New Year

Oh, hi 2020. You kind of snuck in there, didn't you? I don't know why it suddenly jumped out at me, but it did. So here I am making some goals.

Before that though, a story that my sister told me over the holiday.

Her friend told her that many years ago, she was in Idaho Falls at the airport. She was heading back to Rexburg when she realized she had absolutely no idea how to get back. She was kind of panicked, until she saw a car ahead of her. The car had a license plate frame that read, "It's a Sean Bean thing. You wouldn't understand." She immediately thought, Hey, I know exactly one person with that license plate frame, and I'm going to follow that car. She ended up getting back to Rexburg safely.

Yes, that was my car, and yes, I ended up being the unwitting guide for my sister's friend. I thought a lot about it, and realized that I am a guide, however unintentionally. As a teacher, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a child of God, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. All of the above. I have a responsibility to those around me to be a guide. It doesn't even mean just a spiritual guide. My actions reflect on a LOT of things. If people in my community see me acting in an unprofessional manner, how are they supposed to trust me as the teacher of their children? If members of my congregation see me acting in a way unbefitting a member of the Church, how are they supposed to listen to my Sunday lessons? If my family sees me treating others in an un-Christlike manner, how are they supposed to trust my treatment of them?

It's a lot to think about.

Anyway, here are some goals for 2020. (Remember, I don't make resolutions because those are just asking to be broken. Instead, I set goals, and allow flexibility. I'm a lot more successful that way.)

1. Exercise 30 minutes, 5 days a week. I needed to be a lot more specific than just 'lose weight in the new year.' This way, I have a set plan.

2. Save $150 per month, and don't dip into it. I'm trying to get back to Paris!

3. Socialize with friends at least once a month. For an introvert, that's a LOT. I'm forced to be extroverted by my profession, and some days it's just ENOUGH. By the time I get home, I don't want to see another human being ever. It's so hard being ON all the time, so my off time is VERY important to me. But I still feel like I need to get out and do something once in awhile.

4. Daily Gospel study.

5. Monthly temple attendance.

6. Daily hair and makeup. Maybe a weird goal, but honestly, some days, it's HARD and I just give up.

7. Read 225 books. I'm tracking my progress on this goal through Goodreads. I'm going to try hard to break away from JUST historical fiction. I read A LOT of that, because it's my favorite genre. But I need to branch out more.

8. Reread the Star Wars Expanded Universe books. Because THOSE are my canon. Forget the dumb departure of the newest movies. I like the movies. I even love them. But the books will always be MY canon.

9. Get rid of the stupid little flies that inhabit my plants. Ugh. I've tried everything! Now I'm moving on to the Raid approach.

10. Prepare balanced and healthy dinners each day. Cooking for one person is HARD. It doesn't feel like it's worth spending the time on just me. But I need to MAKE it worth the time. Because I AM worth the time. No more putting myself aside. I'm going to take care of myself this year.

I'll work at these throughout the year, and hopefully ring in 2021 as a more balanced and better off person!