And here we are, friends:
One kind of funny thing that happened as I was working on this list was that when I put down an item, if it was easy enough to check off, I went ahead and did it. Noted here so I get the credit: in December I did whitening strips, ordered and started using a Waterpik, submitted an AncestryDNA test (waiting on results), and bought and started using an eye cream.
But the final version (until such a time as I may make alterations) is, with Hashem’s help:
- Build the habit of putting down my phone when I am with people. I know this is not measurable. But when I get to next December, I’ll know if this was accomplished.
- Put friends and family birthdays into my calendar so I remember birthdays. Working on this.
- Do Storyworth with my grandmother. I checked, and Bubby is game, so I paid for the program.
- Call friends (at least) twice a month. I won’t track this, but if I simply add reminders to my calendar, this shouldn’t be hard to stay on top of. I’ve been finding that literally months can go by before I pick up the phone to call good friends…
- Give attention to relationship weak areas: saying no, apologizing, forgiving. This is a vague and unmeasurable goal and that’s okay. These are areas where I struggle and if I can get myself some helpful perspectives and exercises to try out (i.e. from books), I think that could be a really helpful step in the right direction. As you may know, I slurp psychoeducation and find that over time it does change my behavior.
- Donate blood. Or try to.
- Don’t sign up for any extra courses. Don’t do it! Not this year!
- Do 10 minutes of strength training on my WFH days. Any muscle group, any routine. Just 10 minutes for building muscle strength.
- Get sunglasses. I lost my only pair. They were from CVS, but I am a hard fit (narrow face) and if I have to spring for a pair from a department store, I may.
- Average 5,800 daily step count for the year (a 10% increase over 2025). I did consider bumping up this goal to an average of 7,000 steps but that’s too big a leap and I don’t want to set myself up for failure. My phone tracks my steps, so I won’t get “credit” for Shabbos and YT, but I am quite sedentary then, anyway.
- Learn more about my birth chart and how to tap into my unique profile.
- Read the halacha section of Reclaiming Dignity. This is underway (another goal I started working on in December, as mentioned above).
- Learn Sefer Yehoshua & Shoftim. This may actually be a reach. If I just finish Yehoshua that’s also amazing. But I’d rather aim a little higher.
- Review CPR book on a biweekly basis. I still get queasy thinking about CPR but I want to make the instructions second nature.
- Read through A Poem for Every Night of the Year. I ordered this book (used), it may come a week or two into January but I’ll catch up. I’m hoping to flag my favorites and potentially use them as prompts for writing groups.
- Learn some Latin. I have been interested in doing this for the longest time. This workbook looks like the right idea.
- Watch season 6 of ACGAS, AND re-watch previous seasons. Basically, a reminder to use the service I’m paying for, and to let myself unwind and revisit the Dales(!!) – I am sorry, I will probably never stop with the excitement.
- Thoroughly visit the Bronx Zoo.
- Go to at least one Yankees game.
- Walk up Broadway (Manhattan). This is 13 miles. That’ll raise my step count!
- Visit the south of France for my birthday. Provence and the Riviera.
- Set up my journaling business website.
- Reach (surpass?) 100+ email subscribers. Kay Adams says I should way increase this goal, but as it is, it scares me.
- Publish one article. Anything anywhere. Just something for the ol’ CV.
- Make a praise file. This will be a collection of quotes from emails that clients have sent me thanking me for what I do. It’s time to collect them in one place for days when I need the boost.
- Defend dissertation proposal.
Some notes: I won’t do monthly check-ins here (it seemed a bit much this past year), but quarterly. I did not add any nutrition-related goals although I considered it. That seems to be a hard area for me to address in this kind of way. I’ll leave it for now. The same for sleep. Maybe in future years, each of these areas could be more of a focus.
I’d LOVE to see your list, if you’d like to share!!
(Photo credit: NastyaSensei/Pexels)
