Why?

Thanks for the comments on my post yesterday. It's good to know you're reading!

Today I've been thinking a lot about the reasons behind my goals for 2012. Ultimately, I want to take charge of my destiny and make my life what I want it to be.

I want to continue to grow and learn. I want to be healthy and happy. I don't need a lot of money or material things. I just need to feel fulfilled. I'm viewing 2012 as a year of personal discovery, a time for looking ahead, not back. The past is over; I can't change it now.

Along with that, I want to remember that I can't control life's events. All I can control are my reactions to them. Sometimes, unfortunately, life deals a bad hand. There's not a whole lot I can do about it when that happens. All I can do is summon my strength to deal with whatever comes my way.

Breaking it down into my goals, here are my reasons for each one (in numbered list form, of course!):

1. My health. Not only do I want to be healthier, I want to feel healthier, more confident and attractive. I want to know I can do anything I want, with no physical limitations. I don't want to be 28 years old and still trying to lose weight or get fit or both.
2. My finances. I feel like, at 27 years old, it's about time I learn to budget and save and do all the things that adults are "supposed" to do. I also want to know that we have enough savings in case of an emergency. I want to live my dream of a year abroad, but I also want to make sure I have savings for a rainy day.
3. My job. This year wasn't great in terms of my professional life. I got stuck in a job that I didn't love and, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fake it. Starting on January 3, I am going back to my true calling, which will help toward living this goal. But I also want to make sure that I don't make work my life because I know eventually that'll make me unhappy.
4. My relationship. Of course I want to be happy, but I also want to know that S is happy, and that I am doing everything I can to keep our relationship strong. I plan to spend the rest of my life with him. Relationships take work. I never, ever want to take ours for granted.

I will come back to this post periodically, when I feel I'm losing focus. Putting the words here helps.

A fresh start

Hello, blogland. It's December 30th, and you know what that means. It's time to think about my goals for 2012. I'm dedicating the coming year to myself. By this time next year I will be healthy, I will be happy, I will be the best me I can be.

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to accomplish in 2012. 2011 was a big year for me, with changes in my work life and my home life, the loss of my dear grandmother, and the realization that adulthood is no longer a future event. It's here, folks.

I have many goals for the year ahead. In typical Sadie form, I will produce a numbered list for your reading pleasure.

1. My health. I am going to renew my focus on weight loss and activity. I will get back into running, and rediscover my love of exercise. I will not be doing Weight Watchers. For the first while I will focus on activity. Once I've got a handle on that again, I will track calories to make sure I'm getting what I need, no more, no less.
2. My finances. I will pay off my credit card debt and save for Australia in 2013. I will budget for groceries, bills and entertainment, and will stick to the budget every month.
3. My job. I am going back to translating, which is my true calling. I will continue to give it my all, and will remain open to other opportunities that arise. I will not make work my purpose in life, however. I will find a work-life balance.
4. My relationship. I will do my best to be more patient and learn to adapt. I will grow as my relationship grows, and will endeavour to communicate any and all issues.

So those are the big goals for 2012. I am thinking about making a list of smaller goals, including fun things I'd like to do. I'll post that later. I've deleted all previous posts from my blog in an effort to treat this as a fresh start, a new or renewed outlook on life. This blog will help me keep things in perspective and work toward my goal of being the best me I can be.