resolutions.

tis the season.  i'm pretty sure i saw a handful of new years resolutions jogging around town this afternoon, playing up their "i do this allll the time" vibe but ya can't fool me!  it's common knowledge that once mid-february rolls around, their running shoes will be transformed into dust collectors and daily salads will turn into daily snickers from the vending machine at work.  

being too cynical, you say?  well i say i'm allowed to make rash generalizations because i've been in these people's particulate-filled sneakers before.  the only resolution i've managed to keep was during high school, when emmalee bierly taught me how to be a badass.  as much fun as that was, it doesn't quite make me the poster child for accomplishing yearly goals.  due to this superb track record of mine, my intent was to forego resolutions altogether this year.  i like to call this chapter of my life "2012: quitting while i'm ahead."

but then this morning, someone much wiser than me went and blew that plan to smithereens.  in the past, my definition of an acceptable new years resolution was doing something i felt like i should do, like make my bed every day or help little old ladies cross the street.  but think of it a little differently: what, if anything, would you like to improve about yourself and the way you live?  the resolutions you make shouldn't be something you feel like you have to do because you feel pressure to/cosmo says yo' fat/etc. etc. they can be things that you want to do for yourself, to make your life richer and happier.  

that doesn't mean that it will always be easy, or fun.  but your chances of accomplishing your goal will be much higher if you have the resolve you need to get around the road blocks that challenge you.  and as i've professed on this blog before, i truly believe that when you make a conscious effort to do what makes you happy, joy will continue to come your way.  if you are fulfilled by the life you are leading, the kind of people you want to meet will be drawn to your confidence and positivity.  going for a run won't seem like a chore, but the perfect excuse to breathe fresh air and invigorate yourself.  the list of benefits goes on, but i'll leave the preaching to someone with the credentials to tell people what to do, like god or tom cruise.  

so what am i going to do to make my life a little better this year?  well quite a few of my actions have to do with food, of course.  i want to look at these self-improvements on a smaller, more granular level- making time each week to try a new recipe and write consistently about the flavors & preparation of the food i create and eat every day.  i want to look at the bigger picture too.  a career centered on the culinary arts is an idea i toy with almost daily, and it's not going to happen if i sit on my duff all day eating bon bons but knowing nothing of how to temper the chocolate, prepare a rich ganache, or dream up the tantalizing flavor combinations necessary to create them.

first up: a cook 'n' scribble food writing course entitled The Hungry I.  i'll listen to podcast lectures given by memoirists including nora ephron, ruth reichl, and gael green, complete weekly writing assignments, and sit with a mentor for one-on-one coaching.  the anticipation is already killing me.  

i'm looking forward to sharing my progress with all of you.  truth be told, if it weren't for your feedback i wouldn't have the courage to write in the first place.  

so happy new year, everyone.  i hope each of you can find a way to make your world a more fulfilling place by finally doing something that you've always dreamt would make you happy.  wishing you all the best in 2012!