Early New Years Resolutions anyone?

I may be jumping the gun here, but it always helps me to begin evaluating my past year a bit earlier than New Years Day and setting a few goals for the New Year. I never actually call them "resolutions" but, rather consider them changes that I can resolve to make to enhance my life and bring it into better balance. Here are a few that I'm considering:

* eliminate most processed foods from my diet/choose fresh

   and organic as often as possible

* drink much more (Pur-ified) water, at least 80 ounces/day

* incorporate more exercise that enhances body awareness (yoga,

   flexibility training, dance) into my routine. I'm considering

   beginning dance lessons again and getting certified in Zumba

   and Yogalates! Might also get back to figure skating (been

   dreaming about the ice for weeks now!)

* get back to a few creative activities that I've let slide (sewing,

   crochet [I'm considering joining a "meetup" group for this],

   needle point)

* read more/watch TV less ...okay, this might take some real

   effort!

* start a Team Survivor for/with other female cancer survivors

   in my community

* in my spare time (huh?), starting a meetup of women to discuss

   Eat, Pray, Love and related tools for living. On the other hand,

   maybe that would be a cool thread here? Hmmmmmm....I'll

   think about it next year

* and, finally....dah, dah, dah, dah.....finding a man who isn't a total

   a$$hole!!!! Now THAT will be the most difficult goal to meet for

   sure!!!!!!!!

Anyone else thinking of New Years resolutions or goals????

~Marin

Well, I know that I'm the one to start this thread to begin with, but I'd like to offer something I recently read about trying to fulfill resolutions that involve what we often think of as self-discipline or willpower. The article suggested that, instead of trying to grit our teeth and force ourselves to do something, we should pick one behavioral change and try to incorporate it into a routine. Like we usually don't feel especially irritated at the prospect of brushing our teeth or even taking our daily vitamins and meds and that's because these things have just become routine and we do them as necessities and don't really question them or have strong feelings about them. So if we take one thing like, for example, drinking more water, and just meld it into part of our daily routine (eg., each time I sit down at my desk at work, I take a few huge gulps from my water bottle) and then do this behavior for 3 weeks (that's about how long it takes to create a "habit"), it's just what we do. Voila!

OK, easier said than done when it comes to eating cerely sticks instead of chips, but you get the idea....start small!

~Marin