2020 New Year’s Resolutions

Happy 2020! While a bit late this year, here are this year’s New Year’s resolutions or rather, my goals for the year. I’ve been making five resolutions pretty much my whole life and use them as a way to review my life and what I want to accomplish moving forward.

So without further build up, here are my goals for 2020.

The classic goal with a twist

Get ready for walking the Speyside Way. While getting in shape or losing X pounds/kilos is a classic resolution for many people, I’ve never found it to be particularly effective for me. But if I have a reason to train, like last year when I trained for walking the the latter half of the West Highland Way, I have no problem getting out regularly to exercise. Okay, I was going to do it regardless as I know the importance of training and this year’s walk will be longer, both in kilometers and number of days walking, but it’s good to give myself a win. And it has the added benefit of getting me outside and exploring more of Toronto’s trails and ravines. For a major city, we have some decent outdoor spaces.

The ongoing goal

Continue uncluttering. I’m a bit of a clutter bug and pack rat but I have been working on this for a few years (both mentally and physically) and I am slowly getting better at getting rid of things. But there’s still work to be done.

The challenging goal

Writing regularly. This was a goal last year but life got in the way and I wasn’t able to commit as much time as I wanted nor get into the right headspace. I need to re-discover my joy of writing. I want to. 20 minutes at a time.

The goal that’s good for the planet

Use less plastic and single use items. I have already switched to metal straws, use reusable shopping bags (there’s always one in my purse) and bring my own cutlery to work with my lunch but I have a ways to go to be plastic free. In 2020, I will make a concentrated effort to buy less prepackaged items, especially fruit and veggies, and will switch from single use ziplock bags (once I run out of what I currently have) to reusable options.

The unexpected (but necessary) goal

Decide what I’m going to do with ATK Magazine. I’ve gone from writing 10-20 articles a month to 10-20 a year and my heart’s just not in it. While I’ve made the decision to keep it alive for 2020, I need to decide what I want to do with it so I can stop feeling so guilty about not committing as much time as I used to.

Final thoughts

I did okay in last year’s goals – not achieving all of them but at least working towards them, which is the point. I’ve gotten better over the years at not only creating practical resolutions – no more “fall in love in 2012” ones – and actually putting plans in place to achieve them. But I’ve never had a 100% success rate. Maybe 2020 will be the charm.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? What are yours for 2020?