12 for 12 of 2012

I had a friend once who, on the first day of every year, would put her iPod on shuffle and the first 12 songs that played would be the 12 songs that acted as a precursor for each month of the year ahead. Some songs were happy and energetic, the kind you want to go share with the world around you by singing from rooftops, and others were sad and pensive, ones you save for a lonely cloudy day. This was her means of a New Year's Resolution she would stick to, and these 12 songs acted as the way she would welcome in each month; uniquely and with purpose. She didn't seem to take anything for granted, as shown by her devout reverence to every song in her extensive music collection, holding every single track near enough to her heart that she wouldn't dream of denying it the opportunity to rein in the new year. It is with this devotion in my heart that I share with you my promises to myself for the new year.

1. Take time for me.
2. Break a sweat.
3. Take a multivitamin. Everyday.
4. Be religious about religion.
5. Don't take for granted what others lack.
6. Learn how to accept a compliment.
7. Be more generous with my time, money, and understanding.
8. Reach out.
9. Make smart indulgences.
10. Take time to savor every single moment that makes life worth living.
11. Celebrate the small victories.
12. Thank God every chance I get.

There you have it: 12 goals for the next 12 months of 2012. These are goals I have been thinking about for a while (it is December 16th, 2011 as I start this blog post) and ones that I plan to revisit from time to time throughout the year to check up on my progress. I am just like any other person who makes commitments to themselves on the first of the year, starting out with high hopes and already slacking two weeks into the year, but my sincere hopes are that by posting these goals on my blog, I will hold myself to higher accountability, and in turn, will actually benefit from making these promises for once.