I used to wait to make my New Year resolution until the last ten seconds of December 31st. How is that for living on the edge? There is something about the surge of emotion tap dancing on top of a racing heart, overdosed on adrenaline, that makes you come up with the most powerful and shall I say generic promises.

We are in a huddle, that would make Dan Marino and the Dolphins proud, around the television as my gold sparkle dress mimics the light reflecting from the dazzling ball about to drop from Times Square. We begin to count, as if we are back in pre school, learning our essentials. 10..9…8..This year I will eat healthier…7…6…5…I will make a point to be nicer to my family and my friends…4…3…2…I will save more of my money…1…

And as our lips smack against the one we love and our arms stretch around those beside us, the promises we made to ourselves are sealed tighter than the bond made by a middle school pinky promise.

Until the next morning.

Where we find ourselves dragging our feet on the treadmill, getting off after ten minutes, to wiggle our way to the kitchen and stuff our mouths silly with last nights left over queso dip and chocolate chip pound cake.

It is the guilt we face from breaking our resolutions that kicks us in the butt around March, leaving us to trade the gym in for a lounge chair by the pool over the summer and the celery sticks for snickerdoodle cookies that last us through the winter, just in time for us to convince ourselves that in just a few months we can start off on a new slate again. But that is not true. We are creatures of habit and our follow through ends up looking as shot as our credibility when it comes to reciting, publicly, on December 31st our vows of the new relationship we are going to start with ourself.

I don’t have any resolutions this year. I have things I am going to get done. Below is part of my 2012 to-do list of the things I believe will make this year BOLD and FUN.

1. Run a 5K

2. Spend the weekend in a state I have never been to

3. Read an entire book while in the bookstore or the library [A way to eliminate library fines from overdue books]

4. Vote in the 2012 Presidential elections

5. Get published on thoughtcatalog.com

5. Volunteer monthly with a non-profit

6. Host a dance party on my birthday

7. Write something every single day

8. Go kiteboarding

9. Send out holiday cards

10. Design my own website

11. Attend Toastmasters

12. Live in a new state

We make plans to break plans. But not this year, right? If i will commit to one generic and vague resolution let it be this: 2012 will be the year that i do more things that freak me out. Because it is only when you have mastered the things that make you the most uncomfortable and frightened that you truly grow up.

Wishing YOU and yours happiness, health and job security this year, my friends. Stick with me in 2012 because I have a lot in store for this blog.
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