often

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the things I wish to accomplish in 2015. I also want to cook more, exercise more, take more pictures, write a book, watch less TV, study more, go to school, and solve everyone's emotional problems. You know, the same list of things I don't do every year and keep tacking onto next year's list.

Happy new year!