Happy New Year!

I know it's kind of late... but, there's me for you.

So, I sat down once I got back up here and decided to write out a few New Years Resolutions. Here are a few of them;

1) Exercise every morning
I've done pretty good so far, I didn't do anything Sunday, but I wasn't planning on it either. I've gone jogging on the treadmills at the Liberty Square Gym and done abs and pilates via dvd on my family room floor. I know I wouldn't be able to do this on my own, but luckily I have some amazing roommates who want to be all healthy too. I'm not such a fan of jogging... totally GOO. But I know I have to have a strong respiratory system and I'll burn a lot more when I'm jogging vs. abs and pilates. I much prefer abs and pilates because I can stay barefoot and in my pjs on my family room floor... which is way more comfortable than having to put on "exercise clothes" and running shoes to cross the snow/mostly ice covered parking lot to the club house where the gym is and having your chest seize up after your first breath of icy air that pierces your lungs so much that you'd rather not breath at all, which unfortunately would kill you so you have to keep up these short shallow breaths which quickly becomes very annoying and you have to concentrate on that while focusing on where you put your feet so you don't slip and fall right onto your tail bone. After pilates, your abs feel all tight (not sore) for like an hour. It's so awesome. I MUCH prefer that to all of the other stuff involved in "jogging."

2)Lose 5 lbs.
It's not too much, and shouldn't be that hard at the rate I'm going at now.

3)Study Scriptures for 30 minutes a day.
This one shouldn't be too hard because I have to study Book of Mormon for half an hour for my BoM grade anyways. After doing it for an entire semester, it should become habitual. At least, that's what I'm hoping for.

4)Write a Missionary every week.
After going through Mission prep last semester (which I LOVED!!!) and watching the best two years, I realized how much missionaries look forward to mail. If I DO end up going on a mission, I'll feel better knowing I sent missionaries letters when I had the chance. Plus, I've decided to type out the mass of information that I'd send to the majority of them anyways and then make adjustments according to who I'm sending it to. I just don't have the time to sit down and write 6 or 8 missionaries 2 page letters. Which I can't help because I have a lot to say most of the time. There's an exception, sometimes two, but other than that, I'm sure they'll be grateful to get mail in general. And it's important for me to keep up correspondence with these boys. I spent most of my high school with them right?

5)No grades lower than a C
My GPA will never get good enough to get into my major (which I'll discuss more about later) if I keep slacking off. So, I figure, if I have a goal to keep it in the B or above range, I'll be good. It's gonna be hard, I'm not a very good student, but that's why I have this goal.

6)Be in bed BY 12 and up BY 8.
I wouldn't have set this one if it wasn't a huge issue. All of my roommates go to bed at a fairly early hour(also 12), but then here I sit, READY FOR BED, on my computer, reading other's blogs or checking up on facebook or cleaning my room even, basically anything to keep me out of my bed until 2 or so in the morning. And I DON'T KNOW WHY! I love sleep. I'm betting there's some deep underlying psychological issue here that I just haven't quite figured out yet. I've done ok on this one. There's room for improvement.

7)Go on one date a month.
Yes, my social life is that pathetic. And I'm not looking for any sort of a relationship or anything, (I obviously don't have things strait as it is) but I've found I am SERIOUSLY lacking in social skills. I mean, once I have friends, I'm a good friend, really loyal, but it's the making friends that I have a problem with. I have the hardest time with being outgoing around random strangers (like people in the ward) and I'm afraid it might give off a bad first impression (like I'm arrogant, or better than they are or something). More than really getting a date once a month, I gave myself this goal so that I'd concentrate on how I act around people when I first meet them. I figure IF I do this, I might get a date once a month or so.

8)Be less judgmental
This isn't a huge issue, but it started out with something my Book of Mormon professor challenged us with. We're supposed to choose 3 scriptures and try to improve ourselves on that weakness. The first one I chose was Moroni 7:18. I tried it one day and every time I thought something like, "She's so rude" or "Wow, why did he dress that way?" I think to myself, "How would Heavenly Father see him/her?" And it is AMAZING what a difference it makes. I'm serious, as crazy as it sounds, I feel a love (however strange or random) for that person because I know God loves them regardless of what they say or wear. Everyone should try it. It's amazing!

Anyways, I think I'll discuss my new major in my next update (which I promise will be in the month of January (reasonable goals for myself, see?)) because it's time for my 30 minute study now.

So go make someone smile today!