Based on what I’ve read on Twitter and Facebook, it seems as if my friends have decided that 2013 is their year of prosperity-their year of love-their year to get that dream job-their year to conquer a new goal-basically, it’s going to be their year.  Apparently, great minds think alike, because that’s what I decided during the last week of 2012-that 2013 would be my year to do some wonderful, fantastical things that I had never done before.

I don’t do resolutions; I do goals.  Resolutions are so easy to break and give up on.  I feel that if we set goals, it’s more plausible for us, at least me, to stick with it.  During the middle of last year, I made a vision board.  While not all of my visions came to fruition, a few did.  Honestly, the one that I am most proud of is running and training for this half-marathon.  Yes, I may have waited until the end of the year, but the important thing is that I started.

I haven’t updated my vision board for 2013 yet, but that will be done by the end of the week.  Some things will remain, but I will be adding a few new items.  Want to know some of the goals I’ve set for myself this year?  Check out below:

– Complete a half-marathon – While I may give Southern Cousin a lot of grief for making me sign up to do this, I’m glad she did.  Through her encouragement and suggestion, I started something that I thoroughly enjoy.

– Become financially stable – While the end of 2011/beginning of 2012 was a little rough, I’m in a place where I can put a little aside and still have fun.  I need to work on making a budget and sticking to it.  I’m not the greatest money handler, but since I am 30, I need to get my life together and start behaving like an adult in ALL aspects of my life, even the ones I don’t really care for.

– Lose weight Be healthy– No, I am not at my ideal weight, but as long as I continue to work out and eat right, I’ll see the numbers on the scale go down.  Even though I have an idea of where I’d like to be, it doesn’t matter how much I lose.  As long as I feel great and I’m in good health, that’s all that matters.

– Enter graduate school – No, I have not been as diligent as I should be with this goal, but I vow to do better.  I have one school in mind, so if I don’t get in…actually, I’m not going to claim that.  I WILL get in.  For undergrad, I only wanted to go to one school, although I applied to 3.  I was accepted by and went to my first choice.  I know that the same thing will happen for grad school.

– Find a church home – For the past year and a half, I sporadically attended church.  I’m not too proud of that.  I know what I’m looking for in a church home.  Some are reasonable; some are crazy, and I need to get out of my own head.  Even if I don’t find a church home in the DMV, I am going to make a concerted effort to attend a church every Sunday.  For a Southern girl that grew up going to church each Sunday, this is a big deal.  I used to feel bad telling Southern Mom that I didn’t go to church when she would ask.  Now, I’m sort of blase about it, which is a definite sign I need to be back in a place of worship.

Those are just a few of the goals I’ve set for myself in 2013.  I have decided that this year I’m going to be fearless, self-assured, and a go-getter.  2013 has been deemed the Year of Elle.  I’m going to do what makes me happy, what will benefit me, and what is going to make me a better person.  Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city!

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