Resolutions

As promised, my list of resolutions…but with a twist. Personally, I don’t care much for resolutions. They’re just a way to set you up for failure. At least for me, that’s how they’ve always played out…too many, too unattainable, too much guilt when I let myself down, quickly followed by a food binge. So I’ve avoided them for several years now as I merrily welcomed each New Year with no expectations of myself weighing on my shoulders.

However, I’ve been reading The Flog (WoW geeks will recognize Felicia from The Guild episodes) and having read her 101 Things post, I felt oddly motivated to make one myself. I tried to shrug it off, but three days into the new year and there I was still thinking about the stupid list. Really, the whole issue with resolutions is that we make them and the first moment that we break them, we feel like crap. Why would I want to do something like that to myself?

Against my better judgment, I’ve done it. I’ve made the list. It’s not just any ordinary resolutions list though. It’s a 1001 Day Project list. If you’re not familiar with the project, here’s more information from the website:

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

With so many things on my list that don’t just encompass items related to jewelry, I’m also posting the list on my work website, YazminMedia. I can write about work related items over on that blog. I’m sure you jewelry readers don’t want to read a bunch of code; just like my work readers probably don’t want to read about my jewelry adventures.

There are certain things I didn’t put on the list, like visiting my brother again in Hong Kong or taking Jason to Hawaii. I think those things are just out of our reach for the next 2 1/2 years, especially with some of the other plans we have in the works for the next few years.

However, we did promise our friends a trip to Europe with them for their anniversary, so we have to add that to our budget and savings plan. Also, I don’t think a weekend trip to New York would be too much of a stretch, as well as a quick trip to Puerto Rico, provided we get the super cheap rates from an airline and Jason is not working for someone else anymore.

So I think I’ve been fairly realistic about this list. If you think differently, though, please let me know. I have been known to be some what of a dreamer…Just ask my friend Judson, who went to see National Treasure with us last weekend and witnessed first hand the extent of my dreaming when I exclaimed “I want to be a treasure hunter!” as we walked out of the movie theater…

Without further ado, check out my 101 list in the right column of my blog. I’ll be crossing off items as I complete them and possibly modifying the list as I lose interest in certain things. We all change as the years go by, so why not my list?

Regardless, I’d love to hear what you think.