Great Expectations 2012 Edition: New Year Resolutions
I trust everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving day. How did I spend my Thanksgiving? Working out, Enjoying the company of my family, Eating, Laughing and Sleeping. Finally here I am ending it with this blog post.
It's important to be thankful and not just on today either. But I guess everyone is glad for the excuse to eat and get fancy. I know I'm glad for my break from school.
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As we're in the holiday season, I don't think it's too early to start thinking about the up and coming new year and that means New Year Resolutions! Woop Woop!! One of the things that I implemented this year was having expectations. It was one of the earliest lessons I learned this year and I wasted no time going about setting down some specific expectations. I only just revisited the ones I established for this year (two posts ago under Update: Great Expectations). This time around I suppose my expectations will go hand in hand with resolutions. I'm so excited for this upcoming year! It's going to be a great one - I can feel it. Another thing that I've learned is that sometimes with greatness comes great pain so I'm trying to mentally prepare to press through whatever may come.
1. A job.&. A fly pad.
This is really pre-new year. My current lease is up only 5 days after graduation. Needless to say come the 1st of December I'd better begin packing (I should probably try and do that before the 1st). More than anything I want to have a job secured by that time and have an idea of where and when I'll be moving. I really don't want to go back home. Not because I don't want to be with or near my family but I'm ready to experience being on my own. More than that I'm ready to have my own place - no matter how small. I won't despise humble beginnings. All I need is something I can afford, something I can make my own and take the time to decorate. How it looks and feels on the inside is really what defines the flyness. Ideally I'd like to be moved in and on my own by the 1st of January but the absolute latest would be August 1st, 2012 in time to start grad school. All I know is that I need a job and a place to live by the 1st of January, and preferably that place to live won't be back home, lol. My family needs some place to visit right? Exactly.
2. "You're so vain"
That's what I'd like to tell myself every day next year. This really is number one for me. I've been saying it since the 12th of this month! And I'm so serious too. Yes beauty is fleeting but I don't care. When I say I'm going to be vain I mean I'm going to purposely take time to put myself together (choose clothes, do hair, etc.) and treat myself. When I was in high school I went to the hair salon every two weeks. I went and got my nails done at least once a month but since I've been in college I let myself go. Smh. One thing I know is my little diva Kaiya would be so proud "Finally Car!" (she'd say). Actually she'd probably say something really add something really sarcastic that would make me hang my head in shame lol. Love her! But yes, if I was living good in my father's house why should I be living like a prodigal? Because I'm on my own? I think not! So that's one promise I make to myself. I will keep up with my hair - since there will be so little of it to start with. I'll visit the salon every two weeks. Get my eyebrows done regularly. Get my nails done at least every month and do touch ups every week on my own. I'll do all that facial stuff at least every other night. I'll treat myself to a trip to the spa every four months. And keep up with my weekly Jesus date nights. I'm gonna make it happen. My Father is Lord of All. I'm taken care of and it's time to prove it to myself.
3. Better Steward
That brings me to this third point. In order to have the means to treat myself I need to do a better job with my finances. I know that everything I possess is not my own it belongs to my Heavenly Father. I'm going to make a monthly budget and stick to it. I'm also going to become an avid coupon-er. Oh yes. Anytime you're saving money your becoming a better steward. I'd like to be able to have the money to treat myself and bless others, whether with a monetary gift or simply by having extra (thanks to coupon-ing) that I can give away. I'm not sure of numbers yet. I'll have to think more about it. I guess for now I'll stick with the number 12. By this time next year I'd like to be able to bless12 people significantly.
4. Health Nut
Depending on who you ask (my older sister Kerry or my big little brother Chris) you might hear that I'm a bit nutty. It's true. I do love nuts! LOL. Nuts of all kinds...cashews, pistachios, almonds (oh my monkey I LOVE almonds)...I think you get the idea. I'm content with my body right now so I don't plan on obsessing over my weight but I would like to be more of a health nut. I'm still considering being a week-day vegetarian. Haven't decided on that yet. In any case I want to make more smoothies! I love smoothies - and I even add spinach to my fruit smoothies, is that weird? You can't taste it! Or see the green color! And even if it's weird I don't care lol. So yes, more smoothies. More veggies. More protein first thing in the mornings and less carbs at night...especially after 7p. Let's see how I do.
5. A Romantic Relationship
Romantically I'm off limits until the 15th of next May. LOL. (I find it hilarious that I actually have the specific date in May). Then after that, I expect to have no expectation of romantic relationships. I expect God to lead me as He's been doing and I'll submit to His will whatever the case may be. These next six months are for God alone, I can't commit to anything else. And then my problem with romantic relationships is that I've always had expectations and had the wrong expectations and then sometimes I would force meeting those expectations even if they were unrealistic. So instead of expecting to be married by 23 (the age my mother was when she got married), I simply expect to expect nothing. Starting from scratch can be intimidating but the possibilities are endless and that's exciting (Actually the possibilities really aren't endless because the limitless GOD I serve has placed limits on me but you catch my drift).
6. From Scratch
Speaking of starting from scratch next year I intend to do a lot of cooking "from scratch" and other homemade, do it yourself projects in general. Today I made my own hair conditioner (egg yolk, olive oil and water, because there was none I wanted to use here at the house) and it went well. Not only that but those things kinds of projects are fun. I'll definitely have at least 4 literary works complete by my birthday and two scrapbooks filled or nearly filled up. I'll be better at doing my own hair. And I'm sure there's more I just can't think of them yet. It might be a bit challenging for me but my older sister Kerry is superwoman and super creative so it's not like I have to try and accomplish all this new and cool stuff on my own.
I think this just about sums up my current expectations for the new year. If anything else comes to mind I'll be sure to write it down as an addendum in some other post.
Ta Ta For Now Folks
Grace.&.Peace