How did New Year Resolutions get such a bad rep? Isn’t it a time for us to start over with fresh intentions? Forget the past and move on? Out with the old, in with the new?
I personally look at it as striving for a change and creating new habits. I like examining my past year’s behaviors (and misbehaviors) and making a list of things I’d like to fix and setting goals – ooooooh, I loooooove goals. Setting goals increases productivity and the success rate by 80%! I’m pretty sure I just made that up, but I know goal setting is important – as long as it’s realistic and specific.
Like most women, one of my New Year Resolutions (known as NYR now, because it’s a pain to type) is to lose weight. Wooomp woomp womp.
A key to setting goals is to be as specific, whether it’s a setting a ideal weight or size, or saying many days you’re dedicating working out in the gym a week. The other key is making sure it’s realistic and attainable. Sure, I’d LOVE to lose 30 pounds before my birthday in February, but seriously. Even though my goal is specific – I stated the amount I’d like to lose and gave me a deadline, but I’m not exactly on the Biggest Loser Ranch where I can work out for hours a day and eat perfectly clean, so I’m pretty sure that my body can’t lose the required 6 pounds per week to meet my goal. I’d basically be setting myself up for disappointment, which yeah, could put a bad taste in my mouth regarding the whole NYR planning thing.
Last year, my boyfriend and I set a goal that we’d lose 20 lbs. by the time we leave for our normal Fourth of July trip to the beach. I wasn’t in the gym every day like I was hoping I’d be, and I occasionally enjoyed an item from the McDonalds menu here and there, but I framed my mind into thinking these were just speed bumps, not reasons to give up hope and quit. As the pounds came off, my confidence went up, and it transformed itself from a NYR to just a normal habit. Going on a run was as automatic as brushing my teeth. When I hit the 20 lbs. mark in June, I wanted to keep going. Since I met my goal, I set a new one, I wanted to start wearing a size 8. I ended up losing 38 lbs. and wearing a size 10 by mid August. Unfortunately, I didn’t plan for any other setbacks and transition myself into “maintenance mode”. I gained some back, and yeah I’m disappointed, but now I know what I need to do for 2011. I have a fresh start and a new mindset and don’t consider myself a failure because I hit a road block. The typical person only sticks to the NYR until mid February. If it happens to you, shrug it off and start again in a couple months and be satisfied that the first 1.5 months of attempted change with pure intentions is better than no attempt at all.
So alas, here are my personal NYR for 2011 (and hopefully the rest of my life):
1. Déjà vu – I’m going to lose 20 lbs. by July because I know I can do it. And then I’m going to get into those freakin size 8 jeans by the end of 2011, all the while burning all of my fat jeans that I keep coming back to.
2. New motto: Quality, not Quantity – I used to measure my worth based on how many people I surrounded myself with – yeah, I thought I was a big deal because I had over 1,300 friends on Facebook. Now I’ve realized it doesn’t matter how many friendships you have, but the actual connection and effort your are giving to and receiving from this person.
3. Project 365 – I’m going to take one picture a day for the next year. Armed with my backup Canon DSLR that I’m going to attempt to start carrying with me everywhere and my iPhone 4 which is basically an appendage, I should have no problem doing this.
4. Frugalness – I need to be smarter with my money and live as if plastic wasn’t invented. Save, Save, Save!
5. Stop the Profanity – I cuss like a sailor. Hell, my thoughts are usually profanity.
6. Read the Bible – I received my very own Bible from my parents for Christmas this year and I tend to read it!
7. Anger Control – ie, road rage, attitude, confrontation, rudeness, yelling, etc. Be gone with it you all!
I have some photography-related NYR as well:
8. Blog once every two weeks.
9. I’m getting busier, but I still have some down time between shoots. Even if it’s shooting Toby or nature, I just need to practice more.
10. Take at least one photography related class a month – I have a mentoring session in NC coming up in January, a Photoshop class in February, and a workshop in Atlanta in March – the only way I’m going to get better is to keep being a student and learn.
11. I finally got to the point where I’m happy and confident with my lens inventory, but I’m still just using the 3 I’m most comfortable with. I need to get out of my comfort zone and use the others!
12. Be more organized with contracts and paperwork.
13. Book at least 1-2 weddings each month starting in April.
Like most women, one of my New Year Resolutions (known as NYR now, because it’s a pain to type) is to lose weight. Wooomp woomp womp.
A key to setting goals is to be as specific, whether it’s a setting a ideal weight or size, or saying many days you’re dedicating working out in the gym a week. The other key is making sure it’s realistic and attainable. Sure, I’d LOVE to lose 30 pounds before my birthday in February, but seriously. Even though my goal is specific – I stated the amount I’d like to lose and gave me a deadline, but I’m not exactly on the Biggest Loser Ranch where I can work out for hours a day and eat perfectly clean, so I’m pretty sure that my body can’t lose the required 6 pounds per week to meet my goal. I’d basically be setting myself up for disappointment, which yeah, could put a bad taste in my mouth regarding the whole NYR planning thing.
Last year, my boyfriend and I set a goal that we’d lose 20 lbs. by the time we leave for our normal Fourth of July trip to the beach. I wasn’t in the gym every day like I was hoping I’d be, and I occasionally enjoyed an item from the McDonalds menu here and there, but I framed my mind into thinking these were just speed bumps, not reasons to give up hope and quit. As the pounds came off, my confidence went up, and it transformed itself from a NYR to just a normal habit. Going on a run was as automatic as brushing my teeth. When I hit the 20 lbs. mark in June, I wanted to keep going. Since I met my goal, I set a new one, I wanted to start wearing a size 8. I ended up losing 38 lbs. and wearing a size 10 by mid August. Unfortunately, I didn’t plan for any other setbacks and transition myself into “maintenance mode”. I gained some back, and yeah I’m disappointed, but now I know what I need to do for 2011. I have a fresh start and a new mindset and don’t consider myself a failure because I hit a road block. The typical person only sticks to the NYR until mid February. If it happens to you, shrug it off and start again in a couple months and be satisfied that the first 1.5 months of attempted change with pure intentions is better than no attempt at all.
So alas, here are my personal NYR for 2011 (and hopefully the rest of my life):
1. Déjà vu – I’m going to lose 20 lbs. by July because I know I can do it. And then I’m going to get into those freakin size 8 jeans by the end of 2011, all the while burning all of my fat jeans that I keep coming back to.
2. New motto: Quality, not Quantity – I used to measure my worth based on how many people I surrounded myself with – yeah, I thought I was a big deal because I had over 1,300 friends on Facebook. Now I’ve realized it doesn’t matter how many friendships you have, but the actual connection and effort your are giving to and receiving from this person.
3. Project 365 – I’m going to take one picture a day for the next year. Armed with my backup Canon DSLR that I’m going to attempt to start carrying with me everywhere and my iPhone 4 which is basically an appendage, I should have no problem doing this.
4. Frugalness – I need to be smarter with my money and live as if plastic wasn’t invented. Save, Save, Save!
5. Stop the Profanity – I cuss like a sailor. Hell, my thoughts are usually profanity.
6. Read the Bible – I received my very own Bible from my parents for Christmas this year and I tend to read it!
7. Anger Control – ie, road rage, attitude, confrontation, rudeness, yelling, etc. Be gone with it you all!
I have some photography-related NYR as well:
8. Blog once every two weeks.
9. I’m getting busier, but I still have some down time between shoots. Even if it’s shooting Toby or nature, I just need to practice more.
10. Take at least one photography related class a month – I have a mentoring session in NC coming up in January, a Photoshop class in February, and a workshop in Atlanta in March – the only way I’m going to get better is to keep being a student and learn.
11. I finally got to the point where I’m happy and confident with my lens inventory, but I’m still just using the 3 I’m most comfortable with. I need to get out of my comfort zone and use the others!
12. Be more organized with contracts and paperwork.
13. Book at least 1-2 weddings each month starting in April.
14. Here’s an article about NYR for photographers: http://www.macworld.com/article/156640/2010/12/photoresolutions.html. I do most of these, but I need to do the others!
So, what are your New Year Resolutions?
I wish you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy and goal-oriented New Year! :)
I wish you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy and goal-oriented New Year! :)
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