I’m really bad at New Years resolutions. I usually can’t even remember what I resolved to do in the first place by about mid February or so.
But this year will be different! I’m working around a general theme this time, and hopefully, each of these will reinforce one another. My goal? To be a better version of myself. I know I’m capable of being more, of doing more, than I have been. And I’m motivated to close that gap.
Obviously, blog posts are part of that. What self-respecting blog owner doesn’t start their new year with a resolution to post more on their blog, but like for reals this time?
Hopefully that will mean more frequent short reaction posts. More tidbits of thoughts. In 2018 and 2019, I’ve found my confidence in asserting any strong opinion about the realms of HR and Operations dwindling. Not because I don’t feel strongly that I’m correct, but just that I’m more confident about what’s wrong in HR than I am in how to fix it. Hopefully, I can explore some of those ideas here, with you!
But there’s more to it than that. Here’s my full list of resolutions to make a new improved Kim for 2020:
No more fast fashion, unless I’m buying secondhand. I can better afford to live my values on this than ever before, and between ThredUp and buying better-quality, ethically-made clothing new, I think I’ll have plenty of selection. Kicking the Forever 21 habit!
I’m actually joining a gym. I decided proximity to home was most important, for encouraging myself to actually go, and that gym happens to be a CrossFit gym, so I guess I’m doing CrossFit! The upside is that the gym is really community-focused and has strong values around helping and encouraging one another, so here’s hoping this is a great new community I’m about to join.
Gonna eat better! I’m thinking that if I’m consistently going to the gym, unhealthy food will feel less worthwhile to eat… after all, why am I killing myself at the gym every day if I’m just gonna come home and eat cheese? And if I’m going to deprive myself of eating all the best cheeses, why not keep going to the gym to actually build on that healthy decision? I don’t have strict rules here - I think my diet isn’t terrible - but just consciously making better decisions at those decision points. Ordering a salad instead of a cheeseburger. Maybe not grabbing that 3rd drink at happy hour. Little things, sustainable decisions.
Blog more. I’m good at writing and I write fast, so this is purely shaking off some laziness.
Roll all my retirement accounts together. This shouldn’t be at the level of a New Years Resolution, but I have a SIMPLE IRA, two 403b’s, a Roth(?) IRA, and soon to be a second 401k. It’s complicated.
Travel more. My partner Geoff and I probably still won’t see the world in 2020 (sigh) but we’re getting closer! We plan to take more long weekend-type trips around the US. You know, hit Nashville for 3 days, or Atlanta for a weekend, or SFO for a couple days. Trips that are easy to slot in without taking weeks and weeks off, and easy to do a bit inexpensively.
Get our not-marriage papers in order. Geoff and I choose not to marry, which means we need to get some basic legal protections in place for one another. Last will, living will, advance directive, power of attorney, that sort of thing. We’ve been together like 13 years, we’re really just testing fate at this point.
Get my passport. I’ve never had a passport before. It’s been on the list for years and years, I will finally get it done!
So, it seems like an ambitious list, but it somehow feels very manageable to me. I have a good handle on life now. I have a great job that offers me enough flexibility to make the kind of life I want to live possible, and I want to fully take advantage of that to be the best version of myself I can be (both in the virtual office, and IRL).
Here’s to 2020 - may it not be as garbage as most of our recent years have been!