Resolutions

I've never really been one for New Year's resolutions. Most of the time I can't figure out why they can't just be made all year long. What is it about adding "New Year's" to it that makes these self proclamations suddenly so much more powerful. They obviously don't (really) have more effect on the likelihood of them being kept; how many people do I know that say they're going to quit smoking, drinking, eating sugar or lose weight and then before Ground Hog's day has come and gone they're right back to their old habits. 

HOWEVER, with only 28 days left before I step into the next phase of my life ... my thirties... I took some time to try and think about what is it in my life I wish I was doing more/less of. Why not use the cleansing of the new year to start new habits? To say good-bye to 2012 and good-bye to tendencies I've wanted to rid myself of for some time now. 

So, for the first time in I'm not sure how many years, I've made some New Years resolutions:

1. Read More. I was raised in a house full of books and I have quite the collection of books myself. Being read a bed time story was a ritual for my mother and us girls growing up, something her mother did with her and I plan to do with my children. For years I would read any opportunity I could - on the bus, during lunch, before bed, etc. 

However, this last year with added responsibilities at work and additional stresses at home I just found myself reading less and less... to be honest I can't even the last book I read. So as part of my resolution it's not only to start picking up a book more or time to turn off the electronics and open a book but to focus more of my spare time on myself. 

Over New Year's Eve weekend I purchased a book "How To Be a Woman" by Caitlin Moran; so far I've read at least one chapter a day. Not sure how well that momentum will keep up but for now I'm trying. 

2. Start Doing Art Again. Art has always been my release valve - collage and paint mostly. Then when my sister and her boyfriend moved into our living room my artistic path had to move to something that didn't need to take up too much space - photography. While I do truly enjoy and think I've improved on my photography skills I miss being covered in paint and sticky with glue!

Now that the "roommates" have moved out maybe I'll be able to spread out and tackle my art once again. It goes very hand in hand with the "read more". I need outlets for my stress, emotions and just time to myself. 

3. No Drama! Somehow at some point in my life I became the "dependable" one, the one with her "shit together".... somehow at some point in my life I because the one to keep dates straight, to organize the family, to play nice and act diplomatically not matter the drama or terrible mess the rest of life brought to my doorstep. Unfortunately I'm also the one who keeps her stress, anxiety and frustrations with life bottled up deep inside until I feel like I'm going to burst.

So, to round out my resolutions of self care I am including self preservation. No longer will I allow others toxic relationships invade my space. No longer will I bend over backwards to hand-hold adults who need to just grow up and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. I'm threw looking after everyone else first and myself last. I will no longer allow others drama to poison me. 

That's it. Those are my 2013 New Year's resolutions. Hopefully easy enough to continue from month to month, year to year. 

We shall see. 

What about you? Any resolutions?