Usually I don’t make any New Year’s resolutions. I never felt that I had to do it. I liked the feeling of freedom of a resolution-less year. I felt free to chose, adjust, and move forward without constantly looking back over my shoulder and questioning myself if my actions are in line or on track with my pre-set, pre-determined declarations. Setting goals has never been very motivational or inspiring to me.
However, this year a few things happened in my life that made me question myself and, not surprisingly, my goals in life. I took a hard look at myself and posed a very simple question:
What do I want to change in 2012?
Life Simplified
Not living up to anyone’s expectations but my own. Not everyone will or should understand choices that I make. Just because I choose to do something different than someone else, it does not mean I am being selfish, inconsiderate or difficult. It does not mean that because my choice is different, it is wrong. It simply means that I am being me.
Less explaining. I am going to try and explain myself less to people. I cannot change the way someone else views the world. Or my family. Or my dog. I cannot control what other people think. In the end, I think those who ask the most for an explanation will not understand what I have to say anyway.
Getting rid of the non-essential (and I am not talking about some ATM fees). De-cluttering my home and my closet is my biggest intent for the next year. I don’t really need countless pairs of shoes, sweaters or handbags. Stuff does not define me. I want to get rid of anything that is not being used, does not have a meaning and does not make me or Beaker feel our best. There are so many more aspects to who I am and that’s what I am going to focus on.
Embracing my own imperfections. I am a perfectionist who sometimes gets obsessed with things to the point that it becomes somewhat manic. I know that I am not perfect. No one is. I just need to embrace it and let it go. So much pressure would be lifted off my shoulders.
Life and Finances
Saving an emergency fund. Even a small emergency fund would be great.
Paying off our consumer debt by the end of June, 2012. It is so close and, yet, it is so far away.
Spending less. Consuming less. Enough said.
Extra Curriculum Activities
Volunteering. I have never volunteered in my life. It doesn’t feel right anymore. In fact, it feels like I’ve been using, consuming and taking a lot and not giving back. It is about time to start.
Writing more fiction. Writing is my favorite creative outlet that gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction.
Growing and keeping my blog. Somehow and very unexpectedly, My Broken Coin is helping me to define my path out of consumerism. This blog has been the biggest source and the strongest motivation for my self-assessment and, hopefully, self-improvement.
Attending FINCON12 in Denver! I can’t wait.
I like this one the best: “I am going to try and explain myself less to people.” YOU are definitely the one whose opinion matters most when it comes to your life; I think embracing that will be freeing.
It’ll be awesome to meet you at FINCON12 — I’m going too 🙂
(Btw, did you want to be put down on the debt free club list, since you’re working on getting out of debt?)
Just setting up this resolution was freeing for me. I caught explaining myself a lot in the second half of the year. It made me think that something is not quite right. We will see how it goes.
Good luck, wish all be achievable this year!
I like your “life simplified” goals. I decided a long time ago that I wasn’t going to listen to other people’s expectations of me….one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Good luck and Happy New Year!
I learned that you never be able to live up to other people’s expectations. So why even dwell on it, right?
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Less explaining and embracing my imperfections. Love it! Happy New Year Aloysa!
Great things to change and I have no doubt you will do. As to FinCon12 – we shall see. It is a long way away from the UK although I would love to come and meet you all.
I wouldn’t travel to England to attend a conference. 🙂 But it would be great to meet you!
I like the volunteering resolution that make. Volunteering has a way of teaching you to be humble. There is nothing quite like it.
Great list and I wish you lots of luck in keeping every one of them. “Embracing my own imperfections” particularly speaks to me – will be focusing on that myself in the coming year. Happy 2012!
It is not easy to embrace your own imperfections. Oh well… at least I am trying, right? I have twelve months to go!
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Your goal to declutter and your goal to pay off debt and have a small emergency fund can be achieved simultaneously. We just sold $600 worth of clutter around our house and used it to pay down debt. I would love to hear updates on how it goes!
I will post my first update in February. I am working on all of them simultaneously. We will see… 🙂
I wouldn’t feel too bad about the volunteering thing. You have an emotionally-demanding job. That kind of takes precedent 🙂
Maybe like one thing a month. It could also be a family thing and you could volunteer with your son at the food bank or literacy council–that could be fun!
I don’t have children, and my work is not an emotionally-demanding job.
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