I suck at New Year’s Resolutions.  I usually don’t make them and if I do they are probably broken by the end of the January.  I try to sit and make goals for myself as opposed to making resolutions.   I have bad habits.  But guess what? I like them.  I like to eat, I like to curse, and I sure as hell like to drink.  But this year seems different.  I have to think in terms beyond myself.  I have a family on the way whether I’m prepared for it or not.  I need to set goals that are not only good for me but are good for my family.   I think keeping my kid alive is a pretty damn good goal then.

But since I have another life depending on me I should be thinking about goals that I have for the next year and things I want to accomplish.  I also know that I am going to be EXHAUSTED next year and that is going to effect my ability to complete my goals.  So, with this in mind, I resign myself to accepting progress towards a goal as success.  For example, last year I started Couch to 5k to ease back in to running and work on weight loss.  I had plans to run 5k’s and half marathons through out the year.  I was able to complete a couple 5Ks and an 8K before getting pregnant.  If I hadn’t changed jobs there’s a real possibility that I wouldn’t be pregnant because the alleged night of the conception was the weekend I was supposed to be running the half in San Diego.  But regardless, I set a goal and I accomplished the goal and had plans to take it farther.

This year, aside from having a happy and healthy kid, losing this baby weight is going to be a huge goal of mine.  I have body issues as it is so getting it good and gone is high on my list.  I know that diet and exercise are important not only to momma’s health but to the infant as well.  A healthy body feeds and fuels a healthy infant.  I also now that time will be at a premium.  Energy will also be a hot commodity.  I have to accept that I won’t necessarily be up to my old running habits by the end of the year.  So my goal is simply to run.  I figure if I set the bar low, I can only exceed it from there.  So if I am able to run by the end of the year then I am successful.  If I’m ready to run 10k’s then that’s just gravy.

It sounds funny but in this case lowered expectations are good.  Most new mom’s are sensitive and postpartum depression can make failure to obtain a goal the end of the world.  So I’m highly advocating a new approach to goal setting for this new year and first year of parenthood.  Set low goals so you don’t feel like a failure at the end of the year.  It makes sense.  I’m so much of a perfectionist sometimes that if I sit down and list out SMART goals for myself I would probably end 2013 at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey.  My advice? Take a SMART goal and turn it down a few notches.  Time based goals are going to be impossible during the first year of life.

So here some of my basic goals for 2013

• Run.  I have no expectations for distance or length other than just running on a semi-regular basis.
• Lose baby weight (notice I didn’t say all)
• Monthly deposits in to a college fund for Rhino.  Shit comes up but I want to be able to make monthly contributions no matter how big or small they are.
• Work on being better organized
• Create a family binder
• At least monthly date nights with Kel
• Grow as a blogger
• Keep my kid alive

Those about sum up most of my goals.  Some are more specific and will definitely keep me on my toes for trying to accomplish them.  Either way, I am accepting progress as success this year.  Regardless if that progress is actually completion or small steps towards completion.  I would rather see movement than just spinning my wheels.

Ringing in 2012