Bring It On 2011

I am not really that into New Years Resolutions. In fact, I haven't really made them in a long time because it seems like they are just ideas that get tossed aside by Valentine's Day. Instead of New Years Resolutions I typically make a list sometime around my birthday of all the things I am going to accomplish at that age. However, I didn't do that this year either... Oops.

Anyway, this January I have been reading all these fabulous posts from other bloggers with great ideas for what they are going to do in 2011. I still didn't feel like actually taking the time to think about my goals or intentions for this year. Then I read this. No, these aren't specifically goals or intentions for 2011, but they are awesome ideas and a number of them are things I would put on some sort of resolutions list of my own.

So, without further ado, here is the complete list of 30 Tips for an Extraordinary Life from the Stratejoy blog with the five things that I am going to focus on in 2011 in bold.

1. Practice radical acceptance towards yourself and others.
2. Stop trying to control everything.
3. Laugh. A lot.
4. Balance your input (reading, watching, learning) with your output (creating, giving, leading).
5. Take amazing care of your body: eat clean, floss, practice yoga, don’t smoke, breathe deeply, be mindful of alcohol, visit the doctor, eat less, move more, sleep 8 hours, get massages, and learn to listen to your inner signals.
6. Celebrate your successes. Celebrate others’ successes.
7. Embrace your strengths and stop worrying so much about your weaknesses.
8. Tell the truth. Even at work. Especially with those you love. Most importantly, with yourself.
9. Set boundaries with your time, energy and money. Respect them.
10. Be colorful.
11. Create meaningful connections and nurture the heck out of them.
12. Save a chunk of your money and give away another chunk. Use the rest on things, adventures, treats, and necessities that truly please you. Be a conscious consumer.
13. Stop freakin’ comparing yourself to others.
14. Speak up, sing loudly, and raise your voice if something needs saying.
15. Don’t be afraid to love with abandon. Love is a renewable resource and yes, your heart is resilient.
16. Go outside and play.
17. Ignore the haters. It’s your life, your legacy, your choice.
18. Explore your spirituality. Connect with something larger than yourself.
19. Share your story.
20. Get clear on your top 8 values. Honor them daily.
21. Find your balance of deliberate action and spontaneous fun.
22. Challenge the status quo.
23. Be a hero to someone.
24. Practice kindness.
25. Stop taking yourself so seriously.
26. Take your dreams very seriously.
27. Act with personal integrity and be quick to admit mistakes. Clean up your own messes.
28. Cultivate mindfulness.
29. Seek and spread inspiration.
30. Fall in love with yourself a little more each day: treat yourself kindly, protect your passions, allow yourself space to grow, believe in your gifts, tend your gardens. Fierce love, baby, fierce love.

Basically, I chose these five because (#1) I am a judger AKA I judge way more frequently than I enter a situation with an open mind. More often than not this probably closes me off to really cool people, situations and experiences. Then, (#2) I am a control freak. Somewhere between being the oldest of four kids, teaching for a living and just being my mother's daughter I like it when things are under my control. As a result I stink at delegating and generally prefer to do things on my own cause I know other people won't do them the same way I will. In 2011 I need to just get over it and go with the flow. (#12) It's not like I have no money, but I am certainly not raking in the big bucks as a teacher and in 2011 I will need to start to adapt to saving more money and not spending on the little things. Eventually I plan to transition back to living in the U.S. and things will cost a bit more than they do in Colombian Pesos so I better adjust sooner rather than later.

As for (#15) love without abandon? I don't do it. Period. I mean, I think it's fine when other people fall in love and get married and want to have babies and live happily ever after, but right now that kind of terrifies me. Terrifies me a lot. I feel like I have all of my own stuff to handle without some guy getting in the way of that. Relationships are inevitably messy and if I cannot figure out what I want how am I supposed to factor what someone else wants into the equation? Also, whether it is living in Colombia where disloyalty is pretty common in relationships or a still very distinct memory of ridiculous college boys, I don't always think the best of men's intentions. In 2011 I need to approach this idea of love or dating or whatever with an open heart...and an open mind.

My life list is written and posted on this blog, but how much progress am I making with it from day-to-day? Sometimes it feels like none. 2011 is my year to live out some of these (#26) dreams by doing whatever I can to make them happen. This is the year I will go visit wine country in Argentina. This is the year I will hold side crow pose in yoga. This is the year I will scrapbook all my picture from studying abroad in Spain during the summer of 2007. This is the year I will get a tattoo. This is the year I will meet Joe Mauer. (Hey - it's going to happen...don't kill my dreams :))

So in summary? It's going to be a fabulous year...stay tuned loves :)