I am hereby resolved:

Just when folks have broken all of their New Year's resolutions or have forgotten about them until January 1, 2009, I am finally getting around to thinking about what need to be improved in my life. (And there's a lot.)

I generally don't make New Year's resolutions because I know they will be broken and then I'll feel guilty and my self-esteem will plummet. If I say, for instance, that I will definitely give up Diet Coke in 2001, 2002, 2003, etc., I know it'll never happen. How many years have I resolved to lose weight? And I usually do, sometimes, but it all comes back again (I'm a human yo-yo).

However, I do set some goals which I hope to achieve sometime during the year. No time limitations. Just sometime, sooner or later. Such as:

• Clean out drawers and closets; throw away, organize (sometime in winter or spring)
• Clean out garage (see above)
• Cut back on diet coke and junk food
• Get a membership to the gym and then Go
• Take the dog for a walk when weather permits
• Read some of the books on my reading list

This sort of list works best for me. When I get a drawer cleaned out and straightened, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Or if I can say, "Wow, I haven't eaten any chocolate in four days", I feel good about myself. Then if I eat a candy bar the next day, I don't beat myself up. My list of things I want to improve about myself is long, but I can and will take baby steps. I will not try to do everything at once in giant leaps!

I'm fairly certain this type of plan won't work for everyone. But I have to take a Laissez Faire attitude because I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and some days I can work and some days I can't. I have come to the conclusion that if it gets done--GREAT. If it doesn't get done--OH, WELL.