Renewal.

I started this blog two years ago for three reasons: I already write for a living, so why not; I religiously follow the blogs I enjoy (like this one) and I want to bring that joy to others; I think I’ve got a few projects and ideas worth sharing.

What is most important to me? Stressing less, living a fit lifestyle and being happy. OK, great. In trying to tailor each of my posts to one of these three categories when I started this long ago, I realized I was limiting myself and failed in my blog writing after about three weeks.

So with the New Year, I’ve decided to give it another, messier shot. I’m a newlywed, a little sister, an aunt times four. I craft. I lift weights, I drink lots of coffee (but normally not quick enough and I wind up with a cold, undrinkable half-cup.)  Butter may very well be my favorite food. I love African American literature and stories about the underdog. I’ve had three jobs (one of them particularly awful) since graduating less than two years ago. I’m figuring out that being a twenty-something is not all that bad and I’d better appreciate it while it lasts.

We may be halfway through the first month of the New Year, but here are my resolutions nonetheless. If you’ve already failed at yours, who cares? Start over tomorrow. You’re going to fail and it’s going to flat out suck sometimes. Victory is realizing you can start over, and being brave enough to do it.

1. Jesus Time- Rarely do I ever spend enough time talking to God and reading the Bible. With the cold weather I can’t sit outside in the morning in my favorite chair, so I’ve almost neglected my quiet time altogether. This year I’ve decided to start figuring out a time that works best for me to sit down, relax and talk to my main man, Jesus, and read the answers to life that he’s already laid out for me. I’m figuring out that mornings aren’t the best time with the gym, breakfast and getting ready for work. See, I’ve already failed, and it’s OK.
2. The Pump- I’ve been a string bean for most of my life, except for that one time I was a freshman in college and ate a McDonald’s 10-pack of nuggets with BBQ sauce, fries and a Big Red several times a week. I’ve got good genes as far as weight is concerned—there’s no denying that. But this year I’m working to transform this string bean physique into lean muscle. No more skinny-fat here. A trip to the gym six days a week makes me much more focused at work and ready for the day. If I can get up at 4:45 a.m. to go work out, so can YOU! Seriously though—you can! If you would have asked if I’d be getting up this early a few months ago, I’d laugh in your face. Stay tuned for workout and diet tips.
3. Cool It- I’m a pretty high-stress individual. I have a tendency to over-commit (I call it the Superwoman Complex) with volunteer opportunities, assignments at work, out-of-town trips, even dates with friends, until I completely burn myself out. Superwoman Complex aside, I also have a tendency to let the dumbest things spark my short fuse and turn me in to a raging b-word. This is not good for me and especially not good for my husband or others. This year I resolve to cool it—to realize what makes me tic and get a grip on it. If you’ve got a similar issue, I highly suggest reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen  Rubin. I put in to practice several of Gretchen’s resolutions and Jared, my husband, told me he noticed a difference in my attitude and the way I treat him. If that’s not a sign that the book is helpful, I don’t know what is!
4. Read More- If I can make time to look at Facebook and The Chive 50 times daily, I can surely use that time more wisely. With a bachelor’s degree in English, I feel like I should be well-read. So I’ve kicked off the New Year with Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Both are fantastic. I’m aiming for two books a month. I’m a busy lady and a slow reader, so I think this will be a manageable goal.
5. Blog- Hey, lookie here!
6. Get Crafty- I really enjoy crafting, but typically only get going when it’s time to save money on Christmas gifts. I’ve resolved this year to do more of what makes me happy, and crafting is definitely on that list. Stay tuned for projects. In the meantime, this blog has some fantastic stuff.

What are you determined to do in 2014? What are some tips you use for sticking to your resolutions?