New Year's Resolutions

When I was in college, I didn't bother with New Year's resolutions. My plans for the future were pretty straightforward.

Now that I'm several years past graduate school, I find I need to be more intentional about setting goals. I especially want to be intentional after getting through a health crisis this fall.

I don't want my life to be an endless loop of teaching, and reading on the web, and teaching, and reading on the web, with daily runs thrown in to keep me fit. Teaching is a worthwhile job, and reading on the web is relaxing, so this is what my life becomes if I'm not careful.

But I don't want to grow old before my time.

I want to try new things.

I want to have fun.

I want to develop intellectually, professionally, socially, and spiritually.

There's a bright green Jeep in my neighbourhood with a tire cover that reads, "One Life. Live It." I want to live by this philosophy.

I'm turning thirty this year, the first year that I am consciously aware that I'm growing older and need to take advantage of time. I want to take advantage of all the time I can.

To this end, I've started writing down New Year's resolutions. These are not the stereotypical resolutions, lose weight and eat less chocolate. Mine are more creative. I'd like to think mine are more worthwhile.

Last year, I had a few resolutions: get published on a group blog, knit a blanket, write more fiction. Some of these I didn't do; some, I did. I've started writing on Christ & University and I have a beautiful striped blanket on my bed right now as a testament to what I accomplished.

This year, I've set a few resolutions. To keep them handy, I've established a new page on my blog called the 2015 List. This is where you'll find my goals. I'll tick them off as I accomplish them, and hopefully blog about a few.

Have I listed everything I want to do on this list? No. My cousin showed up to a family gathering the other day with a T-shirt that read, "A Life Should Have Secret Plans." I like that philosophy. My life has secret plans.

But I have many not-so-secret plans which I'm excited about, and which I'd like to share with you. I'm looking forward to the adventures that the next year will bring.

What adventures will your year bring?