10 in '10

We’re seven days into 2010. Is it too late to make New Year's resolutions?

I’m the worst when it comes to keeping them but I still see the value in the year-end tradition of self-reflection and of setting goals that (if accomplished) will make you and your life better.

So here goes. The trick is deciding what to resolve to do. There are many things I could and should do in all areas of self-improvement. But I don’t want to overwhelm myself. So I’m setting the limit at 10. Ten resolutions for 2010.

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Save money. I haven’t had a savings account in far too long and 2009 was a tough year on the ole bank account. So I am going to take my best friend’s advice and pledge to save $5 a day. A latte here, a fast food lunch there—it shouldn’t be too hard to do, right? Thing is, I have to deduct that money from my paycheck immediately or else… it will be spent before I know it!

2. Stop biting my nails. Seems simple enough but I have had this unattractive habit for as long as I can remember and I can’t seem to break it! I have tried to quit before and my resolve will last a few weeks or so but the minute I get a hangnail or stressed out beyond belief, bam! I revert back to my old ways. I must stop though. It’s bad for my nails, bad for my teeth and it doesn’t help me distress in the slightest!

3. Eat more healthfully—more fresh fruits and veggies, less carbs carbs carbs—and smaller portions. Also, crack open my cook books and actually make some of the delicious dishes I see on the Food Network!

4. Exercise. I’m not even going to quantify how much this year because, who am I kidding? Any exercise would be better than what’s been going on. (Someone needs to brush the dust off the 30 Day Shred. Yep, that someone would be me.)

5. Read more books, see more movies, visit more museums! I didn’t do nearly enough of any of these in 2009. I need more culture in my life! Even if it is pop culture, ha. Plus, there are dozens of unread books on my book shelf, it is ridiculous. I want to try to read one book a month, which doesn’t sound too hard, I’m sure, for you fast and avid readers out there. But it is so difficult for me to devote the time to just sitting down and opening up a book.

6. Be more productive career-wise. There’s more I could do in my current job—like pitch more feature ideas and not just let myself get bogged down in news—and I still need to organize my clips, but what I’d really like to do this year is direct more of my writing efforts into freelancing. Time is always my excuse but it is important that I branch out and get my foot in the door at magazines that I’d eventually like to work for one day.

7. On a related note: Move to New York. That seems pretty far-fetched even to me but this is my bestie’s resolution, too. Recently she said to me that she wanted to make the move to the East Coast before October when she turns 25. Her reasoning is that if she doesn’t do it by then, she probably never will. Well, gosh, the truth in that gave me a start! So I want to make it happen. And the first step toward this goal is a little thing called saving money that I mentioned before.

8. Pay off my credit card. I have a few credit cards in my wallet but there is one in particular that I am talking about. One whose balance didn’t go down much last year thanks to a nearly 30 percent interest rate. (I’m talking to you, Chase.) That’s another resolution: to transfer my balance!

9. Continue to reconnect with old friends and make some new. Working at home is tough. There’s no coworkers to gossip with or go to lunch with. Friends were easy to come by in college but not so much any more. So I am resolving to put myself out there more and to pick up the phone more. My get-togethers with friends during the holidays (as well as my first blogger’s meet up last Sunday—stay tuned for that post soon) just reconfirmed to me how good friends are for the soul and the spirit.

10. And finally, to be happy with myself and love who I am, no matter what. Even if I fail at these resolutions!

So what do you think of my 10 for ’10? What are some of your resolutions? And if you have any tips on how I can actually accomplish my goals this year, by all means, let me know!

images via we heart it