After reviewing my Hopes for 2011 and recapping about them, I’m ready to put my hopes for 2012 out there into the universe.

COMPOSTING:
Get back in to it and get serious about doing it all the time, not just when it’s convenient.  My Secret Santa gifted me a lovely canister for next to the sink that has a nice filter.  My old stinky Tupperware just wasn’t cutting it anymore.  If you’re looking for one, this is a nice example, as is this larger version (which is the one I have, I think).  There is also one from this Etsy Shop that is super cute, but pricey, albeit hand painted.  The stuff really piles up fast and it makes you see how much you are throwing in a landfill, needlessly.  I need to do some research on additional things I can compost, such as coffee grounds, tea bags, coffee filters, tissues, dryer lint and so on.

RECYCLING:
Become a more active, and less lazy, recycler.  Start bringing home my yogurt containers and microwave meal trays, etc, from work.  Walk the empty toilet paper roll from the bathroom to the recycling bin, instead of tossing it in the trash.  Make sure NO PAPER goes in to the trash can, including mail, daily status reports from daycare, once a day calendar pages, etc.  I’ve finally bothered to look on my town’s website to see what I can recycle to make sure I’m doing all I can.  I’d also like to do a better job of shopping with conservation in mind, always bringing my reusable bags and continuing to not buy things with excessive packaging.  I hope to use less zip lock bags, now that I have these.  I’m also hoping to use less paper towels by keeping a stack of wash clothes in the kitchen for cleaning off M’s face and hands after eating.

GARDENING:
Plant one again this year.  We added two new raised beds at the end of the season, so we should be good to go when it’s time to plant again!

YOGA:
Keep on the path I’m on.  Keep cultivating my home practice.  Keep studying the philosophy and incorporate it in to my daily, off the mat, life.  Have more compassion for myself and for others, my family included.  Don’t react as much without mindfulness.  Graduate as a certified yoga teacher, even if I don’t ever teach a class.  Don’t get down on myself if I don’t ever teach a class.

EATING/COOKING:
I’ll be attending this 3-month online workshop (with my mom!) on whole food eating/cooking.  It’s run by someone who completed the Yoga Teacher Training at my studio and my studio will be holding four support meetings.  I’m nervous because I anticipate it will be very challenging, but I’m really excited too!  And how awesome that my mom is doing it too?!  I’ve been scaling back big time on my sugar intake, and now that R works everyday he snacks a lot less.  I’ve cut down on our meat intake at dinnertime, I’ve stopped having milk in my cereal by switching to almond milk, and I’ve swapped out yogurt for soy faux-gurt.  We’ve both lost some weight during the last few months!  I think this seminar will only help to further improve our eating!  Don’t get me wrong, we still eat the heck out of some tacos and pizza (both homemade).

FAMILY & LIFE:
Be more present with M.  No more playing Words with Friends when she’s awake!  Continue to be amazed by all the cool things she learns everyday.  Dance, Dance, Dance, and Sing, Sing, Sing.  Realize that even though my husband is one of the only people who will let me take it out on him, doesn’t mean I should take it out on him.  Focus my life on learning, loving, laughing and living.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!