New Year's Resolutions

So I was talking to the husband the other night - having one of those sideways conversations where I say things that are difficult for me while doing something else (like playing Snood), and we both pretend like there is nothing serious being discussed - and he tells me that I have a "really pessimistic view of life".

What?!?

I like to think of myself as something of an optimist...or as being, if not optimistic about life, then generally gracious about accepting what may come. I still expect most people to act from goodness, am still surprised when they lie, am still bewildered by being mean just for the sake of being mean. I consciously work to accept that things in my life happen for a reason, and try hard to trust that I will come out of hard situations a better person. I really, truly do still believe in the Light. Isn't that optimistic?

On the other hand, I realized today that I haven't made a New Year's Resolution in, oh, a decade or so because (so my thinking goes) nobody ever keeps the damn things anyways and why bother with the pretense of changing yourself when failure is virtually guaranteed. Just admit the failure to begin with and save us all the hassle.

Maybe Husband is a little right after all.

SO - just to prove him wrong (LOL) and embrace the spirit of optimism, I decided to not only make some resolutions, but also to put them out here where everybody can see (just to make the shame that much greater when - no, excuse me - if I fail, of course). I've even been listening to all the blether about how to keep resolutions on the morning shows (which are normally so much blahblah to me), and actually read Dr. Phil's suggestions on how to succeed in making your resolutions stick...and if that doesn't make me freakin' Sally Sunshine I don't know what would.

Here goes.

I will lose 2 pounds a month for the next 6 months.

GAG - how predictably and stereotypically girl of me, but still. I really do want to fit in my cute pants again without the muffin top.

I will exercise at least twice a week.

Health, people, health. I'm never gonna be a skinnyminny, or a triathelete, but I would like to feel stronger in my body.

I will follow FlyLady this year.

The C.H.A.O.S. really is out of control, and it sucks my energy, and everyone involved will be happier if the house is a little less of a disaster area. For once maybe I can make things easier for myself, rather than harder.

I will blog at least once a week.

If not here, then on one of my blogs. It's good for me. I actually do have things to say, and it is important for me to say them out loud rather than just think them to myself.

I will make, and keep, a budget.

I am sooooo much more relaxed when I feel like our finances are secure! I've been waiting for literally years for husband to sit down and help me with this, and I think it's time to accept that he isn't going to. This sister's gonna do it for herself, and if he doesn't like how I apportion the dollars, well, he can just sit his ass down and get involved, now can't he.

I will count my blessings (at least 5 of them) every day.

Cheesy, I know, but I've done it before and it does make me feel better about my life - even when it sucks (which is all too often, it seems) - to acknowledge what is good in it. Part of this resolution is writing them down - keeps me honest, ya know?

So there they are, folks. My first New Year's Resolutions since I don't know when. Five of them seems like a good number...plenty of potential for failure, or if I fail at one I have 4 more to fall back on, or 5 great things I'll do that will make my life happier. Take your pick, depending where on the sliding scale of optimism (or pessimism) you find yourself today.

As a side note: Ben & Jerry's S'mores ice cream is EVIL, pure and simple. The Satan of the Fat Pants planted it in front of me in the store on purpose. Damn him. This has nothing to do with anything in this post whatsoever, except as it may affect my first resolution (see above).