Learn

One thing I love about the new year is that I get to set new goals. I'm not always the best about keeping those goals, but I really love the fresh start of a new year, I love having a time of the year that really makes me want to stretch myself, try to be better, focus on new things.

I've learned something about myself these past 20 or so years that I've been setting New Year's Resolutions, I need to kind of focus my goals. I like that when I think about the things I want to accomplish throughout the year, I often have a wide variety. However, I've learned that if I decide to start way too many or branch out in too many directions, they don't stick very well.

A few years ago, I read a blog (and to be honest, I can't remember which one it was or I would put a link to it) and the blogger said that she always chose one word to focus on. I liked that idea and have kind of adopted it.

2013: Trust
2014: Brave

2015: Learn. 

The idea for this year came a couple of ways, first I started thinking about the goals I wanted to accomplish, and another way was I read Gifted Hands, it's about a man who grew up in inner-city Detroit and became a pediatric neurosurgeon. It's an autobiography. I decided to read it because I read this talk. It's really good, I've discovered that I really enjoy books that make me think and stretch and grow. I have a very hard time putting them down.

Gifted Hands really made me want to read more and learn more. Some of things I hope to learn throughout the year are:
1. To play the violin--my visiting teacher is going to give me and a friend lessons
2. To can/bottle food, make baby food
3. To wake up early and to utilize that time
4. To explore different subjects when I read
5. To eat better
6. To control my attitude
7. To exercise more regularly
8. To enjoy each day and treasure it (instagram is helping me with this)

I'm in a book club and this month our book is The Happiness Project, it is a very good read! The author underwent a year long Happiness Project, each month she had new goals and things to work on to help her to be happier. She wasn't depressed or anything when she started this project, she just decided that she needed to enjoy each day more. I love her idea of having new goals each month, of mastering those goals and THEN adding more goals. Rather than coming up with a 100 new goals and trying to implement them all in one month and being frustrated that they didn't stick.

I'm excited for this new year and I'm excited to exercise and stretch myself.