I am not a huge “new years resolution” person because I think goals and resolutions can be made at any time of year. However, it is nice to look at the new year as a fresh, clean slate! Here are a few things I want to do in 2014.
1. Eat less sugar. I’m sure this is on everyone’s list. It’s something I always try to work on, but I feel like I could do better with this. I generally eat pretty healthy, but my weakness is desserts and sweets (sugar). I always crave something sweet after meals during the day, and I want to break this. If my sweet tooth (teeth?) is in full force, I need to be better about grabbing a low-sugar yogurt, unsweetened hot tea, or a small serving of fruit instead of a handful of chocolate chips. I’ve been better about not keeping ice cream and chocolate bars in the house so I don’t overdo it. I’m perfectly fine with splurging once a week or so on something decadent though. I don’t want to deprive myself…maybe I’ll try some of these delicious looking raw desserts. I’ll just pretend that honey and maple syrup don’t count as sugar 😉
2. “Go the extra mile” at work. Instead of just taking assignments that are given to me, I want to be more proactive and search for more assignments. I am a writer for a newspaper with an awesome boss who loves all kinds of story ideas, so I want to really search for interesting topics to write about. This could mean finding people in my community to feature, researching upcoming events, and more.
3. Save even more money. I’m blessed to have a husband who is an avid money saver. Honestly, he has taught and showed me how important it is to put money away on a regular basis so we can travel and save up for the future. I think it’d be great to put even more money away than we did last year. This means being less wasteful and more frugal (and not taking random trips to Target because we all know that it is impossible to leave the store without blowing at least $50).
4. Practice speaking Spanish. My mom has a Rosetta Stone in Spanish that I’m going to borrow to brush up on my Spanish grammar and vocabulary. I have studied it for so many years and have traveled to so many Spanish speaking countries, so I really do not want to forget the language. It’s such an important language to know, so if you want to practice speaking with me, let’s do it!
Guatemala 2010
5. Spend more time with family. I live about 45-60 minutes from various members of my family, so it can be difficult to get together with them on a regular basis. Gas isn’t cheap, so frequent treks across the metro Atlanta area isn’t exactly convenient (this goes back to the saving more money thing). Luckily, there are a lot of neat places that are halfway between our homes where we can meet. Carpooling and switching off whose house to meet at will help, too!
My family and I in NYC.
6. Eat more omega-3’s. I’m always trying to work on this! Foods rich in omega-3’s include salmon, tuna, and other various types of fish. I am really bad about taking my fish oil supplement, so eating more fish seems like a better solution. I do eat a lot of sushi with salmon and tuna, so that’s good, but I really think I should try to eat it at least once or twice a week (I only go out for sushi once every month or even every other month). I just can’t seem to make seafood taste good when I cook it at home. Any tips on making seafood at home not taste fishy?
7. Complain less. Instead of making negative comments, I need to think of something positive. I think being content and grateful for what I have is important as well.
8. Get outside more! Now that I’m an adult in the real world, most of my days are spent inside, working. I think this is the case with everyone! I’m also a member of a YMCA, so I workout inside, too. I really need to take advantage of pretty weather days and spend more time outside. Fresh air is so good for the soul! The vitamin D isn’t so bad, either!
What are your goals for 2014?
Fabulously Farah 