Finding Resolve

I've not usually been a believer in New Years Resolutions, mainly because they're destined to fail for the simple reason that there's no game plan. I have, however, always felt that the New Year is a nice opportunity to make some changes in life. So I was rather impressed with a Blogher News email I got where someone named Lisa talked about The Matrix:

Every December since 2001, I've taken time to sit down with a ruler, a pencil and a sheet of paper, to create what one of my sisters and I call The Matrix. Across the top of the page I write the months of the year. Down the left-hand side I draw up the bucketfuls of life I want to live in the coming year. These buckets may change in order, but they're nearly always the same:
Heart - What I want to accomplish for myself, my beau and our boys
Family - Key things I want to do with extended family and friends
Spirit - How am I going to give back in the coming year, financially and personally?
Wallet - What are the items I am forced to worry about this year? Sigh.
Health - How am I going to take care of my bod so that I can do all these other things?
Create - What am I going to sew, make, paint this year?
Work - See office. Believe me, BlogHer Inc. has its own extended list.
...and this year I'm adding a new category:
Write. Because I learned the hard way in 2007 that if I try to lump writing in with creating or working, it comes last. And that just won't do.

Now, see, this is a plan I can work from. It allows me to map out changes I want to make or goals for the year, without working under the assumption that I'll simply make a major overhaul come January 1. Or that that's even possible.

Now, I'm not pulling out a pencil and ruler but I am a pretty big fan of excel spreadsheets, so you know I've been working on mine all evening.

I've made a few adjustments to what Lisa set out, but here's my highlights in a shortened version:

• Heart - For myself, I've mapped out regular hair appts. and spa body treatments at the start of the summer (exfoliating) and winter (hydrating) seasons. For my family, I plan to execute some holiday celebrations throughout the year (I'm so lazy about that) and have a family portrait made, which we haven't done in....ever.
• Family & Friends - I've planned out lunch dates w/ a different friend each month as well as recognition of family birthdays and anniversaries. I also plan to send Christmas cards, which I haven't done since, like 1995. (These may seem like no-brainers but I'm really bad about keeping in touch w/ people that I love.)
• Spirit - I'm planning on adding one new practice every three months, such as prayer & meditation and volunteer work.
• Wallet - Since Big Daddy keeps the family budget, I'm making it a goal this year to learn more about our finances.
• Health - As I mentioned before, I've been planning to undertake a walking/ running program at the first of the year. In coming months I hope to add strength training and yoga classes.
• Create - develop some short story ideas I've had, redo my bedroom, learn basic HTML design

(In my "Work" category, I'm going to fill in my performance goals as they develop.)

I encourage you to try this, too, if you're so inclined to make NYR. Resist the urge to fill in every single square; it's not necessary. Space out the goals so that they will actually be attainable. Let me know some of your resolutions in the comments section.

Cheers!