The obligatory New Year's post

It's not New Year's Day. I managed to not make the obligatory New Year's post on New Year's Day. How's that for self control?

But I have been productive in this time of resolutions. Mine aren't really so much resolutions, which inevitably fail or get left behind in the life-flurries. Mine are more "I think these are good ideas and I am going to attend to these, while leaving room for error, because there's no such thing as perfect and I refuse to get bogged down in perfectionism." I am also pledging to these for the next 18 months. A nice round number, don't you think?

- I will continue to attempt Flylady routines every day. Some days, the whole thing gets done, sometimes, only one blessed thing. It's the striving that matters. I can do anything for five minutes, even if that's all that gets done. (www.flylady.net)

- I will watch what I eat. I dreamed the night before New Year's Eve about Weight Watchers very vividly, in bold-print, if you can imagine that. When I pulled my oracle card that morning, I got Helpful Person. Synchronicity, much? I signed up for the online program that morning. When I got on the scale, I was very much glad I did. Over 300 pounds again. I blame it on Christmas candy and my unsurprising lack of self-control when it comes to Christmas candy. I've tracked every day since then. (www.weightwatchers.com)

- I will exercise. This one is hard for me to not get bogged down in perfectionism. I like the pretty plans in the magazines, but I have a hard time with starting, then something happens and I can't do some part of it like I had planned, so the whole thing just goes to shit. I have to be forgiving and flexible when it comes to exercise.

- I will not take the easy way out, i.e. throwing all these to the wind because I didn't do one little thing like I thought I should have done it. I will not give in to perfectionism.

- I will establish a schedule for my creative work. I have been accepted to the aesthetician program at the local tech college, Columbus Technical College. It is a relief and a joy to finally feel comfortable and happy and worth doing something I am truly interested in. I missed registration for spring semester, so I plan to start in the summer. To fill the time, I have registered (today!) for two continuing education courses at Columbus State University. I am taking Mind, Body, Spirit and Organic Beauty. I am also attending the Mind Body Spirit Retreat at Columbus State University next Saturday. Everything is already paid and for once, I put myself first. I may not be able to pay for Jamie's Spanish lessons this month, but I am paid and registered for something that I am truly interested in. I have to keep reminding myself that I am worth taking this trouble for. I have to remind myself of my own worthiness. (www.columbustech.edu; www.columbusstate.edu)

- I will make time for friends and fun. To that end, I have set up a weekly breakfast date with one of my oldest friends and I have determined to make it a priority.

- I will meditate. I will keep an eye out for synchonicities and heed their warnings. I will pay attention to my dreams. I will educate myself regarding intuitive development and alternative healing.

- I will be proud of my accomplishments and appreciate those qualities of mine that have helped me accomplish those 'ments. I will pat myself on the back.

- I will read, read, read.

- I will keep up with this blog and I have been toying with the idea of starting another one, specifically focused on beauty and organics.

- I will make my home a retreat, a place I WANT to come to, when I feel battered from the world. As it is, it's really more of just a shelter.

- I will pay more attention to nutrition. I realize that means putting an end to my seemingly-nightly Wendy's runs. I'm ok with that. I need to have food that I want to eat and be able to fix it easily enough that it doesn't seem like too much effort when I get home at night and in the mornings for breakfast. These days, I have coffee for breakfast and then I have a headache, so I supplement it with a couple of Aleve.

- I will appreciate those people and things around me.