I tell myself I'm not going to make any New Year's resolutions.
I feel like I never accomplish the things I put on there, so why bother?
I told myself two weeks ago, very firmly, that I was no longer doing that.
I was wrong.
Last week, while going through my day, things would crop up and I would tell myself, "That is definitely going on the list!"
So, I give up. Despite my best intentions, I'm making New Year's resolutions.
Here's my list:
•Eat breakfast more often. As much as I love Doritos and vanilla Coca-Cola, they are not breakfast.
Doughnuts, pound cake and iced tea are not (really) breakfast.
When I eat more oatmeal, eggs, yogurt and fruit for breakfast, I eat fewer snack foods. Even leftover dinner is better than nothing, because when I eat breakfast, I eat less cookies, cake and Doritos.
•Bring lunch at least twice a week. As much as I love McDonald's and Burger King — my life's "easy buttons" — I have "fast food fatigue."
I love cheeseburgers, but come on now. Five days a week is a little too much!
Also, lowering fast food consumption helps lower what I pay for lunch, and lowers my gas consumption!
•Always keep a book or two in the car. I had to get my car repaired last month, and I had a huge book on Java programming in the car. (No, I'm not a big nerd, Dad. I'm a weightlifter.)
That's a good thing, because I was there at least three hours longer than I'd expected.
If I'm in a waiting room more than 20 minutes, I'd rather have something to do that I find interesting.
It also keeps me from staring at people and making them uncomfortable.
•Acknowledge personal limits and keep manageable commitments. I've become more careful about how I spend weekends. I now make a point of recharging my batteries and working toward personal goals.
After all, a stressed out, miserable Renee is no good to anyone.
•Start keeping a journal. It doesn't have to be pretty; perfect; Associated Press style, which we use for work; or "I may be famous someday" worthy.
It just has to be a record of what happened to me, around me, in my family or in the world; how I spent a day, or how something affected me.
I have a couple of papers and letters from when I was growing up, and there are things written in there that I forgot even happened, and things mentioned that barely exist today (cassette tapes, for instance).
I get a kick out of reading those, and seeing where I was then.
These are a few of my intentions this year. I have a little more work to do to get that breakfast one accomplished, but I feel like they're easier to manage and achieve than previous, lofty New Year's goals.
Email Editorial Assistant Renee Bell, follow her on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: RENEE'S SAY: Making New Year's resolutions — despite best intentions