Monday, January 5, 2009

I Resolve.... 2009 Version

As many others have written before me, I don't like to make New Years' Resolutions. I start out all gung-ho and Yes! THIS time I will do it! I will never watch TV again (except for favorite shows)! I will grade everything the very second I get it! I will not forsake a workout to surf the net! I will write all thank-you notes promptly and be less forgetful and go totally green and have a perfect marriage and not make impulse buys and do all of it with fantastic hair and glowing skin because I will never forget to take my vitamins!

Ahem.

I think if I make a list, it'll be one of suggestions, of goals. You and I know we all lose resolve every now and then. Only drill sargeants and tax collectors deal in resolute terms all the time. And I bet there's some drill sargeant somewhere right now talking baby-talk to his cat instead of readying the troops, and somewhere a tax collector is sitting on her tush watching Law and Order while important forms sit in a pile on her desk. (Because some version of L&O is ALWAYS on. That, or CSI. Not that I'm complaining.) Thus, a few goals for 2009:

- Take care of myself in terms of mental and physical health: exercise more, continue good eating habits, let myself take a few minutes to expel my thoughts on this blog

- Keep greening up my life and the lives of those around me, gently, without acting pushy

- Become a better teacher by engaging my students and colleagues in discussion and working on a little self-evaluation from time to time

- Allow myself to make mistakes and recognize I do not have to do everything perfectly. As long as I'm giving full effort, it should be enough for myself and that's the opinion that matters most

- Walk the dog more: It's good for her and for me

- Forgive myself for being a human being

That's a good start, I think. I just have to keep at these things a little every day and see what 2009 brings. Happy Monday, dear readers.

No comments: