New Year, New You!

Try saying that title five times fast!  And now, make it your mantra for 2012 - it's mine...in a somewhat sincere but mostly sarcastic kind of way.  It's not that I don't like making resolutions for the new year, it's just that I actually kind of like who I am right now.  I know, you're asking yourself, "Is this girl serious?  Because there is some definite room for improvement!"  And I agree, there's always room for improvement, but I've also come to accept who I am for the most part.  Life is just a whole lot grander when you like who you are and let other people's jealousy of disdain for you just roll off your shoulders.  You can never please everybody, right?

All this being said, I do have three goals I'd like to strive for in 2012.  I will leave you with just one now because honestly, why give it all away in one post when I can stretch it into three!  No, one of my goals is not to post more often, it's just your lucky day (times three!).  So here we go, goal numero uno:

Eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed food.

Yeah, me and everyone else who makes a New Year's resolution, right?  I never said these were going to be unique goals or anything!  Basically I would just like to get into the habit of purchasing more fresh produce, preparing a greater majority of what I eat myself, and slowly (ever so slowly) phasing out things like soda and chips.  There have been brief periods in my life where I've considered completely giving up meat or attempting a vegan diet but I have now accepted that I love McDonald's chicken nuggets (and sweet and sour sauce) and to give up the occasional dollar menu indulgence may help my health but steal my soul in the process.  And when I said brief, I really meant a few hours of pondering a raw diet and then realizing how expensive vegan substitutes are and how difficult that would actually be to do.  Plus, I love me some dairy products!  Everything in moderation is my new view on what I eat.

Now I could end this post here but I'll keep going and tell you a little secret.  I can't think of one female friend I have who, given the option right now, would not opt to be thinner.  And I include myself in this group.  Now let me tell you another little secret.  My friends are beautiful.  Beautiful.  We might not look like the actresses you see in movies or the models gracing the covers of magazines, but go ahead, check us out.  Give us a great pair of jeans and a little mascara and we are good to go.  We're regular people and we look like regular people, just like you.  We're also happy, successful, talented, and attractive people, just like you.

So the other part of goal numero uno is to stop comparing myself to what I see on TV or in Cosmo and thinking that my life would be so much better if only I were taller, thinner, tanner, more "enhanced" shall we say (haha), or fill in the blank, you name it, cause you know what I'm talking about.  Despite whatever messages the media tries to send me daily about how to improve myself, mostly via physical attributes, I know that life gets better when you start doing things you love and surround yourself with good friends who support you and love you, just as your are.

And that is just what I plan on doing in 2012.  Good thing I love eating fruits and veggies - I hope my wonderful friends do too!  Here's to good (physical and mental) health, great friends, and a big ol' "Screw you, misleading photoshoppped images!"