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New Year's Resolutions for 2018
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I hope to meet my personal reading challenge for 2018 and want to have a good time reading some amazing books!
1. Read all of the 60+ books on the shelf in my room that I haven’t read yet.2. Get back to healthy eating.
3. Take the time to go shopping to figure out what kind of clothes fit my body type and buy some nicer clothing. (I despise shopping.)
I'd like to read more French books (classics and contemporary), to read more poetry, more plays, and to discover books from other countries than France or Anglo saxon countries. I also want to read books from the 15th, 16th, 17th centuries.Apart from reading, I hope to have a great home schooling year with my daughters, to develop great projects. And I also wish to develop my booktube project, my slam project and the Black history month exhibition with my students.
Finally, and most importantly, hope to find the cause of all my health problems.
1. Read more books (2017 I found myself getting back into reading again).2. Write more (I'm on the last stretch before publishing my first book, so writing more books, poems, and short stories will be one of my biggest goals this year).
3. Learn how to market and build a trusting relationship with my readers.
I have a feeling 2018 is going to be alright.
For reading, I am hoping to knock at least 30 books off of my To-Read list, half of which I own and the other half are some that have been on my list the longest. I'm using a "Color Challenge" from another group to motivate myself to actually get to these books after years and years of saying I'll read them eventually! I will most likely add more than 30 books to my To-Read list throughout the year but, that's ok.Other than that, I am really, really bad at resolutions. But I used to do 90 Day Goals and I want to get back into that (so assess after 90 days how I did, I get distracted really easily so it was a nice chance to reset and remind). And those I have not set yet, haha! My priorities are clear :)
Read more books! I read 50 in 2017, so for 2018 I'm going to go for 70.
Sarah wrote: "Take the time to go shopping to figure out what kind of clothes fit my body type and buy some nicer clothing. (I despise shopping.)"I completely agree, shopping is a terrible experience! But best of luck! Hopefully someone can go with you to make it a little better, laugh about it and all that :)
Snack less, walk more.And read the dead-tree books that I own.
Read some of the 150+ books I have on my Kindle. I can't ignore a cheap Kindle book, but I almost never read them!
217 I got back to reading so in 2018 I want to read even more. I want to spend more time disconnected and spending time with family making memories instead of in-front of technology. Also have gotten out of over the last couple months my workout program. So going back to that.
Books - as many mentioned earlier, I also got back into reading in 2017. And even tho I didn’t read many books (finishing 8th one) it’s a big step for me and I’m proud. So, for the next year I want to read 2 books per month hopefully from my to-read bookshelves and the bookshelves of this group.Health - My boyfriend and I are planning to join the gym as from the New Year and I really look forward to it. Most importantly, I hope to make it a pleasant routine and that I won’t quit after a few months.
Work - I’m starting a new job which will allow me to have more free time so during that free time I wish to take the first steps towards developing my own business.
Travel - I want to visit at least 3 new countries.
Home - I want to get better at keeping everything tidy and in place. Not that live in complete mess, but I want to improve on that even more.
I guess this is it. I think these are very realistic New Year resolutions and I hope by the end of 2018 I will be reading them and marking as “done”.
I wish you all to make your resolutions come true :)
Run at least 2 miles every day of 2018. Run 1500 miles in 2018. Run up a mountain. Run a 50 mile race.
Mod
I with you on the running, though my goal is more like 1000 miles in 2018.
And another Tough Mudder.
Books- read more non-fiction, make progress on the various series I'm readingWork- find a new job, one that I hopefully can at least tolerate if not enjoy
Health- get in better shape
I almost never make New Year resolutions but this year I'm really strong on:1. Get fit again, at least loose some weight and stay healthy
2. Finish my master and bachelor degree once and for all
3. Keep on reading until I knock some of the 1000+ books on my Kindle.
1. I want to read all of the books in my room BEFORE I go off to college in the fall (so maybe 75-100 books? Not including my dad's Jim Butcher)2. Start exercising regularly (by which I mean yoga 3-4 times a week with the occasional workout)
3. Eat three meals a day (currently I have one and a half, which is really not healthy for me)
My reading goals are to read more non-fiction and make more of an effort to read books set around the world and written by more diverse authors.There's not much time but I would love a challenge for Black History Month in February.
One of my reading goals is to use my library more! Rather than spend money on books, I can just borrow them. Another one is to read more biographies and non-fiction! If anyone has any recommendations, let me know!
Emily wrote: "One of my reading goals is to use my library more! Rather than spend money on books, I can just borrow them. Another one is to read more biographies and non-fiction! If anyone has any recommendatio..."I love libraries! Especially their book sales (50 cents to a dollar for a hardcover book? Yes please. 10-25 cents for a paperback! It's dangerous!!) Libraries are one of my favorite places to be.
As for biographies, there is a great thread in the recommendations folder: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... It has a lot of really good suggestions! I am just about to start Life and Death in Shanghai (borrowed from my local library!); I will post about it when I am done :)
I almost forgot: if you are interested in medical stuff and not squeamish, I read The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History a few years ago. It is about the Flu epidemic of 1918-1922. The writing is not great, there are times where the author is laughably dramatic (you do not have to try hard to make this subject heart-wrenching or touching, but he tries to make it even MORE sensational...I don't appreciate that) and it is sometimes really drawn out, but I still found it and interesting and informative read. It is pretty dark and disturbing though (over 100 million people died worldwide), so I don't generally recommend it. But this group is so diverse, so why not?
How is everyone doing on their resolutions?? I was doing pretty good until this past week, so I may need some more accountability to others, haha! I am determined to keep myself on track.I have my Main Resolutions that I want to accomplish by the end of the year. Some of these got broken down into smaller goals of 90 days to help keep myself on track.
1. Read the list of 30 books from my TBR list that I made for a "Color Challenge": 15 of these I own, 15 I do not own. I mostly tried to choose the books that had been on my list the longest, but a few newer additions slipped in too for some variety.
a. In 90 days read at least 8 books (average 2.5/month).
I read 3 books from my TBR list in January, so moving right. along there!
2. Read 20 of the Group Reads for EHRTBM
a. This comes out to 5 books in 90 days, or 1.6/month.
I read 2 of January's group reads so am on track!
3. Have a regular exercise habit of at least 5 days/week
a. I wanted to start slow with 2-3 days/week in the first 90 days.
I exercised 2 days a week until this past week, when I didn't do anything outside of work. Walking and Yoga so far, but am trying to talk one of my friends into joining a fitness class with me :)
4. Read the Old Testament of the bible from start to finish.
a. By the end of 90 days I should be at Deuteronomy 4 and broke it down by week with the aid of a schedule I found online.
(I didn't notice at first that this schedule did not factor in reading on Sundays, so I am a bit "ahead", but that is ok)
It comes out to 2-4 chapters per day, which has been easy so far. I will start to struggle once it starts being more laws and numbers and dimensions of the tabernacle and division of the land to the 12 tribes of Israel -_-
5. Plan at least 5 nights of dinner/week.
a. Straight forward. I planned dinners until this past week. Oops! I have been planning day off-day off, which vary week by week.
6. Take and pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam.
a. In 90 days set a date and study 30 min/day to make 3.5 hours/week.
This one is definitely the hardest resolution I have, and the one I am least inclined towards because it is Daunting, and the VTNE is not required for most jobs where I live (including, of course, my current position). And I am a lazy study-er since I finished school. I studied 25 minutes one week, 10 minutes another and have yet to choose a date for the test. Yikes. Big fail on this one so far. This one is also hard because I am currently struggling with knowing if I even WANT to be a vet tech anymore and the test is expensive. So I am dawdling.
7. Finish playing through Final Fantasy IX
a. A light resolution to make me laugh. I haven't even touched this game yet this year, but I will eventually :)
8. Be able to do a 30 second headstand.
a. Another little light resolution. Currently I can go for maybe 2 or 3 seconds away from the wall/door/support. I haven't actually timed myself yet this year.
I have a few other monetary and family goals that I won't share here, but I think this post is more than long enough!
Here's hoping for great changes in 2018 for us all! :)
Wow you're ambitious! I'm doing ok on my very simple goal of reading more from my owned DTBs. Walking a tiny bit more, snacking a tiny bit less.But my new goal is to root for you!
Several years ago I set a "library card not credit card" resolution, to buy fewer books. It really helped to reduce clutter as well as save money.
Cheryl wrote: "Wow you're ambitious! I'm doing ok on my very simple goal of reading more from my owned DTBs. Walking a tiny bit more, snacking a tiny bit less.But my new goal is to root for you!"
Thank you for your kindness! Most people think I am crazy, and I myself know that I am easy to distract and I lose focus on goals/projects/hobbies/everything ;) I am using this thread, a note on my phone, and a notebook that stares at me every day to try to change that.
And way to go with your goals!! "The beginning of all things are small" -Cicero :) I will cheer for you and your goal of DTB's, walking more, and snacking less!
Caitie wrote: "I have a tracker on my phone to keep my resolutions in check so here's my progress! Read for 20 mins a day: My commute on the train is 20 minutes total so I made this easy for myself, any extra r..."
I love Yoga with Adriene! She is my favorite yogi to follow! Good luck with the running program! (I myself am a horrid runner, so this is an amazing goal to me!! I am rooting for you!) If you find yourself hitting a rut, I would suggest blogilates.com - it has monthly work out calendars as well as a beginners calendar, different challenges, and just a load of videos to choose from as your mood dictates. Plus, they just updated the site so you can search the videos based on level of intensity. I found it through Yoga with Adriene actually, and it has been pretty good for me :)
I used to bite my nails a lot too. I stopped, but transformed it into picking and tearing...oops. Best of luck! I am rooting for you!
I'm back to report on February! 1. Read the list of 30 books from my TBR list that I made for a "Color Challenge"
a. In 90 days read at least 8 books (average 2.5/month).
I have read 6 books from my Color Challenge list so far, doing great!
2. Read 24 of the Group Reads for EHRTBM
a. In 90 days read at least 6 books (2/month)
(I wrote 20 in one place, but then apparently set it for 24 here on the site...oops!)
I've read 3 so far, but plan on getting all 3 books for this month so that will put me on track.
3. Have a regular exercise habit of at least 5 days/week
a. I wanted to start slow with 2-3 days/week in the first 90 days.
Still doing pretty good on this one! Averaging 2 days a week, though sometimes I get 3. Yay! I'm trying to make 3 days a week more common. It's gotten much colder outside and snowy, so less walking and more blogilates, still doing yoga too.
4. Read the Old Testament of the bible from start to finish.
a. By the end of 90 days I should be at Deuteronomy 4
I have gotten stuck in Leviticus, but found a study manual to help me; it has been really interesting so far! I should be in Numbers right now so have a bit of catching up.
5. Plan at least 5 nights of dinner/week.
a. I was doing pretty well until I went on vacation, two weeks before and the week of didn't happen. Time to get back on track this week!
6. Take and pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam.
a. In 90 days set a date and study 30 min/day to make 3.5 hours/week.
Still struggling, but I got a VTNE review book from the library and have been making use of it so far! Moving along. And it looks like I should be able to take the test in November/December, so am shooting for that.
7. Finish playing through Final Fantasy IX
a. Played the other day for the first time all year! Progress :)
8. Be able to do a 30 second headstand.
a. Still haven't timed myself, I will do so at the end of the 90 days to see where I am at. It's only a few seconds still but little by little I will get to 30! :)
2 months down, let's keep going strong! Or get back on track for where we have faltered :)
You're still working on all, succeeding or coming close on most; I think you're doing great and I admire you.I'm still working on mine, doing as well as I expect, gradually doing better I think. I know, it'd help if I had actual numbers to crunch, but I know myself, and I know I'd drop out altogether if I had that kind of work to do, so I'm just going to plug along.
Yay for plugging along! That's what I feel I am doing as well. Sure, when I put it out in a post it sounds like a lot but really it doesn't feel like that much in day-to-day life. I have to give myself the numbers to crunch or else I would forget all about it; they keep me focused. But I am glad that you know what works for you so that you can accomplish your goals as well! Everybody is different :) We can do it! And update - I finished The Diary of a Young Girl today so I have read 4 Group Read books and thus am back on track. Now to just wait for the other 2 from the library!
I only have a couple New Year's Resolutions, but also some general goals.It's changed several times, but my reading goal for the year is 175 books. That seems crazy for me, but it breaks down to 50 adult/YA, 25 J (kids chapter books), and 100 E (picture books). I work part time in a library and want to be more familiar with books in our children's area.
My other NYR is to do a Whole 30 diet this year. This one scares me, but I'm getting closer to feeling "ready" to give it a try.
My general goals are more/better gardening and doing a better job staying on top of the house work.
Missy - All the best with your goals, especially the gluten free life-style. It is HARD at first, but doable. The key for me was finding some good cookbooks to get out of the bread-based meal rut. While Paleo is not necessarily gluten-free, the two go well together. The best cookbook I've bought is Danielle Walker's Against All Grain. All the recipes are gluten-free, and they have been easy to modify for my food preferences. Also, our family of five has (for the most part) liked everything I've made from this cookbook, which is a major accomplishment in itself. Another cookbook I just bought and am anxious to start cooking out of is Ready or Not! by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong. This cookbook is also gluten-free, and I love the format.Missy wrote: "I have a few resolutions that I’m hoping to accomplish this year :)
1.) Read a large majority of the books on my TBR. I know it’s crazy, but I would be ecstatic to read at least 100-200 books this..."
I too love Against All Grain. What a great cookbook. I kept that one & Fast Vegetarian Feasts (ancient, out of print) then gave the rest to my niece when she got married/announced she was a chef. I drink smoothies and eat soup now that I'm a widow. I like a day for cooking & hate cleaning up, especially for just one. Another thing that saved me money was books on eating raw foods, especially Raw Foods on a Budget: The Ultimate Program and Workbook to Enjoying a Budget-loving, Plant-based Lifestyle. The author, Brandi Rollins has another helpful book for eating better on a budget (esp in colder climates) that I liked too Confessions of an East Coast Raw Vegan. They're helpful for gluten free foods and budgeting, sourcing better ingredients for less, etc. Raw food cookbooks are often gluten free, though they don't say so, and you have to be careful. Try checking some out of the library if you're interested.
My resolutions: I usually don't do them, then I feel horrible when I haven't noticed any accomplishments. So I made a few for 2018. I waited to see if any stuck. Some have, so I'll continue with those & note these & others that must be done here:
1.) No book buying unless they're books I "must" own. I installed "library extension" on my browser. Every time I'm at a website with books (GR, Amazon, Powells, Audible...) it shows me what's available at the library & links me to hold/borrow etc.
1a.) Remove myself from all of those "daily ebook deal" mailing lists. I was buying books I really didn't need to have just because they were cheap. Especially books the library has. Between these two little steps, I've already saved a lot of money this year (I made a spreadsheet for books from the library that I actually finish.) I've spent some, but far less than usual in both Jan & Feb.
2.) Organize my books & donate those that I don't need or want anymore. Too much shelf space is taken up with books I doubt I'll ever read again or don't want to read again. I'm only keeping classics and books I love. I also have to keep professional books, so I'll still have plenty. In the process, I've been moving things onto a TBR shelf & alphabetizing/cataloging the others using libib.com - great & easy catalog for what I own. GR was supposed to be this when I started in 2010, but then I added tons of books I'd read or wanted to read. It's out of control now, but...
3) Organize my GR shelves! Note which books are given away, which I own, which I want to buy, etc. This goal alone could take all day every day all year. It's a slow process, but I've been working on it.
4.) Read the books on my TBR that I OWN. I won't get through all of them, but I'm doing pretty well so far in 2018. Work gives me days when I run statistics or travel all day, so I can read at work sometimes. I hoped to hit 100 (50 being ones I own,) but I now think I will surpass that, so I'm pretty happy about this goal.
5.) Along the lines of organizing: give away clothes that don't fit or I don't wear. Get rid of all the extra computer/kitchen/etc stuff that is taking up space. Donating some great things to great organizations & reminding me of things I have that I love. Annoying that it's costing money to give things away, but it's worth it.
6.) Get to the dentist, doctor, eye doctor, etc. I hate doctors after a lifetime of illness, but I do need to be more responsible about this. I also am looking into extra insurance to cover unexpected things now that I'm getting older.
7.) Keep the house clear of messes. I've been doing 15 mins a day on "hot spots" (those places, like my front hall table, that get piles of stuff despite my best efforts) and amazingly I'm more organized than ever. Who knew 15 mins a day would make the house sparkle?
8.) Exercise daily, even if it's just a few minutes at lunch or while the coffee brews. I'm disabled, so it's slow, but I'm getting it done a little bit at a time.
That's it. Those are the ones that I've already made progress on this year. They're all do-able. They're boring, but necessary.
PS - I forgot another great healthy-meal cookbook that has budgets in mind AND has specifically marked gluten free meals: Thug Kitchen 101: Fast as F*ck and the next in that series too, Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck. These two are awesome and funny while being educational and worthwhile. They also have a blog.
You guys! I love seeing all of these resolutions. And I am back again to report on March :) This also marks the end of my first "90 day" stretch. Yikes.1. Read the list of 30 books from my TBR that I made for a "Color Challenge"
a. In 90 days read at least 8 books (average 2.5/month).
I read 8 books from my Color Challenge list! Along with 3 additional books from my TBR that aren't in the "official" challenge. Plus I knocked off another book when I started it, got 100 pages in, and decided I'd had Enough. So 12 books off my TBR list so far this year! Moving right along :)
2. Read 24 of the Group Reads for EHRTBM
a. In 90 days read at least 6 books (2/month)
Complete! So moving along right on track for this goal too!
3. Have a regular exercise habit of at least 5 days/week
a. I wanted to start slow with 2-3 days/week in the first 90 days.
Averaged two days of exercise a week. Now with the first 90 days down, I am bumping up to 3-4 days so time to push myself a little more.
4. Read the Old Testament of the bible from start to finish.
a. By the end of 90 days I should be at Joshua 6 (mistake in previous posts!)
I'm still in Deuteronomy, but am chugging along and should be caught up soon.
5. Plan at least 5 nights of dinner/week.
a. This one is the absolute WORST for me; I completely stopped after week 7 (out of 13). But new 90 day grouping, new chance to step it back up and get back on track.
6. Take and pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam.
a. In 90 days set a date and study 30 min/day to make 3.5 hours/week.
Oh, this one is also very bad. Hahaha! But I have been studying a little almost every week, I just haven't gotten up to an hour in a week yet. My longest was when I took a practice test and then graded it, which took all of 50 minutes.
7. Finish playing through Final Fantasy IX
a. Going in spurts for this one but I'm pretty sure I am close to the end. Now I'm just hoping I can still go do some little mini/side quests before ending!
8. Be able to do a 30 second headstand.
a. I timed myself in mid-March (which was extremely hard - it busts up my concentration) and got about 1 sec. away from the wall. I've got my work cut out for me.
3 months in and 90 days done. This year is already flying!
Missy wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Missy - All the best with your goals, especially the gluten free life-style. It is HARD at first, but doable. The key for me was finding some good cookbooks to get out of the bread-..."Gluten-free is so expensive and hard, so congratulations on finding ways to make it more manageable! In my area there is a Gluten-Free Expo every year. I know a lot of people with Celiac/Gluten-Intolerance, so went once for research for my friends who couldn't go/live in other states and it was Awesome. So many recipe ideas and products, and everyone had samples so you could taste how it comes out (because some gluten-free stuff is nasty...sorry :( ) There were also some classes, books, websites, so many resources. I would definitely recommend looking to see if anything like that happens near you! I stumbled across it randomly, but they seem to be advertising a little more each year.
PS - Get those TBR's! You can do it!! :) Best of luck with all of your goals!
Ella wrote: "My resolutions: I usually don't do them, then I feel horrible when I haven't noticed any accomplishments. So I made a few for 2018. I waited to see if any stuck. Some have, so I'll continue with those & note these & others that must be done here: "I have done the exact same thing, thus this years daily, weekly (on my phone and notebook) and monthly (here) check-ins to keep myself focused and on track.
Your goals are so inspiring! Organizing, donating, health, and fitness! I have so much stuff and I am trying to pare it down but...it is so hard. Way to go with your progress and here's to seeing changes and noticing those accomplishments this year :)
EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up...
Books mentioned in this topic
The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History (other topics)Life and Death in Shanghai (other topics)
Confessions of an East Coast Raw Vegan (other topics)
Raw Foods on a Budget: The Ultimate Program and Workbook to Enjoying a Budget-loving, Plant-based Lifestyle (other topics)
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck (other topics)
More...
Trying to come up with some cool ideas for group challenges, hoping everyone's goals for 2018 (reading or otherwise) can inspire us!