Happy New Year…A Few Days Late

Happy New Year fans (if any of you exist). I know I am a bit late on the well wishes, but things have been pretty hectic here.

When I was home for the holidays, I decided to take a week off from blogging in attempt to bond with my family. Not necessarily the most successful experiment, but worth a try. When I wasn’t trying to bring the family together, I tried to take it easy. Which meant walks along the beach, reading by the fire and visiting my friends.

When I returned to New York, I was thrown into the city’s natural chaos. I looked after three sweet (but rambunctious) boys while their mom recovered form surgery. I played tour guide to my boyfriend’s southern friends. And I rang in the new year with a steak dinner and champs!

“But Leah,” you may be thinking. “You’re unemployed. You could have blogged any time after New Year’s Eve.”

Well readers, that’s where you’re wrong! I received an early Christmas gift in the form of a job offer. I now work for an amazing magazine as it’s online production editor. Right now it’s a temp gig until the end of April, but if things go well it may be extended or I may find another job within the company. So keep your fingers crossed for me.

So now that I finally have some time to sit and smell the theoretical roses, I can tackle a topic I’ve been thinking about since Ryan Seacrest shouted “Happy New Year”: New Year’s Resolutions

Normally I am not an advocate for New Year’s resolutions. For some reason, I feel like people who do set themselves up for failure. They put all this pressure on one goal, and if they don’t meet instantly (lose 5 lbs) or they get bored with it (exercising daily), they quit. Besides, shouldn’t we try to better ourselves all year long, not just on the first day of a new year?

But as I looked back on 2012, I realized I went through a lot: both good and bad. I met an amazing guy, and made some new friends as a result. I lost a job I loved, and was never given a reason why. I made amends with a “high school nemesis,” and now we talk weekly. I tried, and failed, at becoming closer to certain family members.

Regardless, I ended the year happy and I want to keep that going through 2013. Now, this is easier said than done, of course. But I think certain changes can help keep my happy all year (or at least most of the time).

Stop Worrying About Weight

More.com

For most of my life, my main concern was the numbers on the scale. I did anything to keep that number as low as possible. I’d eat nothing but water and Tic-Tacs for days. I’d feast on a large meal, than force it out of my system. I’d skip classes to spend an extra hour or two on the treadmill. And I was miserable.

Over time, I’ve become less worried about my weight but I’ve still let it control a part of life. Well, no more! I’m done with weighing myself every morning, counting calories, and forbidding myself from certain foods.

Now, this doesn’t mean I’m turning into a bottomless, no-boundaries pit. I’m still going to make sure I get my daily dose of fruits and veggies. I’m still going to go for daily runs. I’m still going to ask for half of my meal in a to-go container (but that’s mostly because I’m cheap). But I’m not going to spend hours searching for a five-day cleanse, or shell out money on a new weight-loss product. After all, that only brings misery.

Write More… And Not On the Computer

winningfuturesbooks.org

There’s something about seeing an envelope with my name on it, and no bill enclosed, that brings a smile to my face. This used to happen more frequently. My Aunt Antoinette always sent mehand-written notes when I was in school. Well, notes is an understatement. Every other month she’d send me a three-page (front AND back) letter, describing her days and sharing some of her favorite memories of me as a child. I still keep these mini-novels in a box by my bed.

Sadly, the letter stopped arriving after my aunt passed away. Even though they didn’t come often, they came enough to make me happy and feel at home. Why not make someone else feel that way?

I have a few relatives that I’m sure would love the letters, but am I too old for a pen-pal? Please weigh in.

Give Back
Kony. The Aurora Shooting. Hurricane Sandy. Sandyhook Elementary School Shooting. So many tragedies occurred in 2012, it breaks my heart to think about it. Being born in a small town, you never think that these type of things can happen to or affect you.  But this year, it did.

When Hurricane Sandy struck in October, it tore apart my hometown. Properties along the water became piles of ruble. Sand from the beaches spread for miles, preventing people from leaving the chaos. The ocean, which our town and state are known for, became the enemy.

TurnTo10.com

I tried to give back as much as I could. Donating clothes and money. Volunteering to clean up and restore. It may not have done much, but it did something for the displaced and did something for my spirit as well.

But you don’t have to wait till tragedy strikes to help. I want to give back to the world all year long (too cheesy? well this is my blog so deal). Whether it’s logging my runs into CharityMiles, cleaning out my closet and giving items away, or volunteering with kids, I want to do more to better my surroundings and be a better person.

Read 50 Books

Bostino.com

Ok, so it’s not as deep as my other goals, but this is something I want to do.

I’ve always been a book nerd. I used to read during recess rather than play on the swing set. I took on the characters’ identities, pretending that their adventures were my adventures. And luckily, my family encouraged this habbit. My uncle especially. Every birthday, he took my to Barnes and Nobel and said he’s buy me as many books as I could carry to the counter. As I got stronger, he limited it to gift-cards, but still enabled my addiction.

But between work and a larger social life, I don’t read as much as I’d like or should. So this year it’s back to the books. And just to make it more enjoyable, I plan on reviewing everything I read (but don’t expect anything to lengthy).

Blog, Blog, Blog
I’ve talk about my troubles with blogging in the past, and I’ve also talked about my desire to be better at it. This might be the most difficult challenge of 2013, but I’ll be damned if I don’t keep at it!

Think I can handle all this, and the rest of my life? Well I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.

How do you feel about New Year’s Resolutions? What are yours for 2013? Share with me below!