Resolutions? Goals? Utter Garbage?

I don’t know about you, but I think resolutions are dumb.

The intention is fine, but the arbitrary start of the new year being the only time to make resolutions is dumb. I don’t see people reassessing and creating new resolutions in August.

Because people have come to also hate the idea of resolutions, they’ve been rebranded as goals. To me, this is just as bad. I have goals at work and let me tell you—they’re often an afterthought to the incoming missiles of the day to day.

But since I am turning 40 in one short month, I guess I should attempt what I’d like to at least start to accomplish for the next 40 years. Gives me a long runway, right?

To be fair, most of these are the standard. All of these can be sustained for years to come. The bonus aspirations within some of these are really only considered within the timeframe of this year.

• Be consistent about my Duolingo learning. I’ve learned French on and off for years, but now suddenly, I find myself with a streak of 122 days and counting. I’d like to sustain the learning especially considering I’m actually picking it up when I hear it. Bonus aspiration is not beating myself up if I break the streak or don’t hit a perfect week. It’s never all or nothing—a lesson I constantly have to learn.
• Walk daily. Sorry, I’m not making this a SMART goal, I just need this to be a goal. Do I need to lose weight? Yes. Do I have two perfectly functioning legs? Yes. Then there’s no reason I shouldn’t be walking everyday. Could I say 30 minutes is my goal? Maybe, but I’d rather leave it unspoken. Bonus aspiration is closing all those irritating rings on my Apple Watch every day for a month. It’s my watch face and I’d be lying if I said I don’t get frustrated when I don’t.
• Start writing again. Surprise! Nailed it! Already done! But really, I’d love to write a full blown story. I’ve written fanfiction (shut it, it’s a valid form of writing) and flash fiction, but the idea of a full story has often eluded my ADHD sensibilities. Bonus aspiration would be to participate in NaNoWriMo again. Again, we’ll see where those ADHD sensibilities take me.
• Stop being on my phone so much. Am I addicted? Yes. I won’t sugarcoat it. It affects a lot of things. My attention for one—mine is already starting to wane writing this. Bonus aspiration is to read more. Would I like to read 40 books this year? Yes. Is it possible? Probably. Am I holding myself to it? No.
• More time for quiet and self-care. I cannot begin to tell you how bad I am at this. Much of what I do is in service to others—my kids, husband, work, etc. And my phone serves as a band-aid self care fix, but it’s untenable. I need to disconnect and take care of myself.

So, yeah. Let’s see what happens, shall we?