I Resolve...

I'm a little late in posting my New Years Resolutions, but for some reason, it took me a little longer to go through this exercise. I think it's mostly in part because I didn't immediately get into the fresh start frame of mind January 1. I've heard that January is the most depressing month out of the year, and I will totally vouch for that (this year anyway!). I think going back to work after practically two weeks home with the family, combined with dreary, cold weather made me not ready for my reality. Anyway, I am out of my funk now, and ready to tackle 2010! After a lot of thought and introspection, here's what I resolve to do this year:

1. Make a conscience decision to be a happier person. In 2009 I finally started to see that happiness and contentment really are a state of mind. So many times, I've fallen into the trap of thinking, "I'll be happy when..." That's crazy. As you know, I've been following Gretchen Rubin and the Happiness Project pretty closely and one of her favorite sayings is the "The days are long, but the years are short." How true is that? My life is pretty darn awesome, and I don't want to waste it away always wishing for bigger and better things. Which leads me into my next one.

2. Follow the 2010 Happiness Challenge with Gretchen Rubin! Intrigued? You can do it too....click HERE to find out more info. She really takes the guesswork out of it by placing a focus in each month and giving you a simple task to do that is relevant to that focus each week. I'm excited!

3. Learn to sew - Now, I was tempted to get more detailed with this one, but having never sewed in my life, this is a daunting task for me. I'm not even sure that I'll enjoy it, So I'm starting small. I've always wanted to be able to sew and I'm tired of saying, "I wish I could do that." So I've enrolled in some sewing classes starting February 6th! Yay!

4. Plant and grow my own garden - This one could be tricky. I think that the best time to start planting a garden is March, and if all goes well, we could be moving out of our house around that time, so things may be crazy for us. BUT, I've been doing some research on a how to plant a small garden that will include some good plants and herbs for beginners like basil, peas, tomatoes, green beans, etc.

5. Get back into a regular exercise routine - I was doing this for a while after I went back to work, then the work hours got longer, and I got lazy. I've been back into the swing of things the last two weeks and I really do feel better when I am exercising regularly. I sleep better too. I think the key is to do something that you enjoy and that is manageable. So for me right now that's good ole Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. It's simple and it only takes 20 minutes. I've been thinking about getting back into running, but I'm not sure how much time I'm willing to commit, and I like to make resolutions I can keep!

6. Stick to my bedtime - I know that to feel rested, I need to go to bed at 9:30 every week night. I always regret it if I don't. There's not much more to say about that. Of course Gretchin has plenty to say about it and I highly recommend reading some of her commentary on the importance of sleep! Click HERE to check it out.

There you have it folks! Happy (Late) New Year!