Grand Ideas

2011 Goals/resolutions

2 Comments

I’m not usually a “writing down my goals” sort of person, but I have been inspired by reading other people’s blogs.  Plus, it’s fun to make lists!  So I’ve put together a bunch of ideas I have for stuff to do this year…I’ll reassess occasionally and see what I’ve accomplished, what I’ve decided isn’t so important after all, and make some changes along the way.  Flexibility is key…

Theme for 2011:  Be happier and try new things

2011 Goals/resolutions

Happiness Project—I have joined up for the year and will see what Gretchen Rubin throws my way.  I think many of the things I’m going to list here will be things that make me happier—so that should work out well.  We’ll see how the project goes through the year though—I reserve the right to modify as needed! (I’ve realized I don’t need Gretchen so much as my list was really made through her influence!)

image

As far as goals/resolutions go I’ve made a very specific list by category.  I’ve read that resolutions and goals should be specific so I’ve tried to do that here…I will update in purple things I accomplish, in blue for scheduled activities.  If I have to modify or add something I’ll use green. I’ve had a really fun time over the past few weeks coming up with this list, so don’t mock me –I am a list maker and a planner.

Career:

1.  Take another summer pedagogy course, either Mimi Zweig or another Suzuki Institute Course. Went to Ottawa, Kansas to take Book Five with Susan Kempter.

Not summer, but related: Went to Mark O’Connor Workshop in February, attended SIUE Teacher workshop with Susan Kempter

2.  Participate in the SAA’s “Parents As Partner’s Online” in January/February, plus my article “Making Tone a Priority” got reused

2.  Take another SLSO audition…if the opportunity presents itself.

3.  Play on two chamber music concerts.

4.  Another private student recital in June. June 5

5.  Pare down my schedule for fall—too much driving around, not enough quality teaching time (this is less specific, but I don’t need to be specific yet!)

6.  Read one book per month about teaching or child education/psychology.

  • January: Teaching from the Balance Point AND Teaching with an Open Heart by Ed Kreitman
  • February:  The Wonder of Boys by Michael Gurian
  • March:  Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
  • April: The Social Animal by David Brooks (will finish soon, was siderailed due to theft of kindle)
  • (May/June, got derailed)
  • July:

7. Appeared on Fox2 Morning Show in January with Chamber Project St. Louis (not planned, but still awesome!)

Relationships:

1.  Be nicer to Chris.  Try not to get upset over small things!

2.  Do at least four creative, fun, “date nights” with Chris, something other than dinner/movie (i.e. Kitchen Conservatory class, dance class, ballgame).

3.  Do something with a friend each week.  Could be lunch, pedicure, coffee, movie, whatever.  I’ve been doing great with this—I  am not going to list stuff anymore (at this time) as it’s been lots of stuff, but the main goal of being friendly and social and getting out of the house has definitely been happening.

Fun:

1.  Entertain at home at least four times during the year-one down!  Planned 4th of July party.

2.  Have another cookie swap party.

3.  Cruise or other fun vacation in summer!  Somewhere I haven’t been before. (Probably not, since now we are saving up for a wedding and honeymoon!)

Food:

1.  Try new restaurants—at least one per month.  Use groupons or the like as available.

2.  Cook three new recipes per month.  Preferably a healthy recipe but anything would fit the bill.  I have a Cooking Light Cookbook and magazines that should serve as good inspiration, in addition to tons of bookmarked recipes online…

3.  Continue to try for 7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Uncategorized but no less important

1.  Quit biting my fingernails and fingers!

2.  Get rid of 11 things from each room (inspired by reverb10).  Enlist Chris to help out. Make that 11 things EACH month from a room. Okay, I’ve gotten somewhat bored with this one…why 11?  But I have been trying to “declutter” sometimes.

  • 11 articles of clothing from the bedroom (actually more!)
  • 11 (well, more than) pieces of “jewelry” from my jewelry box

3.  Read one “classic” novel per month (have downloaded many to the kindle so should be no problem)

  • January: War and Peace (thought I’d start big!)
  • February: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—didn’t realize how short this was!
  • March: Sense and Sensibility—enjoyable!  No Pride and Prejudice though…
  • April: Great Expectations- I found this really challenging.
  • May: Moby Dick
  • June: Don Quixote?
  • July: Crime and Punishment
  • August:
  • October:  Dracula
  • November:
  • December:

4.  Read one additional nonfiction book per month:

  • January: Free for All: Fixing School Lunch in America (for Mrs. Q’s book club)
  • February:  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (so good!)
  • March: The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration
  • April: Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

5.  Monthly Financial Goals: (optional)

  • February:  No New Clothes (except maybe a new pair of running shoes)
  • March: Taxes
  • April:  Chris’s Taxes

Health/fitness

1.  Continue eating healthily—lose 15 more pounds by June.  Maintain that weight within a 5 lb range for the rest of the year.

2.  Continue running—do 3 to 4 half marathons, maybe a couple of 10ks or 5 mile races and continue to improve on the 5k.

**Minimum of 12 races as I’ve signed up for the “Run for the Bling of It” challenge!

bling

Race Plans/ideas thus far:

Have you made any goals/plans/resolutions for the new year?  Or do you prefer to take things as they come?

2 thoughts on “2011 Goals/resolutions”

  1. Hi…saw you on the Tall Mom spreadsheet and thought I’d say hi since we don’t live so far apart. I’m in on the bling challenge, too, and now I need to look at that happiness project. I recently posted some goals for 2011, though yours are much more well-rounded than mine. Good luck this year!

Comments are closed.