new(ish) year's intentions

So, I started this at the beginning of the year. Better to finish it up and post it late than never, I suppose....

In theory, I like the idea of a New Year's Resolution. It's nice to think of each January 1st as a new beginning -- a clean slate upon which we can start afresh. Unfortunately, in practice, these yearly-generated self-improvement lists seem to be doomed to fail.

Despite repeated failures, optimistically, I continue to make New Year's Resolutions in the hope that this year will be different. Sadly, even with the best intentions, the average lifespan of any given resolution tends to be around 3 weeks -- kept up through the first part of January, half-heartedly continued for another week or so, and then all but forgotten by February.

I suppose I have gotten a bit better at keeping resolutions. This gradual change in resolution success over the years, however, probably has more to do with a change in resolution-making strategy than with any real increase in willpower or determination. As I've gotten older, I've become craftier at selecting goals that are more attainable. I've cut out the 'too general' (e.g., "be healthier") type, since the vagueness makes it difficult to determine whether it is actually kept up, and the 'too strict' (e.g., "exercise for at least one hour every day") sort, that seem impossible to keep. Yet, even with these eliminations, I still struggle with even the most lenient resolutions.

This year I decided not to make any resolutions, per se, but instead to come up with some New(ish) Year's intentions, or considerations. This way, I can think about the things that I would like to do differently in my life without the pressure of commitment or the guilt and disappointment of failure. I like the idea of trying to keep myself aware of the things that I want. Any progress I make toward these things is unlikely to come from one day's decision to do so, but instead, possibly through repeated reminders about my goals and desires.

Most everything I'm considering is pretty general, and admittedly, resemble those 'too general' resolutions made in years past. In any case, I'll share the things I've been thinking about that I want to change or improve upon in my life...


The overarching theme seems to be something along the lines of "Be More Adult-like." To be slightly more specific...

1) I have a tendency to put off life maintenance activities, and would like to do better at that (i.e., getting haircuts, going to the dentist, keeping my apartment tidy all the time -- as opposed to just cleaning up when I'm expecting company, washing my car at a reasonable frequency, etc.).

2) I think I also need to pay more attention to my overall well-being. It's probably time for me to try exercising regularly, to be more aware of my food choices, to make efforts to get enough sleep every night, and to keep myself from drinking excessively.

3) Being more independent and feeling like I'm in control of my life is another sub-area I'd like to improve upon. I want to cook more, freeing myself from reliance on frozen foods and restaurant meals. I'd like to learn to sew - nothing fancy, but I want to be able to hem the occasional pair of pants or repair a seam myself. I also want to be better at keeping track of my finances, including doing my own taxes.


Of course, there are lots of other things that I'm considering, but these are the big areas I'd like to focus on. Maybe after some time and more thought, I can work on modifying some of the more nebulous aspect of my life and personality. For now, I'm going to stick with these general, although tangible goals, and hope that they lead to an increase of happiness.