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Resolute

A friend of mine told me that if I didn't make my resolutions BEFORE midnight last night, then I wouldn't be able to keep them. Since my resolutions from last year were a distinctly mixed bag and I see how other people do with their resolutions, let's just say I'm not sweating this deadline formality thing.

So, here's what I've decided to do with my resolutions. Mostly, I'm going to reprise the theme of "The Year of Kicking Ass" because that is how I roll, y'all.

And instead of just making a crazy list of particulars, I'm going to go the "areas of focus" route. So, here are my areas of focus and my thoughts on the direction I'd like to go with them:

Health & Fitness
Naturally, I'm going to keep working out. I don't know if I will keep my trainer because working out with him puts me in conflict with my second area of focus, finance. If I do not work out with him, then I need to find a buddy to lift weights with me. This has its own challenges because I like to work out in the morning before work and most people aren't into that.

I don't know if I'm going to start back running this year or not either. I'm enjoying weight training and the results I've seen with that, plus it doesn't require me being outside either sweating or freezing by buns off. And it also doesn't threaten to make my toenails come off.

Finance
Definitely need to be more responsible in the money department. Number one action I will take here is moving to a cheaper apartment probably with a roommate. Having a roommate will help in the relationships area below, too, I think.

Career
I'm getting a new job this year. I'm moving into phase 2 of my career plan and there's no sense in sitting around waiting on things that may or may not happen. So, I will either be in sales or account direction or strategy by this time next year.

Arts & Culture
I want to focus more on reading and writing and continuing my, admittedly very unfocused and informal, study of storytelling.

I will continue with Samba classes for a while.

I'm also giving thought to trying to learn a third language this year. It will probably be Italian since I have a good friend who is already fluent. We'll see. My Spanish is so rusty that I feel like I should dedicate some time to brushing up on that first.

The point of this area of focus is really just to continue my intellectual growth and joyful experience of life in New York and on planet Earth.

Relationships
I'm a good friend to people, but I'd like to focus on spending more quality time with friends. Also, I want to get out more and meet more people. I'm a little bit shy around people I don't know and I'm inclined to just stay in my apartment forever, so this will be a personal challenge for me.

I won't say that I'm giving any thought toward romance although I know at least one of my friends made "find a boyfriend" a resolution of his. Yes, it would be nice to meet "the one" but I'm not sure there is any active means of finding him other than just getting out, living life, meeting new people, and having a good time with people you enjoy. That's what this area of focus is about.