2011 - New Year's Day

Today is New Year's day - the first day of 2011. It's cold in Chicago, but the sun keeps peaking out and all the snow has melted.

Last night, I went to a fun party and made new friends. All in all a good way to send off 2010 and kick off 2011.

But when I woke up this morning, and truth be told, over the last few months, I've been feeling like something is missing from my life. I have so much going for me and yet I'm not really happy.

Now don't get me wrong. I have a lot to be truely thankful for. Last year was an amazing year, I travelled the world and took a new role at work that is challenging and sets me up for some great things. I have great friends and a wonderful family. I have no serious illness, I have a good job, and I live in one of the best cities in the world. I have a sweet faced dog who shows me undying love and affection. So why am I sitting here today, feeling a melancholy instead of fantastically happy. Why am I whining when so many people around the world have so litte.

So that is my New Year's resolution - figure out what is missing in my life and do what I can to change it. At the same time, do what I can to help others who are not as fortunate as I am.

I've narrowed down some things that I want to change and some ideas around how to go about it. I plan on tracking my progress each week here. And maybe, some day when I'm brave enough, maybe I'll even share this blog.

1. My health - Every year I make the same New Year's resolution - to lose weight and get healthy. This year though I feel motivated to actually stop complaining and do something about it. I've had a nasty cold/chest infection for the last three months. My parents also all seem sicker this year and I realized that if I don't make changes right now, it's only going to go downhill from here. So this year, I want to focus on getting healthy. I have committeed to run a 5k in April with several friends and my goal is to lose 30 pounds this year. I also want to make healthy eating a lifestyle and not a crash diet. I want to incorporate exercise into my daily routine. So I guess my real New Year's resolution is to not have this resolution on my list again a year from now ;-)
2. Friends and Family - I traveled to some amazing places in 2010. Hong Kong, London, Vienna and Paris. I don't regret a single moment of those trips and used some of that time to see friends who have moved abroad. But I realized that I only went to Monterey and Tulare once last year. I only saw my very best friend and her family once last year and my niece and nephew twice. I realize that, as much as I love Chicago, a big piece of what is missing here are my best friends and my family. I have good friends here but nothing replaces family. Even the good friends I have here I seem to have spent little time with. So this year, I want to make a point to see my family and friends more often. I have already planned a trip to Vegas and San Diego to see family and will shortly be planning a trip to Monterey to catch up with friends/family there. I also want to make a concentrated effort to see more of my friends in Chicago - it's crazy that we live in the same town and see each other at best monthly and sometimes even less.
3. Love - I have been single for a long time. And while I believe that life can be complete and full without a partner, I think that maybe I need to put myself out there more and give love a chance. I think a big part of this is how I feel about myself and my weight. But I resolve to do something this year, even though I haven't quite figured out yet what.
4. Charity - I donate to charitable organizations but I need to volunteer more. My resolution is to find an organization that I feel strongly about and volunteer my time more.

So there it is - my list of resolutions for 2011. Let's see if, contrary to 95% of people who makes resolutions, I can actually stick to these ;-)