life on the dee list: new year, new you?

is anyone else tired of hearing this phrase when New Year's comes around?

along with everybody else, i do get excited for a new year, fresh start and of course, i set goals, but do i really need to find a new me in the new year? how about me who is trying to improve a few things?

i was reading in my recent Women's Health magazine about setting resolutions using 5 principles. i found these really helpful when looking at my own resolutions and ensuring that they stick (let's face it, what is the average life span of a new year's resolution?)

1. specific--vauge goals give people too much leeway. be precise.

2. measurable--you should be able to gauge or quantify your success. it may help to set micro (weekly) and macro (monthly) goals. these will serve as 'checkpoints' to help you stay on track.

3. attainable--don't set yourself up for failure.

4. realistic--goes along with attainable. your schedule, body and energy can only go so far, keep that in mind!

5. time sensitive--deadlines will create a sense of urgency, will make this goal feel like a priority and always in the back of your mind. time sensitive goals can also be used as "checkpoints" for reflection and modifcation if needed.

in years past, i have always put 'lose weight' or 'workout more' at the top of my list, but not this year. i'm not sure if it's because i didn't fall into the viciously unhealthy cycle of finals this year or didn't completely gorge myself at Christmas to feel guilty or simply, but i am happy with my weight and health that i can move onto other goals and let me tell you, it feels good! i can finally move onto ~~resolving~~ improving other parts of my life.

here are my resolutions/goals:.

>become more organized and with this SIMPLIFY! do i really ALL those clothes, shoes and junk that causes more stress than anything? regardless of what my mother may think, i do not enjoy coming home to a messy room or driving around in a messy car, it makes me feel uneasy and stressed. my goal is to only have to spot clean every once in awhile vs. having to spend an entire evening cleaning a week's worth of mess!

>take better care of my teeth:. i'll admit, i fell into bad habits of not taking care of my teeth while in college. don't get me wrong, i brush my teeth twice a day (most days), but i have white strips i would like to start using and floss that NEEDS to be used.

>eat less carbs....i know, i know, what a lame GIRL resolution, but seriously, it can be a bit excessive.

>train for SOMETHING:. with my recent knee surgery, i may not be able to train for a marathon (yet), but there are a lot of other events i ~~could~~ should be training for! first on my list, Alexandria's Sprint Tri. going along with this, i would like to create a leaner body type. i consider myself to be 'bulky' (thanks to years of playing soccer and basketball) and i think it is time to get rid of that! i am hoping that by leaning myself out, my knees won't have as much pressure on them, resulting in being able to run long distances again (read train for marathon) !!!!

> make the next step in my career planning/pathway, i'm on a 3-5 year plan (more on this later....)

>save more money:. luckily, my mf and i are both on a budget diet with the help of some expense tracker apps, but i'm beginning to realize the more money i have in my savings account, the more i seem at ease and the more risks i can take...

i can honestly say, that none of these seem drudging, i am excited to get started and anxious to see where i am at the end of 2012!

now onto ringing in the new year! how did you all celebrate?!

i can say that i couldn't have imagined a better NYE. i got to spend the evening with my mf, Henry (duh), brother and sister-in-law. it was low-key and so much fun! the evening began with grilling, baking cookies, playing Apples to Apples and drinks! right when it started snowing, we decided to hit a couple bars on Grand Ave.

here are a few pictures, enjoy! :)