Resolutions

I love New Year's Eve. Of course I like to get drunk and kiss, but what I really love is the opportunity to start a new calendar, a new notebook, and a new goal.

I used to make grand resolutions on New Year's Eve, things like "This year I will lose 30 pounds" or "This year I will write a book." Like most people, though, I never followed through on these resolutions. By the middle of the year I would feel like a failure because I hadn't yet met the exceedingly high expectations I set for myself in January.

Last year I tried a different approach to my New Year's goal setting: instead of being super-specific, I chose a wide area of my life that I wanted to improve. My goal for 2007 was to "make our house a home." I kept a long list of things I could do to meet that goal, and I frequently added new things or crossed off tasks throughout the year as they became irrelevant or completed. I never approached the list or the goal as something I had to finish, but instead used it as a tool to give me focus.

My goal for 2008 is to become smarter with our money. I want to establish a sustainable system to track where our money goes. I want to add to our savings. I want to know when I am getting a good deal and when I am getting ripped off. I want to add to our household income. My list will grow and change with me throughout the year, and I think that's why it works for me. It's fluid, it's low pressure, and it's focused.

Do you make resolutions?