Dear 2012 - Let’s Be Friends

• January 1, 2012

Only moments ago I was up in Becca’s room, rocking her back to sleep. The last couple of nights she’s woke up shrieking after only a couple hours of sleep, for no apparent reason… maybe they’re just baby nightmares, who knows. But as I was sitting with her in our creaky rocking chair, her laying flat on my chest and hugging me as tightly as her tiny sixteen-month old frame can, I started to think about how I never want to take these moments for granted. I have a friend who has a daughter only about a year older than Becca, and he has told me on a few different occasions that he has rarely gotten that “fall asleep on your chest” feeling with his daughter. For me, that feeling is almost readily available, Becca is a big fan of sleep cuddles, but I don’t take advantage of it nearly as often as I probably should.

So, that got me thinking. For the last two years I’ve forgone making resolutions, and instead have given my years themes. In 2010 my theme was “nothing worth having ever comes easy,” and that was the year I really took off with LGP, and made a lot of difficult choices that ultimately turned out for the best. 2011 the theme was simply “hustle,” and hustle I did. I worked harder (and smarter) in 2011 than I ever have in my life, and the rewards have certainly been worth it.

Holding Becca tightly, rocking her, and simply enjoying her presence led me to this… 2012 is the year of not taking anything for granted. Slow down and appreciate. And I’m not just talking about my morning coffee routine. I want to make sure I don’t overlook the simple beauty in my life, and remember that nothing is trivial.

Additionally, I’ve never been much of a goal orientated person, but I want to give it a shot this year. So I am setting five, and only five goals for myself this year that I want to track and keep accountable to. No generic, all encompassing goals that can’t be tracked… only things that can be checked off a list without hesitation. They are as follows:

• Read 12 Books - This may not seem like a lot to most people, for me it is. I’ve simply accepted the fact that I am not a big reader unless something really grabs my attention. This year I intend to start changing htat.
• Finish a Competition/Race - I don’t know what the official name for these things are called, but I have signed up for The Warrior Dash this year., and I intend to finish it. Additionally, I wouldn’t mind attempting a 5k at some point.
• See a 2 at the beginning of the number on my scale, get my health under control, and don’t quit.
• Complete at least ONE of the personal projects I’ve been sitting on for nearly two years.
• Fitness-related goal to be named later.

So there it is. It’s on the internet, it must be true. I’m looking forward to coming back to this as 2013 begins and saying “I did all that!”