Resolutions

Fireworks (which, in Germany, are shot by hundreds of private citizens at midnight) over the palace welcoming us into 2012. 

I woke up this morning with an inexplicable need to write down a list of goals for myself for 2012.  I am not generally a resolution maker.  I feel that goals set on January 1st are generally forced and rarely realized.  However, as the sun came up this morning, the 4th, I felt genuinely inspired to make a few resolutions for myself in the year 2012.

Here are a few of them:

1) Focus on productivity and purposefulness-  I think it's safe to say that many of us waste a lot of time on things we don't really get satisfaction from: a TV show that's just on but not interesting, Facebook or surfing the web.  I am tired of wasting time on these things.  I would like to have more time in my day for things that I enjoy and more time to spend on hobbies.  To do this, I will make purposefulness and productivity priorities.  If it doesn't have a real purpose (which includes my own pleasure or relaxation) or isn't productive, I won't spend more than 20 minutes a day on it.  Hopefully, I will spend more time doing what I enjoy and less time zapping my energy and creativity.

2) Never let fear or laziness hold you back- Living in a foreign country where you don't speak the language can mean that minor, everyday tasks can present real challenges and can use up a lot of energy.  Therefore, I often put things that may prove to be frustrating or difficult off until the very last possible moment (if I do them at all).  I don't like this feeling and I believe it is the feeling that is getting in the way of me feeling completely "at home" in Germany.  Sometimes my procrastination is out of laziness; sometimes, it is out of fear (what if I say the wrong thing in German or meet an unfriendly face?).  In 2012, I will get stop letting the difficulties hold me back and will rise to the challenge. 

3) Get healthy- I am generally a healthy eater and considering that I walk to work and often stand while at work, I am not really sedentary.   That being said, winter is a tough time to exercise in Germany and Christmas left my sweet tooth satisfied.  Right now, I need more physical activity and more healthy foods for my body to feel its best. In 2012, I plan on getting outside more (even in the cold) and on being more mindful about what I put in my body.  In March, Peter will run another 50k so I have asked him to help me get fit while he is preparing.

Raclette dinner with friends on New Year's Eve.  Raclette is seriously something America is missing out on.

4) Stay in touch better- It's hard to stay in touch with all my friends back home from over here.  There are tons of people to message and call.  I often fail to stay on top of it even though contacting loved ones always puts a smile on my face.  That's why I will be better about staying in touch in 2012 and will be sure to use some of the time I gain by not getting lost in TV or online to contact friends and family back home.

5) Improve Gemütlichkeit- You all may have noticed the new look to the blog.  It is one of the first of many improvements I will hopefully roll out in 2012.  It is my goal to become more educated about the blogging process and to use my knowledge to make this space the most wonderful it can be.  This blog should be like a living room: beautiful and cozy, done up with love, well taken care of and a nice place to have discussions among friends.  Some of my goals are to improve the quality of images on the site, give more instructional posts and tutorials and feature a wider array of interiors.

I hope you like the first improvement to my blog.  I can't wait to give you updates on my progress with all of these goals.

How do you feel about resolutions?  Love them or hate them?  Did you make one?  Leave me a comment and let me know what it was!

Nothing better than relaxed dinner with friends on New Year's Eve.