New Years Resolutions and Goals

Hey guys,

So I don't really like the term resolutions, I prefer goals because I think goals just sounds better. Also people make goals all year round whereas resolutions seem to only be made whenever we start a new year. I personally think that goals are more attainable and resolutions have the tendency to be forgotten. Whenever we are starting a new year, I think that people should make a list of goals or just a few different lists consisting of different things. I personally made two different lists this year, a list of things I want to learn and a list of things I want to work on in 2019.

Things to Learn:

German

French

Italian

Knit/Crochet

Photography

How to play cards

Piano

Guitar

Things to Work On:

Scrapbooking

Whiter teeth

Straighter teeth

Flexibility

Strength

I currently know some French but not enough to carry on a conversation with anyone. I took 4 years of French in high school and 2 semesters in college and I still can't hold a conversation to save my life! The thing about taking a foreign language in school these days, is that teachers don't really make you speak it very often and I think that would have helped a lot more if I had been told that I had to speak it in class. My sophomore year of college though, the professor only spoke French from day 1 but she never required us to actually speak it. So understanding what someone else is saying in a foreign language is a whole different story than actually speaking it yourself. Anyways, my goal is to slowly start teaching myself more French and I also want to learn some German and Italian. One of the places we plan to travel to this year is Italy! So it would definitely be nice to what some of the words mean.

I used to play piano growing up, I took lessons for about 6 months but I kind of quit and gave up because I found it to be very boring but now that I'm older I would love to pick it up again just so I can say I know how to play the piano and if we're ever somewhere there's a piano maybe I could play it and impress some people. A girl can dream!

I've also always wanted to learn how to play the guitar. This is an instrument that I think is really good to know how to play if you're really into music. The only instrument I really learned how to play was the clarinet when I was in middle school and that was only for two years. But if someone asked me to play it now, I would have absolutely no idea how to play it at all! I can't remember any of the notes.

I also wanted to learn how to knit or crochet or both, I'm not really sure what the difference is between all of them if I'm being honest! I also really want to work on my photography skills. I enjoy photography and I have a nice DSLR camera, I just never seem to go out and take photos anymore. I also need to learn how to actually take photos like a professional. It's a fun skill to know and it also makes your pictures turn out sooo much better. I also want to learn how to play cards. I kind of know how to play 21 but I always need to be reminded. I want to learn well enough that I can walk into a casino and sit down at a table and start playing. Granted this is something I will probably never do but I might be going on a cruise this year and last time I went on cruise we spent a lot of time in the casino and it was fun (but I didn't actually play anything, I just watched other people play)!

I have a lot of scrapbooks and scrapbooking materials and it's something I've always been interested in, mostly just because I have always have a thing for stickers and collecting them. I also think that it's a fun way to bring more to a picture. With scrapbooking you can add stickers or other details too and around the photo. You can also add notes to go along with the picture and talk about what exactly is going on in the photo. It helps to keep memories alive and more realistic in your head.

I also really need to start working on my teeth, I was whitening them at home for a little bit but I got lazy! I brush my teeth very well and I floss once a day usually so health wise they're usually pretty good but when I was in high school I gave up on my retainer and my teeth shifted a little so I've been thinking about doing one of those at home things where they send you the kit and you send back your molds and they send you retainers to help straighten out your teeth but I don't know, we will see! They aren't bad at all, like no one can notice but I personally know that they shifted because my retainer no longer fits!

So one of my goals for this year is to start working out which I know is super stereotypical and I probably won't do it but I think it would be nice to at least go for a bike ride at least once a week or take our dogs for a long walk a couple nights a week. Nothing too serious in the beginning and then maybe I can work my way up to working out for real. I don't really want to go to the gym or anything. Maybe just do some random workouts here and there at the house. Like push-ups, sit-ups or lifting small weights.

Another goal is to start working on going back to school. My plan was to get my doctorate before I turned 30 but that definitely won't be happening so maybe if I am able to get my masters before I'm 30 then that would be nice! But I have to buy a study book for the GMAT and then actually study it and take the test. Then I have to apply for some schools which the thought of going back to school is kind of scary but it's something I've always wanted to do so I might as well go for it!

I'm sure that as the year goes on I will be adding more to the list and hopefully checking some things off of it! 

Talk to you soon!

XO, Steph