FullBleed

It’s resolution time, friends, and whether you’re a chronic breaker or never maker, 2010 is a whole new ball game. I realize that we’re 3 weeks in to the new decade but it’s never too late to make your annual vow to self improve.

All too often we make resolutions in order to change a life style or habit that is considered socially unacceptable. There’s the go-to resolution of quitting smoking, something my husband and I did on New Years in 2007 only to go back to smoking in October the very same year. Or working out more, which often ends up in an expensive yearly gym membership that you only go to in the first month.

I make a resolution every year. Some I’ve kept, some I’ve almost entirely blown off. Though statistics show that only 40-45% of people make New Year’s resolutions and 46% of those same people actually keep them, people who do make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their life goals than people who don’t. Think about it.

You have a choice, do you commit to doing all those things you “should” be doing (flossing more, eating right, sleeping regularly, drinking less, stopping smoking, eating in more) or do you choose some fun resolutions, like the AARP’s 10 fun New Years Resolutions that focus on healthy, or better, living. More specific resolutions that focus on bettering your every day are digestible bites of the broad categories like “lose weight” or “work less.” The smaller goals lessen the pressure, but still get you to the same goal. Here are some ideas.

PROBLEM: Your night life needs a make-over.
RESOLUTION: Go see a band you’ve never heard of once a month.

This was a successful resolution a friend and I made in 2003. We made a promise to see one band a month that we’d never heard of in order to change up our regular routine, meet different people and be introduced to new music. These new shows, paired with the shows of bands we had heard of, lead to a very expensive year, but opened my eyes to bands like the Long Winters, Minus the Bear, Rhett Miller, Pinback, and Spoon. We saw some surprisingly amazing shows that year, as well as some pretty terrible shows, but ultimately deemed our annual promise a success. My only regret is that we didn’t document our year with a mix tape because we both have terrible memories.

Bonus: This resolution taught me to never say no to a band I’ve never heard of. In fact, live shows with no expectation ALWAYS win over those you’ve been dying to see and, particularly when you’re having an off week, a random band on a random night can be an attitude game changer.

PROBLEM: You’re bored with DC

RESOLUTION: Pick 12 museums and dedicate each month to going to a different one.

I absolutely HATE it when people say there’s nothing to do in DC. Our fair city is filled with free entertainment, historical enlightenment, and other activities people travel from all over the world to visit. Sure we’re no Manhattan, but I’m proud of that fact. Where else is there 2 miles of free museums off a centrally located, metro accessible park? We owe it to this city to give it an honest chance, and not just when out-of-towners come to visit or during cherry blossom season. You need to experience the city during all of its conditions to truly appreciate where you live.

Suggestions: Don’t wait for weekends and vacations because that’s when all the tourists come out. See if you can work in a half-day from work once in a while to remember why DC is our nation’s capital.

PROBLEM: You’re a lazy bum.
RESOLUTION: Choose fun, effortless activities that allow you to move more.

This solution is very personal to one’s ability to incorporate activity into their individual lives. I can’t tell you what is manageable for you, but here are a couple thought starters of simple actions that can be applied to your daily life:

Daily Walk breaks. Maybe you eat lunch at your desk and have a very busy after-work social life (like me). Consider making some of your afternoon brainstorms mobile. Some of my best ideas come rounding Logan Circle on foot. You’d be surprised at how many of your co-workers would appreciate a moment away from under the florescent lights. Just don’t forget your sketchbook.

Another option, if you buy lunch, is to try walking a little further to get your healthy meal and take the long way back. You know as soon as you get back to your desk, it’s over for the remainder of the day.

Get some non-internet reliant hobbies We’re all slaves of the online: likely sit behind a computer all day and blog about it at night. Try taking a weekly dance class or hit the bike trails on the weekends. This is for those people who, like me, need to trick themselves into a workout in order to actually go. I’m much more likely to attend a weekly dance class than those daily gym trips I always find excuses to blow off. And our bike-friendly city is so accessible you could just pop a basket on your bike and ride across the river for groceries. Or take a lovely ride through the cute neighborhoods in Bethesda and look inside the houses you’ll never own. Leisure bike cruising can still make your thighs burn.

PROBLEM: You hate your job.
RESOLUTION: Get yourself out there: apply for 1 new job a week, minimum.

Before I get into this resolution please note (ahem, my team at FH) that I love my job and this is purely a suggestion based on the economy and the many people I know feeling stuck in their current situation.

With the economy in it’s current state, I’m having lots of conversations with friends who are staying at jobs because they feel secure, when, in reality, no one is truly safe from a surprise lay-off. While an annual salary is financially the way to go, if you hate your job and are just staying there for a paycheck, no one wins.

I’ve watched friends get laid off over the past couple years and, while initially it was an incredible shock, every single friend is ultimately happier with their new working situation. Lay-offs give people the opportunity to seek out that which they truly desire. Maybe you’ve been producing magazines for the past 15 years, but what you’d really love to do is design books for children: do it. Don’t let the current economy determine your career fate.

Dedicate this year to understanding what you really love doing. Start a blog, explore what’s happening in our industry or others you’re interested in moving to, get your work online (if you haven’t already), and vow to apply to 1 job a week until you have an offer.

This is obviously a monster bite for a resolution, but if you take it monthly it becomes easier to digest. January = Blog, February = Exploring our industry, March = Portfolio Web site, and April begins the weekly application process.

Please note: this is by no means a proven process for getting a new job. This resolution is merely meant as a motivator for those of you who are unhappy and overwhelmed. Nothing will change unless you activate.

PROBLEM: You’re too self-involved.
RESOLUTION: Get over yourself and volunteer one weekend a month.

For a current client of mine, I’ve been researching altruistic opportunities for them to sponsor and associate with their brand. Through focus research, we’re finding that their consumers like to volunteer, but don’t want to waste a lot of precious time finding the perfect experience that’s going to benefit from their skill level. There are several volunteer search sites out there: Volunteer Match, AARP’s Create the Good, One Brick, to name a few with presence in DC, that offer organizations the ability to post opportunities and give us the ability to search for the ones that suit our skills and areas most convenient to our daily lives.

Monday was Martin Luther King Day and, for those of us that had a day-off, we were able to participate in the MLK Day of Service, a fantastic effort that invites people to help out in a variety of organized events around the city. The best part about this day is the uber-organized process that enables each participant to walk away with the feeling that they truly helped out.

In an effort to make that feeling last through the remainder of 2010, I suggest you dedicate one weekend day a month to a new organization. Opportunities range from environmental clean-ups or cooking meals for people living with HIV/AIDS in DC allow you to experience different areas in your community that can benefit from your time.

In conclusion: That’s a top 5 of my suggested resolutions to fulfill a void, explore alternatives, and just better your life in 2010.

Photo credits:

1. My 2010 Resolutions
2. Derek Trucks Band Live at the National Harbor
3. National Portrait Gallery: Portraiture NOW Exhibit
4. H Street Bike Ride with My Husband
5. Dilbert Comic
6. Fleishman-Hillard Volunteer Outing at Food & Friends