1. Rome was not built in a day, and neither was the ideal body. Therefore, I will keep working out four to five days a week to be nicely toned for the summer of 2011.
Since August, I’ve not only been using the “Perfect Sit-Up” at least six days a week, but I’ve also been completing cardio exercises with Wii Fit as well as “Your Shape Evolved” on Xbox Kinect such as yoga, step aerobics and kick boxing, which is a lot of fun. With the change in weather (cold and rainy) as well as the days getting shorter, it has presented a bit of a hurdle with consistently and walking and jogging six to seven days a week outside. However, the Nike Plus program continues to keep me motivated , so I’ve been walking on the treadmill in the college gym or even walking the halls to cover mile miles which has been quite invigorating. The app “Lose it” is still beneficial, and as a result of using it, I have become far more cognizant of what I’m eating. The Active Women time release vitamin and adding flaxseed and wheat germ to my meals to get more nutrients has been helpful too.
2. My intellectual, spiritual and creative journey is essential for my well-being, and I will be sure to submit a blog entry at least once a week. Stop by when you can to check out my new entries.
This is my 83rd blog submission. and even though I was shooting for at least 100 entries by the end of the year, I am satisfied with my achievement. I often underestimate how busy I am going to be when the semester begins, and the balancing act begins from August through mid December. I did, however, surpass my goal of 1500 by the end of the year by getting 2420!
3. I have many gifts, and writing poetry is one of them, so I will relentlessly assert myself to become synonymous with the spoken word and poetry slam circuit. Who knows, I may complete enough poems to publish a chapbook or have some choice entries in major publications.
Even though I have not been writing as much as I think I could have, I’ve still been working on ideas and writing down daily musings. Check out some of my spoken word performances on You Tube. You can find me under Anonomz.
4. People often say, “It’s a small world,” but many of us have yet to leave our own neighborhood, city, or state, let alone the country or continent for that matter. I plan to travel more extensively this year and hope to visit outside of the country…perhaps for a destination wedding. I haven’t done any traveling since getting married in the Dominican Republic; nevertheless, it was a memorable experience, and I’ am looking forward to traveling to a couple of places in the new year.
5. Everybody is busier than ever and cannot spare a moment for family and friends even though vast amounts of technology are supposed to help people get more done and have more time,. I will make a more conscious effort to reach out to family and friends and demonstrate my appreciation and love for them the” Old fashioned” way: the occasional phone call, letters, visits and tokens of my appreciation.
As previously stated in August, I’ve been channeling my energy into those whom I spend time with and see regularly and let them know how much they are loved and appreciated, and maybe one day the others will have time to fit me in their schedules.
6. I love writing and refuse to die with my many stories being left untold; as a result, I will begin working on and brainstorming about other literary ventures such as colorful stories and children’s book ideas and see where it takes me…maybe to the best seller’s list one day!
I love writing, and have been incorporating it into my everyday schedule which has actually been rather busy these past few months. I have a gratitude journal and occasionally jot down ideas throughout the course of the day. I also purchased a few books which I’ve been reading to help me with the writing process. Even though I know this goal will more than likely span into the next couple of years in order to have a completed project, I am fully immersed in the process.
7. Health is necessary for longevity. To continue improving my financial, physical and spiritual health, I will conduct research and keep working on the economical game plan, exercise regularly and meditate , and read and apply spiritual and motivational literature on a frequent basis.
Now that the wedding has come and gone, the saving begins with purchasing a house. My husband and I are doing really well with the monthly contributions towards this goal, and I am hopeful that we will be ready to start looking for a house in the new year. Also, I’ve paid off my car loan and am in a rally good place financially to get the occasional want, not just needs. This year, I have been exercising regularly, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and taking vitamin supplements. I am happy to report that I have not been sick all year, and I think my exercising and eating healthy foods has a lot to do with it. I’ve also been doing more meditating, specifically transcendental meditation, two times a day for twenty minutes a piece, and I do feel more balanced and relaxed. The brain exercises have certainly improved my mental acuity. I’m also on my third set of lessons for Rosetta Stone’s Spanish courses and am enjoying the learning process. I can honestly say that I feel fantastic!
8. “You should be an actor!” is what family, friends and even my students tell me. I used to act when I was younger and loved being on stage, so I will explore my theatrical abilities by taking a college level acting class in the spring 2011 semester staring January 10. It’s going to be interesting potentially being in class with some of my own students, but it will be fun I’m sure.
My acting class went extremely well, and I finished the course with an “A!” I learned a great deal from the experience and would love to take another course. For my final, I actually performed in a scene as a drunk southern belle which is totally out of character for me. You can check out my scene on You Tube under Anonomz.
9. As a person who has finicky eating habits, family and friends jokingly say, “A fancy restaurant for her is a place that serves pizza, chicken or turkey burgers.” I enjoy fine dining and feel guilty that people are limited in their restaurant selections when going out with me. In an attempt to break out of this habit, I will try at least one new food item every other month…once a month if the mood strikes me.
Out of my ten goals, I am extremely proud of achieving this one because it was initially the most difficult. Interestingly, trying new foods has actually been much easier that I thought it would be. Once I tried the fried calamari, the shrimp, eggplant, sushi and plantains, to name a few, the rest were no problem. There’s something liberating about trying different foods. Maybe it’s the ability to step outside of my comfort zone and to do something daring. Perhaps trying new foods is just the beginning. After this, I might feel more comfortable with trying different hobbies or activities that I would normally shy away from.
10. Lastly, in recent years I’ve learned that I cannot be everything to everyone, but year after year I still try to make family, friends, students, and colleagues happy sometimes at my own expense: monetarily, physically and emotionally. To use an analogy, I love filling up their glasses of water, but I have to make sure my pitcher of water remains filled too in 2011.
I’m steadily improving in this area and have found that the more I say “no” or “I’ll think about it” so that I am not overwhelmed, the easier it becomes. I still have to get over the guilt issues, but I’m happy with my progress..
I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
All the best,
Tanya
What once was “the new year” is almost over in less than 24 hours. Did you manage to stay on track with the things you had planned for 2011? Please feel free to share.
“Hey Mama” by Kanye West
Journey of Anonomz 