Looking back before looking ahead
It’s New Year’s time! (I totally said that like t-shirt tiiiiiiime in my head 
).
New Year’s means resolutions and goal setting for most of us. But for me, that usually means resolutions and goals that fail.
Let’s revisit last New Year’s eve, shall we?
Me: Do you have any resolutions or goals for 2010, husband?
Him: No.
Me: None?
Him: Nothing major.
Me: Well, what is it?
Him: That we get pregnant. 2010 will definitely be the year we get pregnant, and maybe even have a baby. But I know that’s going to happen so it’s not really a goal.
Mmmhmmm. That’s pretty much what happens to me every year I make a resolution or a big goal. I fail 
(Side note: If hubby tries to say something like this again this year, I fear for his safety )
I approach each New Year’s goal-less. This is kind of depressing when everyone else is making these sweeping life changes. The other thing that gets me down is it’s about to be January and February.
I loathe January and February. So much. If your birthday is in one of those two months, I promise it’s nothing personal. It’s just so dark, cold, the holidays are over, wah, wah, wah. I hate these months so much that I planned a cruise for early March as a present to myself for surviving another Jan and Feb.
So how do I survive the depressing time that is the turn of the year? I look back instead of looking ahead.
Each year, I make a list of all I accomplished in that year. I tape that list to my desk for January and February and look at it every time I feel down. It reminds me that I’m not a loser and I have accomplished things.
The list doesn’t just have to include positive things. I also include some negatives because I believe everything happens so you can learn something from it. For example, my DNF sucked and was definitely a 2010 low point. But without it, I may not have learned I was lactose intolerant. Not a fun diagnosis, but I feel monumentally better.
The 2010 list
- I participated in 18 races.
- I PR’d in every distance I ran.
- I placed overall once in a race, and age group placed 4 times.
- I dropped out of a race.
- I came in last in a race.
- I ran 1458.5 miles (and I plan on running 10 more tomorrow).
- I got over my fears and took on new challenges (triathloning and yoga).
- I coached Girls on the Run for two seasons.
- I met wonderful Charlotte friends!
- And friends who are just as exciting from all over the country.
- I started blogging
- I had surgery to kill my endometriosis.
- My period came back!
- I started getting treatment for infertility.
- I cheered on my husband as he became an Ironman.
- I still have an excellent job that I love.
- I watched my brother graduate law school.
- I hosted Christmas for the first time.
- I met the love of my life for the second time and finally scored a picture with him
- I found out I can, in fact, survive without pizza, yogurt, and ice cream.
I cannot wait to see what 2011 has in store for me
How will you remember 2010?
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December 30th, 2010 - 10:39
I smiled the whole time I was reading this. You had such an incredible year with so many huge accomplishments. High 5! And I love the idea of going on a trip in March “for surviving” the dreary winter months. Happy New Year!
December 30th, 2010 - 10:43
Wow you had a busy and awesome year! I can’t believe you ran so many races, and got placed 5 times!! That’s amazing! Hope your 2011 is even better!
I will remember 2010 as the year my life turned around! And the year I found running!
December 30th, 2010 - 11:05
Haha… love it!
“I hate these months so much that I planned a cruise for early March as a present to myself for surviving another Jan and Feb.”
You had an amazing year!!! 2011 is going to be even better!
December 30th, 2010 - 11:09
You did awesome in 2010 and hope 2011 will be even better!
Don’t give up on your hopes of getting pregnant. I went thru the same thing and it is so difficult. We went thru infertility treatment and started the invitro process when we got pregnant. Stay positive and keep focused on other things other than just getting pregnant and it will happen. I know hearing things like that and other comments are hard. Trust me I know. We are blessed with a 2 and 1/2 yr old now and it is great.
I will help stay positive for you. I can offer lots of advice I have BEEN thru it!! I had our daughter when I was 39 .
You have a great blog and I love reading it!
Happy New Year!
December 30th, 2010 - 11:14
I don’t make any resolutions either! Any time I call something a “resolution” I end up failing miserably – mainly because they’re usually very abstract “wishes” that I have – like “lose weight” or “stick to my budget”. BUT, if I set very specific goals for myself to accomplish “sometime” during the upcoming year, I seem to follow through….like “pay $XX per month on this charge card” and “train for and complete the [enter race name here]“. This worked for me in 2010, and that’s my plan for 2011 too!
Hope you get through Jan/Feb without too much of a headache – I know the winter months are MUCH easier for me now that I live in Florida! (And could you look ANY more excited in that picture with Chris Daughtry?!)
December 30th, 2010 - 11:42
I also never set goals for the new year and definitely start catching the winter blues. I’ve always found that around March I’ll start thinking about bigger goals for myself, but this time of the year does nothing to motivate me. I do think it’s great to reflect upon what you have accomplished. We all need to give ourselves more credit. Plus, meeting the love of your life for a second time!? Awesome.
December 30th, 2010 - 12:19
What a great year you had! Yay.
I am jealous of you being Chris D!
December 30th, 2010 - 12:42
First, I have to say that I cannot believe you PR’d in every distance you ran. You are awesome!!!
This is such an honest and insightful look back at your year. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments and I love that you focus on learning from the negatives to. What a great idea to post your accomplishments for when you’re feeling down in January and February. I’m happy that I’m doing the yoga training this year to keep me occupied during those months. I agree, they are the worst!
I’m not really big on resolutions either – I don’t think I have ever made one – but I do have some goals for 2011. These mainly focus on things I want to accomplish before I have a baby. I know life won’t end when I do but I feel like time will be much more constrained.
December 30th, 2010 - 15:00
18 races in one year! You amaze me! Thats insane! I’m going to copy you and do a similar post tomorrow…
I’m so excited for what 2011 has in store for you. And I’m psyched we finally get to meet in March! (Let me know if you get to Mass before then) Happy New Years!
December 30th, 2010 - 15:24
great post! you did so many great tings in 2010!
You know how much i hate Jan and Feb too. At least you can be excited about your cruise! but don’t feel bad I don’t have any major goals either really…just the same old boring “I am going to try to do better at ____”
December 30th, 2010 - 17:41
I’m so glad I met you this year Jen! P.S. We need to get together b/c I haven’t seen any of you guys in forever!
BTW – I told Brad a few weeks ago that we’re going to teach our future kids to sing T-shirt TIME!” every morning. They won’t know what it means but it will make my morning brighter.
December 30th, 2010 - 18:31
Haha love it! I’m going to copy that idea. And, yes, we need to get together soon
December 30th, 2010 - 18:02
I hate Jan and Feb too. They are the hardest months for me. I also travel for work the most then so it’s really hard to stay grounded into a routine for healthy eating and fitness. Good approach to celebrate your accomplishments! Happy 2011!
December 30th, 2010 - 18:27
What a year! I’m so glad that I got to be a tiny part of it
It’s incredibly impressive that you ran 18 races and PR’d all distances. Wowza!
I am not sure if I’ll be making any goals or resolutions for this year. Sometimes I make them and sometimes I don’t. Either way, each years bring challenges and triumphs and make small goals along the way.
I totally feel ya on the winter blues. All I can think about right now is my long run tomorrow – the treadmill or the slushy streets for 12 miles. Hmm…
Here’s to 2011!
December 30th, 2010 - 20:31
A lot of great things happened for you in 2010 and I’m sure they will continue to happen in 2011.
For me, getting married stands out as the biggie in 2010. But I also bought a house and got a new job.
December 31st, 2010 - 02:20
You are amazing!
Seriously. What an incredible year you had!! I think your strategy of reminding yourself all that you’ve accomplished over the year is a great one. Sometimes I think it’s easy to forget until you actually sit down and write it all out. I just might have to do that to get me through Jan and Feb too. I feel bad because my sister’s birthday is in Feb, but I can honestly say I hate those 2 months. And I feel like they are especially miserable in New England….
That is actually the reason WHY I try to set goals for the New Year. The past few years I’ve started to tailor my goals more toward concrete things I want to achieve in the new year (instead of making broad resolutions), like running certain races, etc. It keeps me motivated and gives me something to look forward to during the bleak beginning of the year.
December 31st, 2010 - 02:47
What an incredible year! Congrats on all your PRs =]
December 31st, 2010 - 02:48
What an incredible year! 18 races is awesome!!
December 31st, 2010 - 10:23
I really like your idea of listing the previous year’s accomplishments……I think we tend to forget the GOOD things :O Happy 2011 to ya!!
December 31st, 2010 - 16:20
Awesome year! Love all the pictures
December 31st, 2010 - 16:35
Sounds like you had an eventful year and that’s awesome that you ran 18 races! In 2011, I’m hoping to even get the balls to run just one (my first)! Hope you have a safe and Happy New Year!
December 31st, 2010 - 18:19
I definitely am right there with you. I swore up and down 2010 would be our year to get pregnant. We’ve been trying for 16 months now. But alas, here we are on cycle 16 under our belt and nothing but BFNs in sight. Hopefully 2011 brings us both our little miracles.
January 3rd, 2011 - 05:06
wow what a year! I hope 2011 can bring what 2010 didn’t bring you