New Week's Resolutions
You know how we (most of us) tend to make resolutions at the beginning of the new year? Even those who claim they don't, usually do secretly. It makes sense. It's the beginning of a new year, which just begs for fresh starts, improvements in behavior, and embarking on new adventures. Well, I make resolutions at the beginning of almost every week. I usually vow on Sunday that the following day will be the:
- day I finally get back into my workout routine
- day I finally improve my eating habits for good
- day I finally stop procrastinating
- day I finally start learning whatever it is I want to learn that week (Italian, ASP.NET, C++, Photoshop, Calculus, etc.)
- day I finally really, really start losing the excess poundage once and for all
Pretty much every Monday I start off with a bang, doing just exactly what I've vowed I will do - until Monday night. Most of the time, by the time I get home Monday night, I'm tired so the first resolution to go is #2, which means #5 is broken as well. I start making dinner, usually something healthy and delicious for which I've purchased groceries on Sunday, but while making dinner I am usually eating everything that isn't nailed down because I'm starving to death because I was too busy to eat the great lunch I took with me to work. I tell myself I just won't eat dinner because I've eaten the entire day's calorie allotment while preparing dinner. But then, dinner looks and smells so good when it's done that I can't help myself. I load up my plate with as much as I give Tom and scarf it all down much too quickly. There goes resolutions #2 and #5.
Resolution #1 is the next one to go. I lay in bed thinking about how great it's going to feel to get up and go workout - how proud I'll be of myself, how happy I'll be that I'm back in the groove - and then, seconds after I go to bed, the alarm goes off and it's 4:50 AM and I'm so tired I can barely figure out where I am and what the annoying beeping is that's rousing me from my amazing dream. I struggle out of bed, make lunches, espresso, etc., and never quite wake up all the way. I just need another hour of sleep, I tell myself. Tom leaves and I snuggle back under the covers, falling asleep before I realize what I'm doing. Next thing I know, it's 8 AM and there's no time to work out. Resolution #1 out the window.
Resolution #3 - come on, do I really need to explain that one? I broke it before I broke any other one. I don't think that one is even realistic. I have been a procrastinator since I can remember. I must like the pressure of having to do things at the very last minute. I guess it's that adrenaline rush. I really don't like it, but it feels so normal that I don't think I could function if I actually planned ahead and finished stuff with time to spare. But I can dream, can't I?
Resolution #4 - I do usually attempt this. I have all the books I need for ASP.NET right here on my desk. I installed Google Toolbar's auto-translate function so I can increase my Italian vocabulary and have been trying to connect with a fellow crazy Italian woman I know to set up a set time for sitting down and actually studying Italian together. I have the Photoshop text here on my desk as well. But finding the time in my life to spend the kind of time it takes to really learn this stuff... well, that's another story. I seldom make time for Gina. I know, I know. I need to do that, but seriously, when? So... Resolution #4 is really a pipe dream, but I like thinking some day I will actually follow through and do it.
So... another week, another set of resolutions. I've only broken one so far (the procrastination part). I ate great this morning - just eating breakfast is a huge improvement as I usually don't, and I ate a good breakfast with lots of fiber, calcium, and stuff. I don't usually work out on Mondays anyway, so I haven't blown that one yet. I doubt I'll actually get to #4, but that's sort of a long-term resolution that I try to attempt in small parts each week. As for #3, well, I'm blogging, aren't I? What does that tell you? I am most definitely putting off something I should be doing. So...maybe it's time to stop procrastinating and go setup those new servers and PCs I just got in. I'll keep you posted on how the rest of the week goes.
