Another year, another busy holiday season. This was a lovely year with the addition of my sweet niece Reagan, but it was not without its trials (i.e. My husband moving to Russia for SIX MONTHS). Things are finally starting to settle down, and I'm looking forward to a long weekend of sleeping, puppy snuggles and reflection. I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole resolution thing, but it is nice to check in every once in a while, so here goes...
1. Dedicate time to writing at least five days a week, whether it's a blog post or a writing project. (This certainly didn't happen this year, but I'm going to give it the old college try again.)
2. Record all of the books I read throughout the year. This was a fun one for me last year, so I'll be doing it again. You can follow my progress under "What I've Read." (I've done some thinking, and I'm not sure this is the best tool. Instead, I've created a recommendations page, where I'll curate a list of my all-time favorite reads, new and old.)
3. Continue renovations on the condo. Things are moving right along, and I have even more big plans for this year. (Oh dear, the condo. We are slowly but surely making progress. But condo renovations are expensive, so I'm going to say that slow and steady wins the race in future years.)
4. Cook more often, and try new recipes. This remains on the list. I tired a few new things last year, but it's time to test out all of that fancy kitchen equipment from the registry. (Out of necessity (and lack of husband to cook for me), I did a lot more cooking this year. I didn't make anything too fancy, but I did cook a Thanksgiving meal for the first time. I'm calling that progress.)
5. Be open to new friendships. This is always a goal for me, but I want to be more intentional about the people I spend time with, especially since I'm so protective of my time. (I'm going to mark this one down as a success too. Look at me go! I put myself out there this year. I strengthened some old friendships and I can see a few new ones taking shape. This will always be an important resolution for an introvert like me.)
6. Make healthier choices. I'm never going to be a health nut. I have too many guilty pleasures for that sort of lifestyle. But I do want to make healthier choices, even if it's just drinking more water and getting on a regular schedule with barre classes. (Fail, and fail. But I've signed up for a Barre3 Challenge to kick 2015 off right. And I've already started drinking more water.)
7. Achieve balance. Overall, this is what I'm going for. More play, less work. More quality time with the people I love. More calm, less stress. (Important, and not easy. This stays on the list for the rest of my life, I think.)
And now, for a new resolution.
8. Learn more about the world of wine. For years I've been captivated by the rich history and complexity of the world of wine, which has only increased as I work with our clients to open new restaurants across the country. I've decided to take my interest in wine to the next level. I'm looking into different options for expanding my wine knowledge, and I'll be taking a trip to California to learn even more in the hub of American winemaking. I'm not sure what shape this resolution will take, but I know wine will be a part of 2015.
So there we have it. Resolutions, old and new. And I'm hoping to keep track of them in my new Passion Planner. If you're in the market for a planner, check this one out! It strikes a good balance between work and play. Also, you can download pages to try it out for free! What a great company and philosophy, right?
Cheers to 2015!