A New Year... working on a better me

Preface: I actually started this blog back in mid-December and then with all the hubbub if the holiday season, and the coolest little sister in town, I put off finishing it. I avoided the computer and spent time with my fam-damn-ily. Also, I was working on resolving to change me in a more drastic, definitive way than the generic 'lose 20 pounds' or 'be more organized' regulars that grace so many people resolution lists. What follows is the version I wrote this morning...

I don't know about everyone else, but personally, I love the New Year. It is quite possibly my favorite time of the year. It never fails to open my eyes and see things in a new light. I also thoroughly enjoy the festivities involved (especially this year, which left me with memories that will last my lifetime), but even more than that, I love the metaphor that a clean slate inspires. I generally find myself being more introspective, and its the time of year when, similar to a snake sloughing off its skin, you think about the person you have been, and the person you would like to be in the future.

Now I know our blog is directed on shedding the poundage, and I won't neglect to highlight on this, but I want to point out that I think weight loss is easier (and comes naturally) when you are happy. Oh, and stress free (have you read the effects of cortisol on belly fat?! HELLO SPARE TIRE!). Therefore, my resolutions for 2010 are focused around precise goals (which I have mapped out plans to achieve) that I hope, will result in a more satisfied, spunky and balanced ME. Similar to the 'Summer of George,' this shall be the 'Season of Megs!'

1. Money Motto: Save More, Spend Less, Be Debt Free!
I have created a budget that is strict, and that if followed religiously, will allow me to generously contribute to my 401K, have banked $8,000 by end of year 2010 and be free of all debt (excluding school loans). Money is my primary source of stress. Like many others my age, I live paycheck to paycheck, hoping that my car doesn’t need repairs and that things will flow smoothly. This is dumb. I need to realize that things will not always work out, and that I need to have some funding saved in case of emergencies. This is the most important thing for 2010.
2. Get Physical
I joined a gym last week, and am committed to being there bright eyed and busy tailed 5 mornings a week. Weekends are off limits, and time to spend out of doors, but right now - I need to be spending the wee hours on the morning logging miles on the treadmill. I also have started riding horses again, and am currently riding twice a week. As a short term, goal I would like to drop 15 lbs in January. Yay!
3. What DO I want to do with my life... Figure it out!
I always toss out vague goals, and it came to my attention last the other day that I need to sit down and spend sometimes constructing 3 month goals, 6 month goals, 1 year goals, 5 year goals, and 10 year goals. I can honestly say I have no idea where I want to be in 10 years... So, I need to work on creating these goals, and get them in front of me on a daily basis. Step 1: Create a bulletin board with goals listed and other bits of inspiration to keep me on track. Step 2: Hold myself accountable (log workouts, analyze savings monthly).
Step 3: Stick to it! (Side note: I will be posting pictures of this bulletin board this evening!)
4. Find Inspiration
Each day I look the following list I printed off of the Meandering Bohemian's blog. (If you haven't been there yet, take a moment and check it out - he's an old friend who has always had amazing insights and has brought a lot that into his blog. It’s a treat to read, a feast for the eyes, and always leaves you thinking.) I always find great little tidbits of inspiration there:These 10 lines never fail to make me think. I want to embrace EVERY line of this list EVERY day. I want to find ways to be inspired on a daily basis. Whether this involves further religious research or daily meditation, I don't know. But I am looking for something more...
5. Stop worrying about what other people think or expect of me
All that matters is my opinion of me, and my expectations for myself. 'Nuff said.
6. Be present in the moment
Too often I stress about the future (see #1) or stress about what people think (#5) - Stress is a daily occurrence in my life. Yuck. I need to focus on being present in the moment, and enjoying each minute for what it is.
7. BLOG!!!
So, if you are reading this, its likely that you are either a) related to me or Ally, b) personally know one of us, or c) accidentally stumbled across this pages while googling something vague like "lose weight." We appreciate all of our readers, and I am going to be a better blogger in 2010. We used to have a number of followers, but our sporadic posts have been more lacking than usual. Stick around, you're about to experience a blog frenzy from these two Starfishes.
8. Work on a Relationship
For those who speak SATC, this is not like Charlotte deciding that THIS is the year she will get married. This is more me coming to the conclusion I am ready to enjoy a relationship. Maybe this is too much information for y'all, but I used to think I had my life all planned out, and getting over that was, well, monumental. Now, I am ready to start thinking about being with someone. I HATE depending on other people, and tend to assume everyone will let me down in the end (optimistic, huh? ). As such, I avoid the whole relationship thing and in turn I avoid potential heartbreak. However, its also LONELY. There are numerous happy couples around me right now, and I want to be 1/2 of a happy couple. So, my taxi light is on.
9. Be on Time
If you know me personally, you know that I run on my own time. Which is usually 15 - 20 minutes behind everyone else. While some find it endearing and some realize I just get so caught up in things that I lose track of time, I KNOW that this is RUDE. VERY rude. I hate it about myself. I am vowing to be on time for work, and early when meeting friends. I will. I promise. I care about my friends and my job, and I think it reflects a lack of caring when I run perpetually late.
10. Reconnect with the Lake
With all the change in my life over the last year, I have lost touch with some people who mean the world to me. To be honest, I was (and still am a little) worried that they are angry with me, that they think less of me, essentially that they don't like me anymore. This fear has kept me from really reaching out. I need to try harder. I want to bridge those connections again, because I won't forgive myself if I don't.

So that's it. My goals for 2010. Some are lofty, some are small and meaningful only to me, but each one resonates within me. Which is really all that matters, right?
What are your resolutions?