Looking Forward: Goals for 2015

New Year's resolutions.

Some people have them, some people don't. Usually, I don't. I had a great one for 2005 — lose weight — and it was a resolution that I actually kept, beginning an epic weight loss journey. But most years, I can't think of much to change. In fact, when the topic came up in the office this week, I said it was to continue being awesome.

Because, obviously, I am awesome.

But as I was standing at the office microwave, heating up the saddest lunch to end the year (so sad I refuse to share), I decided that albeit awesome, there might be a few things I can work on.

Just a few.

Pack it up

I used to be a girl who made a pot of chili or batch of enchiladas on Sunday night so that I could have a healthful, affordable lunch each week. I was a girl who made pot after pot of soup to freeze so that I could have a meal of any cuisine when the mood struck. I was a girl who planned.

And then I wasn't.

My thought into lunch prior to the morning of is minimal, and it shows in my budget. The waistline? Well, who knows. I'd like to be eating things I like that not only taste good but are good for me.

Plan of action: Make a list of the meals that I most like to buy out and come up with recipes and a schedule to incorporate them. Add a line on my grocery list template (everyone has one, right?) specifically for my lunches, prompting me to add those ingredients on the list. Purchase any necessary storage containers and/or cliche Ball jars so that I have the supplies I need.

Plot my strategy

I would say that I like to garden but I'm not so much good at it. I am lucky that we have a master gardener friend from whom we can buy quality heirloom tomato plants and pester for advice. When I buy plants, though, I just go with what sounds good — all well and good except that this past year, I ended up with an abundance of yellow pear tomatoes and few red varieties that would be good for saucing. I also grew greens in the spring but, again, had more kale than I could eat and not enough spinach.

Plan of action: Decide what I would like to can in the fall and what vegetables I will need to do so before February. I will also chat with our friends about what I want/need before I go to buy and ask for suggestions as to where to plant it. I will also prep the beds in early spring, before Baby Boy comes, so that I can direct planting if need be.

Be generous with forgiveness

I can be a perfectionist at times and have a habit of setting high expectations for myself and those around me. It's not an attribute that is inherently bad but it can lead to problems when I get upset if I ran 4 miles instead of 5 or choose to be angry with Mark because he didn't load the dishwasher in a Kim-determined acceptable manner.

2015, I believe, is going to be an amazing year for us but it will be full of challenges. I will need to accept that best will need to take a second seat to good enough and trying is better than the result. When things don't go according to an arbitrary standard I set, I hope that I will be able to take a step back before making judgments and picking up grudges.

Plan of action: Hang up the YMCA's core values on the fridge, a place I see frequently, as it was what helped inspire this note. And pray.

What are your goals for 2015?