Looking Forward

I’ve kept an eye on my Facebook feed all day. It seems as if everyone I know is spending at least a part of the past few days looking back over the year that was. There are scores of pictures being re-shared, and “best of” lists abound. I love looking at my friends’ lives in review, but I don’t feel compelled to create one for myself. (Is that weird?)

By anyone’s standards, this was a good year for me, but I can’t seem to tear my gaze away from the year that is to come in order to look back at it. This past year taught me how to dream big dreams for myself, and I’ve begun making lists of all the things I can imagine doing in 2014. Here’s where I am so far:

1. Finish the two books I’ve started writing – one on parenting and the other on faith. I’ve found book writing to be one of the most fun things I’ve even done. I can no longer imagine a life in which I don’t have at least one book in the works.

2. Get my CrossFit coach certification. I’ve already signed up for the class, and am impatient for it to get here. I have come to love the changes that being a CrossFitter has brought to my life – confidence, health, fun -and I want to share it with other people. I’m not planning on coaching full time, but as a regular fill in or sub at my Box (that’s what CrossFit people call the gym.)

3. I’m going to learn to make mole. It’s a sauce used in Mexican cooking and is complicated to make correctly. I’m going to master it if it takes me all year. Who’s coming for dinner once I get it right?

4. More radio and TV!!!! I’m talking to people who book TV and radio shows, and it’s looking good for this next year. (I’ll tell you dates once I have them.) I discovered last year that I truly enjoy doing them, and want to be on them more often. I mentioned to one of the radio GM’s that I’d love to eventually have my own show and he didn’t seem to think that was a bad or impossible thing.

5. Head North! The sad truth of my life is that I’ve only been north of the Mason-Dixon line once (I was 8 and it was a family reunion in Chicago.) There’s a lot of country up there that I haven’t seen. I’m getting up there this year by hook or by crook! (I’m hoping one of the shows from #4 needs an in studio guest instead of a call-in/skype one.) I’m also talking to a couple of conferences up there about coming to speak. (P.S. If you need a Catholic and/or homeschooling speaker…I just might be your girl!)

6. Be a better friend, and go visit as many as I can.I have a handful of friends with whom I’m very close. Too many of them live far away. I’m going to make the effort to go see them. They are worth the effort.

7. Pray. I already pray quite a bit, but not for the people I don’t like. I’m making an effort this year to pray for the people I don’t really care for. Unfortunately, that list is longer than it should be. I can get pretty impatient. I’m trying to get to Heaven eventually…it seems like praying for the people who make me mad is a good idea.

8. Go white water rafting!!! It’s been on my dream to-do list for years. I keep waiting to find people who will go with me. (My husband is absolutely not interested…I’m thinking fun girls weekend?) I’m not waiting any longer. I’m going by myself if I have to.

9. Get rid of all the things! Okay, not all of them, but we have quite a bit more in this house than we need, and I’m getting rid of it. A few years ago, I got rid of one shopping bag of stuff every day for Lent and we still had too much stuff when I was done. I’m going bigger now – one bag of stuff a day until I’m done. I don’t know what that looks like exactly, but I’ll know it when I see it.

10. Run another marathon. It’s been 10 years since the last one, and my feet are just itching to cross a finish line. 2014 is the year for it. I’m going to get it done.

That’s my list so far. Not so much resolutions as goals. What about you? What things do you imagine for yourself this year?