Those 2010 Goals!

Okay, the holidays are over. We've ate and drank WAY too much. Spent time with family until we're ready to strangle them all. We've done the shopping, movies, return lines until we're blue in the face. Now it's time to get back to normal. It's always sort of bittersweet for me. The tree is coming down today. The kids are back to school. The hubby is back to work. And I'm getting back to writing. I'm excited to be able to write. I'm ready to dive right in to this ms and get this sucker finished up. But, I already miss my kids and my husband! Hearing/watching them play Rockband, knowing that we don't have anything pressing to do and can just be lazy all day...yeah, I miss that. But life must go on.

So, I was sitting here thinking about my goals for 2010. I hate the word, resolutions. It just doesn't do a thing for me. But goals, now that I can wrap my head around. Usually my goals are simple. Lose weight and get rich. Easy as pie. LOL This year I'm attempting to be a bit more realistic.

I have a writing goal. What writer doesn't, right? LOL So, anyway, I want to finish up the full length ms I'm working on now, that's my first goal. And it's a big one! After that I want to get started on a short story that's been brewing in my head for several days now. Once that's finished, I plan to...and this is the biggie...write two more novels and two more short stories this year. Already that feels daunting! Ack! BUT I think I can do it. IF I stay focused!

My personal goal. I want to lose that last 10lbs. It's not a huge amount, it's just that it's been hanging on...and on...and on. LOL Actually, scratch that. What I really want is to continue eating healthy and exercising. This is a really big deal for me, because I tend to kick myself off my diet once I start to feel good about myself. It's like I sabotage my own diet! What's up with that?! However, several months ago, when I started eating healthier and working out regularly, I decided NOT to look at this thing like a diet. I know, people always say, 'it's a lifestyle change'. Truly, I never realy looked at it like that. I would watch what I ate, lose a few pounds, then go right back to the chocolate and chips. This time I was determined to GET HEALTHY.

I think it all started when I began having anxiety attacks...on a daily basis. It scared me a little. I realized that maybe what I needed was a healthier eating plan. I began by cutting out greasy stuff, diet pop, junk food. I replaced chips with green peppers, I was eating a few candy bars a day, and managed to cut that down to a small square of chocolate once a day with my morning coffee. That led me to cutting out other things that I KNEW was bad for me, like beer and heavy starches. Changing sausage to turkey bacon. That sort of thing. Now I have a nice little menu that works for me. I allow myself one sweet a day, so I don't feel deprived. I get the protein, dairy, fiber and vegetables I need, rather than a bunch of empty calories that used to leave me ready for a nap around 1pm every day.

The thing is, my diet wouldn't work for anyone, but me. I played around with it until I figured out the right combination FOR ME. We all have to pick our own exercise routine, our own eating plan. I was always trying to conform to someone else's diet plan and I think that's why I always failed.

The payoff...I haven't had an anxiety attack for a long time. And I lost 25lbs, stretched over several months, and I have more energy than I've had in years. For me, it was never about looking better, it was about staying out of the damn hospital! No offense to the doctors out there, but I'd rather NOT visit you all if I can help it! LOL

So, that's my goals. What's yours?

Also, while we're at it. Anyone who leaves me a comment and bravely shares his/her own goals is entered to win one of my ebooks, winner's choice! I'll pick one winner tomorrow and announce it here!