New Year Resolution Update

Four and one half months of 2012 are now in the past. One third of the calendar year is a memory. Although I keep a running tab on my four major resolutions in the upper right hand box of this blog, I have scheduled a posting every few months as a way to motivate my own self-discipline and to hold myself accountable. This might not be the most interesting for you, the reader, but it really helps me in maintaining some discipline in my life.

Number of blog submissions – goal 150 posts during 2012.

This is submission number 48. I am falling behind the pace to complete the goal. To make 150 posts during the year, the monthly rate is between 12 and 13. I should have made 50 posts by the end of April and the target is 62 by the end of May. Mathematically, the end of May goal is still possible. Survivor ends this Sunday; The Biggest Loser and the Amazing Race have already concluded their season s. So without the focus on reality TV, I hope to concentrate on writing every day.

Weight – maintain my body weight between 160-170 pounds.

So far this goal has been fairly well accomplished, although the struggle has not been what I anticipated at the beginning of the resolution. I have always struggled with weight gain. My past roller-coaster ride with the scales made it difficult for me to keep my weight down and under control. However, this year, I have found a diet and an exercise program that has really worked for me. In fact, I am having a little problem with dropping beneath my goal. I weigh myself every morning and there have been a few days that I have dipped below 160 (158 was my lowest). For the first time in my adult life, I was actually trying to gain a few pounds.

Running – yearly goal was to accumulate between 500 and 550 miles.

I have been so happy with my consistency in running. After my run on May 11, I have completed 82 circuits around the neighborhood (3.6 mile course) for a total of 295.2 miles. I am ahead of where I need to be in order to reach my goal for the year. I have never run a competitive race but I am considering signing up for a 5K this spring/summer just to have an additional goal. I am not setting any kind of land speed records but last month I averaged 30 min 44 seconds for the 3.6 miles or an average mile speed of 8 min 32 seconds.

Reading – yearly goal was to read 24 books.

I have just finished my 24^th book, The Moving Finger, by Agatha Christie. It was an interesting British murder mystery with lots of quaint dialog and strangely engaging character development. Based in a small country village filled with haughty gossip and wild rumors, the news of murder fills the mouths and ears of every member of the grapevine. Among the other 24 volumes I have found some interesting authors: Clive Cussler, Ted Dekker, Suzanne Collins, and Ray Bradbury. I have unofficially changed my goal to 52 books (that obviously would be a book a week). That might be too much of a stretch but I have really enjoyed spending some time just reading for pleasure.

I have really enjoyed keeping track of these four resolutions. They have been a source of focus and motivation in my personal life. Each of them represents a positive habit that I hope to maintain over the course of 2012. My goal is to provide a good report next month as we reach the half way point in the calendar year.