New Year's Resolutions

2012-- What a crazy year.  Exactly one year ago I was sitting with my husband in a small NYC apartment actually stating out loud that it might be time to leave our beautiful city for an easier lifestyle.  One that included a few hundred more square feet, a 3rd bedroom and a washing machine.  After much discussion, much city hunting, many tears, many mixed emotions and a few hysterical breakdowns, we made it happen.  We packed up our family and moved from NYC to SC (which I keep writing about because it still seems surreal to see it on the screen before my eyes).  I would absolutely say that this fact is the biggest thing that happened to me in the last 12 months.  As simple as it really was to move (and as much as I wanted to ease up on the insanity of big city living), it was definitely a defining moment for the next several years of my life.  That one event has changed the trajectory of my future.... 

So- I have some really specific goals for 2013.  I just turned 34 and I'm beginning to realize that if I want to fulfill some life dreams, I need to start mapping out a detailed plan to make it happen.  If I can find time to read Perez Hilton every day, I can certainly find time to do a few sit-ups and pushups.  

I'm putting my goals on here so I will feel even more accountable.  If I continue to put them in writing, maybe I will actually focus all my spare time into accomplishing a few easy things.  If I can get through these things, I can actually start dreaming about my apartment in Paris.

1. Music teaching business- I want at least 3-4 students by the end of March.  I need to do a lot of advertising and research on my end but the goal is 3-4 weekly students in 3 months time.  I need to work on this every single day.

2. Out of debt- I want 2013 to be the year we get out of debt.  We only have 1 credit card left to tackle and I want it gone from my life by December 31st, 2013.

3. Writing-- I don't want my hobby of writing to distract me from the teaching business so my goal is to write one post a week on this blog.  It might be a dumb story or a quick anecdote but it will be mine.

4. Health- I want to stick to our diet and find time to exercise every single week.  I want to learn 1-2 new dinner recipes because things are getting a little repetitive in the evenings.  

My goals are now out there- I don't want to give up chocolate or lose 10 pounds or anything like that.  I want to build a life I'm proud of and that is balanced.  I want to stop reading gossip about celebrities- it's rotting my soul (and truthfully, now that Kim Kardashian is pregnant, I think it will be extremely easy for me to turn all that shit off).  I don't want to watch reruns of Top Gear or old sitcoms- I want to read novels that are inspiring.  I don't want to starve myself on crazy diets that I can't make last more than 72 hours-- I want to eat cookies or pasta when I want but in moderation.  I don't want to have a full time job away from my kids- but I do want to build a small business that allows me to be creative, earn a bit of money and use that other part of my brain.  And- I still want to discover my writing voice- but I won't allow it to be my new distraction so I don't focus on the business.  

So- I've cleaned out my head.  I've said it all.  If I could accomplish all this stuff- then in 1 year, I could be really proud of my progress.  For now, I'm going to drink my glass of wine, read my book "How to be a Woman" by Caitlin Moran (utterly fabulous!!) and ring in the new year watching my husband yell at football on tv.