I remember reading a while back about alternatives to New Year's Resolutions. So many people make and fail to meet their New Year's Resolutions, that it seemed like a good idea to look at alternatives.

My favorite one was deciding a theme for the year and living according to that theme.

For me, 2012's theme will be Independence. I've been religiously saving up my money so that I can move out. I hope that this year is the year I do it and I want to work hard to meet that goal.


What about all of you? What will 2012's theme be for you?

2012 theme for me is straight and simple.

Live Real, Live Hope.

no games, lies, drama, real food, real appreciation for whats around me . . . . hope for a better tomorrow

I will make mine tearing down the walls. For various reasons I have become very reclusive and intolerant. I will try and tear down the walls I have raised and both let myself out and other people in.

Like you this is going to be hard work so I hope we succeed!

Taking a Leap is my theme for 2012. I've been trying to plan every step of my life and not allowing myself to just accept what is before me. So here is to less planning and letting life happen.

I love the idea of a theme over a laundry list of bullet points! Mine is simply "Play Harder". I've tried thinking harder, tried working harder ... and this rotation is going to be about getting involved in more stuff for the fun of it!

Mine is all about vanity. This is the year to feel sexy! I've got the get healthy theme down from the previous year and will continue, but I want to be a hot 42 year old mama! (On top of being healthy!)

mine will be Employment since I just graduated I am looking for a job

Mine is Phoenix....rising from the ashes stronger and more powerful than before.

Strength. I want to become a runner.

Family. We've been trying to have a baby for a while now, and even if this isn't our year I'm going to be making other steps towards preparing for our future family in the meantime...getting healthy, saving money, keeping the house clean, ect. I'd also like to keep up with my family more, be more involved.

Hmm, my theme this year is Tighten it up!

I mean that in every (non-lewd ) way. I want to work on tightening our daily family schedule and staying on top of what I know works. I want to tighten up our budget and be diligent to pay of the remaining little bit of our credit card debt. I want to tighten up my muscles - I am in a major weight loss cycle right now and when that is complete and I am working on maintaining my aim is to tighten up and get STRONG.

Coincidentally I also want to tighten my physical belt by quite a few notches and remain dedicated to losing the unhealthy weight I've been keeping on for far too long.

So yeah, I think it is a good theme.

Mine is The Bucket List. To do things I have never done before or travel to places I've never been to. I need to step out of my comfort zone more often because the more I do it the more I discover things about myself I never knew about! Its great for my self-esteem.

Individualism.
I couldn't think of a better word that would describe the need to focus on me this year. Last year, I surrounded myself with so many issues that only resulted in stress. Sadly, some issues didn't even pertain directly to me, but I still grasped them as if they did. I didn't think for once the impact it was having on me. So I told myself in the beginning of December that something has to give. Such a shame that it took me 11 months to notice this, but it is what it is. No regrets. I just know what needs to be done THIS year for me to be successful.
& I will be selfish. I need to be. For once.

I like this idea! My theme for the year is going to be wholesomeness and whole living.

This encompasses everything from eating healthy and exercising, to developing my spiritual life, to gardening, to volunteering, to living green.

sleep
spiritual development
yoga
heart health
focus on pets
gardening
nature walks/hikes
cook healthy foods
support local, humane, egg/dairy farmers
raising chickens (?)
let go of "stuff"
simplify/organize
read more