New Year's Reflections and Forecasts

With only about 4 hours left in 2012, I guess it's time to look at the past year and reflect on the greatness...and maybe not so greatness.  I pick an annual theme, some attribute that I use in the spirit of everything I do, last year's theme was "ambition".  Here are a few things, good and bad, that I did in 2012:

1. Lost 48#! That's right at half of the weight I wanted to lose forever! I've maintained this loss for the past 3 months. I'm right under 50# from goal
2. Joined the Y...that's really a big deal to me, I'm one of those people who will use the gym if I have a membership, it always seems like a big expense, but I've found that it's just another bill I have to pay to survive. 
3. Fell in LOVE with a fitness class! It's called "Pulse" and is the brainchild of a former Zumba instructor who has taken dance fitness to the next level! An absolutely amazing class that I have to keep in my life.
4. Have kicked a few negative people in my life to the curb and have surrounded myself with people who truly want the best for me and push me to be the best version of myself I can be. 
5. Finally let my sweetheart of the past 6 years put a (engagement) ring on it...I love him with all my heart, but am so afraid of having another failed marriage that I felt that I couldn't fail if it wouldn't happen...well, we're one step closer to an official happily ever after story.
6. I really blew it with money this year. Pretty much wiped out the savings account by just living larger than I really ever should have thought of. Yeah, I'm the girl who knows how many calories I have eaten and how many I have left for the day, but have no idea at any given time how much money is in my checking account. 
7. I started this blog! I love writing and would one day love to get my full, unabridged story out there (yeah, I would love to write a book, I actually have an idea for a second book as well, so if you know any publishers...)
8. Started a small garden and grew a lot of my own food this summer...If it hadn't been for the drought, I really would have saved a fortune in groceries, but my water bill actually ate away at any of the savings.
9. I feel that I've done a great job of walking the walk of the virtues I preach. I am a nutritionist by profession, and I work with a lower income population who sometimes seems desperate and hopeless. I hope they see see that I am living a healthy lifestyle myself on a shoestring budget. 

Whew! Now that I look at it, 2012 was a busy year! No wonder I wonder where it all went! Looking on at 2013, my theme will be "fun" not so say that I plan on being totally flaky, but I do plan on living in the moment, laughing, and playing a lot!  Here are some things that I would like to accomplish: 

1. I'm hitting my goal weight! Would like to see it happen by spring, but it certainly will happen before 2014!
2. Sending my kiddo off to college...doing everything I can to be able to send her to the school of her (and my) dreams!
3. I want to learn as many "survival skills" as possible, #1 on the list is to learn how to use my slingshot, and get scary accurate with it!
4. Trying every fitness class that sounds interesting or fun to me. Right now I have my eye on giving Turbo Kick and Piloxing a go!
5. Grow even more of my own food this year...my goal is maybe 50% of the produce we eat. I made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about growing a garden last year, so I really think I can do so much better this year! 
6. Get right with the money situation. Use my tax check to pay off some debt so my bills will be lower this year and start living more simply. 
7. Speaking of living simply, I want to declutter. I will be getting rid of everything that I don't use or love, so looks like I'll be having one heckuva yard sale this spring!
8. Incorporating more hobbies and spending more time doing leisure activities. Get back in to sewing, crafting, and decorating.

Looks like a big fun year ahead, and I can't wait to get started!