Happy New Year!

I really love the feeling around New Year's when I am reminded of change, the possibilities that come with new beginnings, and some characteristics of successful goal-setting.  I know that not all of the goals I set this year will happen, and probably none of them will happen perfectly.  But I am okay with that!  If my goals help me change a little bit this year, then they have fulfilled their purpose.

As a quick review of last year's goals, here are ones that I completed (or near-enough completed):
*Dave and I ran 2-3 days per week at the beginning of the year, and 3-4 days per week the last several months of the year.  During the summer when we were living apart, not much running occured.  It is SOOOOOO much easier to run with an accountability partner!!
*My mom gave me her sewing machine to babysit for her while she and my dad are on their mission in Peru.  So since then, I have done several crafty projects including modifying or fixing several items of clothing (and hemming Dave's pants!).  This is big for me.  I want to continue trying to do more of this in 2012.
*Dave and I came close to paying off 10% of our student loans this summer.  We didn't quite make it before August, but have since paid off that amount.  Since then we've been making smaller but still regular payments.  But I think that having a specific amount we were aiming for was really helpful.  Again, I think we'll try another goal like this in 2012.
*Dave and I were able to finish reading the Book of Mormon together by the end of July, participating in our ward's challenge.  It was more difficult to do this when we were living apart, because we didn't want all of our time talking on the phone to be taken over by reading the BoM out loud to each other.  But with a little perseverance, it worked out!

So, 4 out of 19 isn't bad!  :D  I made good progress on some of the other goals, even if I didn't complete them.  So I am satisfied with 2011, and I'm ready to move on to 2012.

I am going to try something different this year.  I want to have fewer long term goals so it is easier to keep track of them.  Then, in addition to my few yearly goals, I want to create one goal to focus on per month.  So here are my goals:

• Health
• Drink at least 2 liters of water per day
• Creativity
• Spend 20-30 minutes per week working on a scrapbook of our wedding or my mission
• Play the piano 10-15 minutes 3 times a week
• Financial
• Pay off an additional 10% (total of 20%) of student loans by October
• Family
• Write down (in a journal) one thing that I love about Dave every day (or almost every day)
• January
• Study the scriptures on being a "servant" and apply what I find in my new calling in church (Okay, this one's kind of nebulous, without a lot of specifics to keep me on track.  I'll have to pin it down for myself later.)

I think that these are much easier to look at and accomplish than the big list I had last year.

I love finding out what other people are doing.  It gives me inspiration.  What are some of your New Year's resolutions/goals?