Yay! January. Time to beat ourselves up for not accomplishing what we wanted to over the past 12 months.

When I asked my hubby whether he had any resolutions, he gave me a pretty definite “nope”. I don’t know why I feel compelled to make these resolutions, year after year. Partly because I’m a dork. I think the other part might be my optimism. I don’t always follow through on the things I say I am going to change but I keep my hopes high that, one of these days, I’m going to have nothing left to resolve! I will be perfect. Completely remodeled, revamped, renewed and resolved. That year, I’ll resolve nothing.

I’m looking forward to that year.

In the meantime, here are my personal resolutions for 2012. And in case you haven’t decided on yours yet, here is a big list of healthy resolutions you can actually achieve and that would help anyone reach their goals.

1. Jog more. I love jogging and have a hard time convincing myself to embrace the elements. Jogging is a warm weather sport for me. I’m going to change that and start jogging year-round. I even pre-resolved myself (OK, that makes no sense. Moving on…) with my first outdoor jog of this winter in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve while visiting family in -30 degree Ottawa. Brrrr! Frosty. Frosty and inspiring.

2. Worry less. Lately I worry a lot. The older I get, the more responsibility I have, the more worried I feel. I guess this is pretty unremarkable among women but I feel a bit paralyzed by my worry sometimes. I know it’s unproductive and draining. I recently read that many psychologists recommend to worried patients that they focus on their feelings of gratitude; this shifts the focus off the “what-ifs” and is proven to reduce worry. So I’m all over that. More learning, more reading, more appreciating, more movies, more jogs, more hanging out. Should leave me less time for worrying, right? Right?

3. Control my email. Sometimes my email controls me. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with technology and modern communication. I can happily go without a phone, facebook… even a watch.  Being “unplugged” can be really relaxing as long as I’m not dreading whatever work and unanswered calls/emails are awaiting me at the end of my technological hiatus. So instead of checking my email (by computer or iPhone) fifty times per day and stressing about the responses I need to send when I have time, I will only check my email when I have time to deal with it. That means no obsessive iPhone checks while waiting in line and shutting my laptop when I’m not at my desk so I can’t peek at my facebook and  email every time you walk

So that’s what I’m going to do with myself this year. Now I’m going to shut this laptop and put it away and read a book (#3). And appreciate the fact that I’m reading a book (#2). Then tomorrow I’ll go for a jog (#1).

I feel better already.

 

 

Are you too cool for resolutions? If you’re a dork like me, what are you resolving for 2012?.