I'm not typically one to make resolutions, as that seems to be a sure-fire way to guarantee that you won't accomplish anything. Everyone gives up on their new year resolution by February, and since I'm only just now accepting that there's a new year, I'm already behind the curve on that. That being said, I do try to come up with goals for the year, and make them nebulous enough where I can accomplish them without much thought on my part.
Here was my list for 2014:
- Go someplace I haven't been before
- Use vacation time to actually take a vacation
- Eat at 5 restaurants I haven't been to before
- Eat/drink 5 things I haven't tried before
- Browse 5 stores I haven't been to before
- Read 10 books I haven't read before
- Watch a movie I'd ordinarily pass on
- Do/try 5 things I haven't done/tried before
- Have people over to my house for dinner
- Go on a date
As for how I did...
- Go someplace I haven't been before - I did hang out at some new friends' house this past year, so I'd say that counts, if only barely.
- Use vacation time to actually take a vacation - I went to Nekocon this year in Virginia, using some of my vacation time in the process, so I'd say that was a vacation.
- Eat at 5 restaurants I haven't been to before - I think I actually managed to accomplish this one.
- Eat/drink 5 things I haven't tried before - I definitely managed to accomplish this one.
- Browse 5 stores I haven't been to before - I failed on this one.
- Read 10 books I haven't read before - I accomplished this one.
- Watch a movie I'd ordinarily pass on - I actually saw several movies this past year that I'd ordinarily pass on.
- Do/try 5 things I haven't done/tried before - This one was too vague. If I count food and drink, then definitely accomplished. But those were both mentioned above, so I'm thinking that doesn't count. That being said, I'd be willing to accept that I have had at least five new life experiences this year, so I'd say that counts.
- Have people over to my house for dinner - I'm happy to say that I accomplished this one. I had a few house guests throughout the year, and all of them happily let me cook for them (whether they'd happily let me do it again remains to be seen...)
- Go on a date - Moving on.
So, yeah, miserable love life and lack of window shopping aside (and with a healthy dose of loophole abuse), I think I did a fairly good job accomplishing my goals for 2014. A solid 8 out of 10.
As for 2015...
I think this year, rather than create some sort of laundry list of things to do or try, I want to take a different approach to this year. So, instead of a list of things to try, I only have a single goal this year, though it involves multiple steps to achieve.
- Be a better person
I realize that seems vague. That's actually kind of the point. What exactly is a good person? How exactly can one person be better than a former version of themselves? I hope to discover that this year.
My plan is to focus on different aspects of my life and make improvements on them:
- Be better physically. Be more active. Make positive changes to my diet. Exercise more.
- Be better financially. Establish a budget. Work on paying off my debts. Live within my means.
- Be better spiritually. Live my life with a clear conscience.
- Be better mentally. Don't dwell on my shortcomings or mistakes.
- Be better socially. Learn to communicate with people and not just the handful I'm comfortable with.
- Be better emotionally. Learn to love myself.
I'm still figuring out how to approach all these aspects and in what ways I can improve upon them, even if only slightly. So, it will be a journey this year. I'll offer progress periodically, so that I can remind and encourage myself to press on and continue.
Here's hoping everyone's year is off to a good start.
