Resolutions 2015

It's my favorite time of year! Goal-setting! Setting specific, measurable goals has become one of my favorite New Year's traditions the last few years, and if you didn't know, it has made me quite famous. Check out my appearance in the Ensign if you need proof. Lest you think I'm an ungrateful, self-serving jerk, I told the editor to include the fact that I modeled my goal-setting process after my friend Carla's, but she left it out of the article anyway. Also, I did not learn this pattern of goal-setting as a missionary. Is there no fidelity in publication anymore? I feel so misrepresented.

I'm learning from my mistake last year (fifteen goals) and keeping things realistic this year (four goals). I've also changed my categories a bit, swapping social and mental for financial and personal. These are goals that will challenge me, but I feel confident that I can achieve them!

Physical
1. 30 Before 30...ish. I've gotten out of a lot of my healthy habits this year, and it shows. I don't feel good and I don't look good, and what better time to change that than before I turn 30? I decided that it was now or never to finally reach my goal weight, which I've never done before. When I made this goal, I had about 30 pounds to lose and half my motivation came from the catchy name - 30 before 30. But then the holidays happened. Now it's closer to 40 before 30, but that's not nearly as catchy. "All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings...shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge." D&C 89: 18-19

Financial
2. Get out of debt, other than my car. This was my goal this year, but it didn't happen. I've made myself much more of a budget than I ever have before, and I'm already on track for this. I'm hoping to be done with my credit card and student loan by summer time, then I'll start thinking about buying a house. I wanted to make buying a house a goal for this year, but I just can't confidently say I'm ready for that. It's definitely in the works, though. "...they should deliver themselves from bondage." Mosiah 22:1

Personal
3. Visit all 50 states. I've already visited 47 of the 50 states - I'm lacking North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Hawai'i. My current plan is to hit Wisconsin and North Dakota when I drive out to Utah this summer. Then Jaime and I are planning an epic trip to Hawai'i over Thanksgiving Break, which is right between our thirtieth birthdays. What better way to celebrate hitting my goal weight than chillin' in a bathing suit on the beach, right? "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Genesis 1:31

Spiritual
4. Memorize 1 scripture each month, and review each of them every week. Over the past few years, Elder Richard G. Scott has talked about the power of having scriptures memorized, and I love the idea of having the Lord's words always at hand in my mind. I'm also hoping this will help my scripture study, as I look more intently for scriptures that touch me so much I want to have access to them all the time. "This is the covenant that I will make with them...saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." Hebrews 10:16

Here's to a productive 2015!