Happy Monday, friends! My to-do list was so never-ending this weekend that I actually fell asleep on the couch last night after dinner, with my computer in hand. So, for the third time in two weeks: better late than never!
Today’s post is all about how to stick to a New Year’s resolution. Each year, I like to set overarching goals for the year. So, instead of “take one trip per month,” it might be “travel more”.
This year, my resolution was to cook more. It was actually to cook in every meal on weekdays and only eat out on weekends, but that was quickly revised as I realized that wasn’t sustainable. Last week, I cooked in for all but two meals (which is quite impressive noting that I maybe cooked in twice in three months last fall!).
What I’m Wearing:
Top: Ann Taylor / Skirt: LOFT / Boots: Aerosoles, c/o / Tote: Sole Society
Earrings: Sugarfix by BaubleBar, c/o / Nail Polish: Essie, c/o
I realized I missed cooking while in Paris… actually around the time that these photos were taken in the Musée d’Orsay. As this was my first time celebrating Christmas with somebody who observes the holiday (I’m Jewish), I decided to cook us Christmas morning brunch. In our teeny-tiny kitchen. Which didn’t even have an oven.
I ended up making the best pancakes of my life (used this recipe!) and my favorite Shakshuka recipe (I’ll share it next month!). And, as I was cooking and Brad was in the other room, binge-watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I remembered why I love cooking so much. And how much I missed it.
Thus, my New Year’s resolution was born.
And then came the challenging part: how to stick to a New Year’s resolution. Last year, I honestly gave up on my resolution before January even ended. And I don’t even remember what it was. I just remember that I gave up on it.
There’s a reason why the gyms are packed in January, a little less so in February, a lot less in March, and basically empty in April. Most people can’t figure out how to stick to a New Year’s resolution… so they give up instead of finding workarounds.
How to Stick to a New Year’s Resolution
As I stated earlier, my biggest tip for sticking to your New Year’s resolution is tweaking it to be an overarching goal. For instance, if your resolution was to lose 10 pounds, maybe change it to just be “lose weight”. Making this change makes the goal much more attainable long-term, as you won’t get disheartened if you only lose one or two pounds by the end of January instead of the whole 10.
Similarly, if your resolution was to work out five times a week, tweak it to be “work out more”. I have so many friends who made a quantifiable resolution about working out, stuck to it until they got horribly sick for a few days (or had a trip), and then never set foot in a gym again all year. Because that one week was a wash, they just gave up. But if you make your goals a bit more attainable, they’ll be more impactful long-term (and you’ll be able to stick to them!).
My other major tip is to find a buddy. And the buddy can either have your same goal, or a completely different one. It’s just about the accountability.
For instance, one of my best friends is moving to Dallas next month. Her goal was to lose weight, and mine was to cook in more. If you think about it, these resolutions are quite complementary. I send her recipe ideas, while she sends me texts post-spin… to make me feel guilty… and drag my butt to the gym. Furthermore, once she moves, we’ll each have a buddy for our resolutions. Because cooking for two is so much better, and having a buddy for workouts makes them loads more fun!
30 Before 30 Update
Yeah, this post is a little all over the place… but it’s halfway through January (aka 3 months until my 28th birthday), so it’s time for a 30 Before 30 Update. Last time I gave y’all an update, it was pretty lacking. But, this quarter, I made some real progress (and got some great stories out of it)!
20. Travel Abroad to See an Opera
I was so excited to knock this off my list! I dreamed of seeing an opera abroad for years, so, for Christmas, I surprised Brad with tickets for us to see La Bohème at the Paris Opera. The performance was at Opéra Bastille… and it was utterly bizarre.
If you’re not familiar with La Bohème, it’s RENT… but with consumption instead of AIDS. Frequently, operas are updated to be in different settings or time periods. And I’ve seen some fantastic updates of operas. So, when the curtain rose, I was surprised and intrigued, but not immediately confused beyond all understanding.
That changed quickly. And the audience started booing.
While La Bohème is typically set in Paris in the 1840s, this production was set in the future… in space. I was able to follow along and understand the setting for the first act, but the second half of the production completely lost me. The singers were incredible, but the production was utterly bizarre.
22. See 30 Operas
I hope to have this completed before my 29th birthday… and I’m getting damn close.
Over the past three months, I saw two operas at the Dallas Opera (La Traviata – my favorite opera – and Samson & Delilah), one at the Austin Opera (Carmen), and the aforementioned production of La Bohème at the Paris Opera. Thus bringing my total seen thus far to 22. Aka 8 to go.
Over the next 3 months, I have another four operas on the schedule (three of which are within the next month!).
Just as a reminder: if I inspire you to create your own 30 Before 30 list (or 40 Before 40… or 100 before 100… you get the picture), send me the link! I’d love to read all about your goals!
And now for this week’s giveaway…
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