2013: Resolutions by the Month

I used to make New Year's resolutions. Being the sort of person that I am, I like the idea of setting a goal, working toward it and (hopefully) achieving it within a certain time frame. However, not unlike gummy bears (or chocolate chip cookies, or ponies, or Christmas presents, or shoes...), you can't have just one. So, excited about the promise of a new year and further encouraged by everyone around me, I would make a few resolutions (known by the hip-and-with-it crowd as "NYR").

Everyone felt obligated to make losing weight their number one resolution- as though putting it first on the list would somehow help- and I floated with that crowd a few times. Then, "being healthy" (which is secret slang for "lose weight but won't be discouraged when it doesn't happen") became the next big NYR, and I could agree with that, so that would make my list. I put other things down too, mostly to do with studying more or saving money.

Pretty much all of it failed. I know, I know, it sounds sad and pathetic but I'm over it. I stopped making NYR for a few years because I'm the sort of person that likes to set a goal and accomplish it and it would make me feel kind of dejected to have set out to do something and not finished it. Something like having no expectations saves you from disappointment- however that quote goes.

But this year I came up with something different: I decided that I would set a new resolution each month. Instead of being some vague like "lose weight" or "save money", I would make goals that were somewhat more quantifiable. And instead of being things purely for myself (although I won't say every resolution is completely selfless), I'm hoping I'm able to be a better person by accomplishing each of the mini-resolutions.

January's resolution was to be a better friend. It doesn't seem obviously quantifiable, but each "act" was a bit of a mental notch for me to remember. I don't need to go into detail (that would pretty much defeat the point of being more selfless, haha). Suffice to say that I feel like I reached my goal to be a better friend :) It feels good to set and reach that first goal- probably the first NYR I can remember actually accomplishing! Now, for the next one... I've waffled on February, but I think I've decided that my next mini-resolution will be to eat less meat. I think this will be an interesting one, since I've considered going full-out vegetarian intermittantly the past few years. In the back of my head I do have...moral qualms? about eating meat the way it is traditionally produced. I think I will feel like a better person if I can get myself to eat in a way that is compatible with my view points on production animals, their welfare, their impact on the environment, etc. Bonus- this will force me to try new recipes, which was runner-up for February's resolution. So here's to February 1st- let's hope I can keep it up!