2012 New Year’s Goals

I’m not really a fan of the word “resolution.” I think it’s an empty promise. Saying you’ll do something and actually doing it are two totally different things as anyone who’s said “no, this is the year I’m going to lose weight”…and then didn’t…knows. (Like me, many many times until 2009.)

However, if you attach an actual goal to the resolution, then you’re much more likely to accomplish it. It’s cheesy, but I’m a huge fan of S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) goals. I like to push the limits on attainable, though, and reach high.

I shot a video, but messed up uploading it to YouTube, so, instead, here are my goals in handy list format, which I know is less exciting:

Running:

• Marathon: 3:59 OR BUST. This will be taking 20 minutes off of my current marathon PR. I think this will be really hard, but possible. I’m currently thinking either NYCM again, Marine Corps Marathon…or maybe both.
• Half-Marathon: Sub-1:50, baby. This will be another tough one to beat, but I like challenges, especially of the running variety. My current half PR: 1:55. I’m thinking that if worse comes to worst, I’ll just hang onto Gia at another race.
• Run 1,000 miles. According to DailyMile, I ran 967 in 2011; I’d like to do at least 1,000 in 2012. I think that’s doable, especially since I probably forgot to log some of those miles last year.

Fitness:

• Strength train twice a week.
• Yoga once a week. To keep me from going cray-cray. (Or getting more cray-cray, really.)

Life:

• Work my ass off. After getting laid off, I have lots of missed time to make up for!
• Pay off credit card debt by June 15.
• Keep growing my blog. My blog has quadrupled in traffic in the past year. In order for that to happen again this year, I need for you each to tell four friends. Deal? I’m turning my blog into a pyramid scheme. I hope you’re okay with that. In all seriousness, thanks for reading.
• Be more mindful. Outside of work, I can be a huge scatterbrain sometimes. I’m always trying to pack 36 hours into a 24-hour day and do multiple things at once. Multitasking doesn’t work; focusing does. I want to make sure to take time to focus and to appreciate things.
• Unplug more. I love the internets, but after spending 9-10 hours at work on them, I need to unplug a bit more when I get home.

• Read more. Younger Theodora is laughing at this one. I can’t believe how little I read now compared to how much I used to read. I used to read at least a book a week up until I graduated college. I blame my internet addiction on this decline in reading. Goal: to read at least 2 books a month in 2012…and always read my book club book instead of being the slacker that hopes we don’t really talk about it.
• Date more. (Ugh?) Bailey’s great and all, but I need a human male in my life, not just a canine male. I can’t meet the man of my dreams without dating, so…if you have any attractive, young, single, fit, male friends, tell them there’s this girl you know…
• HAVE FUN. I’m usually pretty good at this one.

Et toi? What are your goals for 2012?