1. Be Impeccable With My Words.
This comes from the first of the four agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. This year, I would like to reinvent my vocabulary to exclude certain curse words, and other words with I do not like to hear myself use. I am working to no longer feel like I need to use these words in my workplace, and in my daily life, to gain respect. I see now that more appropriate language is going to garner me more respect with the people I really want to respect me. Oh well if it makes me uncool. I think I’ve been relatively comfortable being uncool for a while now. Also, I am going to strive to not speak wicked words. Or at least to reduce them. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

2. Read More.
I was pretty excited to have finished the Book Club book, Feast of Love, early – a full 3 weeks before book club. Although I did have several days off and 14 hours on a train to help me. This year, I am going to try to read more. So far I have been doing pretty well with this. Already halfway through one book.

3. Go to Bed Earlier.
I am going to try to be in bed by 10pm. This needs to be paired with #2. Perhaps I can be in bed by 10pm, read and then lights out by 10:30pm.

4. Watch only the TV Programs I Plan to Watch.
I’ve been pretty good about this lately. Fake TiVo really helps eliminate the flipping. To achieve #2 and #3, I may need to wait to watch things the next evening, instead of when they are actually on. Good thing most of the shows I watch have ended for the season. But there’s a whole round of other shows I love about to start. I’ll have to see if they all make the cut this year.

5. Stop sweating the small stuff.
This is the hardest one for me. I think my first step is to make a list (big surprise!) of what the small stuff is that I currently sweat. Maybe seeing it written down in B & W will make me realize how silly it is that I sweat that stuff. Perhaps seek professional/friendly advice on how to stop sweating the small stuff.

6. Take care of myself.
I will no longer feel like a cheap hypochondriac and avoid going to the doctor when my body is telling me that something isn’t right. What’s the worst that can happen – I pay them $30 and they tell me I will be just fine.

7. Get organized.
Organize the things that make my life feel chaotic and maintain organization with the things that make me feel better when not chaotic. See #5 so as not to overdo #7.