So we all know the cliche, make a resolution January 1 (2 if you’re hungover), give it up by January 31. I have definitely fallen prey to ol’ stop and drop when it comes to these “new year, new me” goals. So this year, I decided to say screw the resolutions and actually come up with a few, manageable goals for the next year. Things that actually excite me (mostly) and that I feel will improve my quality of life. And yes, that does include some gym time, but I can’t very well say my goal is to eat a jar of Nutella every week, though God knows I’d love to!

1. Read 62 books.

Last year, I wanted to read 60, and supposedly I read 73. However, I think that’s because, when I first got a Goodreads account, I added a bunch of books I randomly remembered reading. So I don’t know how accurate that final count was. I figure, a book a week, plus 10 was a doable number for the year, so we’ll see if I’m right. So far I’m four down. Follow along on my Instagram, I’ll be doing a quick review on my stories for each book. If you miss one, check out the Reads highlight. I’m also hoping to get back to writing reviews on this site, so look out for the one for Girls on Fire, coming this way soon!

2. Be a kinder person.

This one may seem more complex than the others, but it’s pretty straightforward. Not that I’m some horrible person, but there’s always room for improvement. I’d like to think about myself less and others more. I could stand to buy less cheap sweaters and donate more. You know, simple things that would make me a better contributor to society and our planet. If we all did that, think how wonderful we could truly make this world.

3. Work out three times a week

It’s not that hard. That’s what I keep telling myself, at least. I get in the groove and then something happens like me getting sick or just being really tired and I don’t go to the gym, I don’t meet my 3x a week goal and then it’s all downhill from there. So, this year, I want to really stick to it. I may not go to the gym three times, but if I try out an aerial silks class with a friend and then to the gym twice, boom, I was active three times. It’s all about being flexible with yourself. I was beating myself up for not making it the first week of the year and my mom reminded me that I probably walked quite a bit at the music festival I went to for New Year’s. And my mom is a fitness instructor so, if she says it counts, I’m counting it.

I highly recommend aerial silks, especially if you’re a former gymnast or dancer.

4. Be better about time management

Now, I’m not talking about at work. When it comes to deadlines at work, I’m fine. I hit them unless there’s other work preventing that. I’m talking about in my personal life. In high school, my friends would tell me a half hour before everyone else because then I would get there at the same time. The constantly late friend has become such a trope. There are thousands of memes and retweeted jokes about it, but, honestly, it’s not funny, it’s rude. By being constantly late, I’m saying that my time is more important than whoever I’m meeting. And when I’m late, I sometimes make my bf late or my parents or friends, which is doubly uncool. So, this year, I vow to work on being ready on time, not thinking it takes literally five minutes to do my makeup when it’s closer to 10, or thinking it’ll take me two minutes to pick out an outfit and get dressed because, who am I kidding?

5. Stop procrastinating

Going off the above goal, I want to, no, I need to work on my tendency to put things off. For instance, before Christmas, we did a massive load of laundry and vowed to never leave it this late again. Yet, here we are, with the Mount Everest of laundry piling up on our bedroom floor. And you know why it’s on the floor? Because we haven’t put our clean laundry away from BEFORE CHRISTMAS. I keep saying I’ll do it, but then I get home from work and somehow, sitting on the couch and folding seems sooo much worse than laying back on the couch and doing nothing. Clearly I have too much underwear, and an issue with putting things off. This applies to so much in my life though. I mean, hi, this article is two weeks late. There are things I need to just sit down and get over with and then move on. I’m only creating more stress for myself by putting it off. So here’s to the year I stop stressing myself out.

I’d like to also hit the farmers market more than once a year.

6. Eat better and learn how to cook more

I’ve talked about my sweet tooth before, my love of cookie butter and Nutella (um, see my opening paragraph), so clearly that’s something to work on. But I also just mean eating a more balanced variety of foods. I tend to eat the same foods when left alone—pasta and pesto or cheese and crackers or toast. Carbs and cheese. And I’m not saying I’m going to start dieting, at least not any restrictive diets, because I won’t EVER cut out carbs or cheese, but I want to learn to cook new meals. I don’t want to have go-to meals, like when we have ground turkey in the house, I’m inclined to make either tacos or chili. I want to expand my horizons past a homemade Chipotle bowl, when I’m feeling “creative.” I want to be throwing together some skillet meal or delicious casserole. 2019 is my year of culinary progress!

7. Care less about what other people think

This has always been a huge struggle of mine. Sure, you may think the girl who has purple hair is constantly thinking, “fuck society’s rules!” and sometimes I am, but other times, like the first time I went back home to the Deep South after coloring my hair, I’m worrying what people see when they look at me. I’m putting this on my list to remind myself that it’s something I want to work on. I may not achieve it, I know a lot of this comes with age, but if I can care a little less, I’ll consider myself a success.

8. Decorate our bedroom

I want to get new (jointly-loved) bedding and shelves and finally, finally have a bedroom we’re proud of. One that has all our favorite knick-knacks and photos in their proper places. One we don’t shut the door to when people are over because it’s a disaster. One that doesn’t have piles of books, magazines and skin care products on the floor because I have nowhere to put them. Our bedroom will become our true haven this year.

What are your goals for 2019? Share them below and let’s keep each other accountable!