Written by Lela Davidson of After the Bubbly, ARWB Miss September 2013
Got Back-to-School Resolutions?

Fall is my favorite time of year, and not only because it’s time to put the bathing suits away and pull out the jeans. I love fall for crockpots full of slow-cooked love, the promise of holidays without the stress, and brand new Sharpies. Back-to-school means new beginnings, fresh projects, clean chalkboards, and an unsullied planner filled with empty boxes. Fall has always been like New Year’s for me and with so much more energy. By January I’m be too tired and cold bored with food that’s been simmering on low all day. By January I’m be ready for frozen margaritas and days at the lake. That’s no time for making change. I may be getting ahead of myself, but this year I’m setting Back-to-School resolutions.

I will get dressed every day.

And by dressed, I mean something a little more than yoga pants. Ugh, yes. Each and every day. It’s a lot, but important considering I have a new job where I work in an office with other live humans every weekday. Hence, the need for pants. I cannot promise fashion, necessarily, but I’ll vow to get [most of] my outfits cleared by my in-house stylist. She’s 13 so you know I’ll be looking good. Forever 43, here I come.

I will say yes to external deadlines.

Writers need deadlines. Given the new job I won’t have as much time to write, and even less time to look out the window wondering what I should write. There is no room for try in my new schedule. There is only write or do not write. To write I need that external deadline. So, thank you, Arkansas Women Bloggers, for making me write today.

I will practice yoga every day.

This resolution started back in January when practiced every day for 40 days in the misguided belief that at the end of six weeks I would magically want to twist myself into a human garlic knot each day. Turns out nothing is automatic. So I’m trying 120 days this time. I’ll cue up the podcast even on the days I don’t want to, even when I’d rather binge on Orange is the New Black than roll out my mat, even when I’m cranky. Especially when I’m cranky.

I will flirt with the F-word.

I abhor failure. It’s such a Loser. I know this is politically incorrect as we are all supposed to embrace putting it all out there in pursuit of our passions and ambitions. But damn it, losing sucks. I’m one of those horrible perfectionist know-it-alls who’d rather get everything right, sometimes at the expense of getting the right things. So I’m working on thinking bigger and risking more. I’m not promising wild abandon. Spreadsheets will still be consulted, but mistakes will be made. And that’s okay.

I will synchronize my calendars and activate my village.

A family of two working parents, two active and non-driving teenagers, and a dog with occasional intestinal distress presents certain scheduling challenges. There will be times I just cannot do it all, and I will ask for help. In order to do this I know where it is I’m supposed to be. For that I’ll need to consolidate the various demands on my time into a single location where now there are many. In the last month I’ve gone from one calendar to four. Something’s got to give. Google, take me away!

What will you do this New Year’s / Back-to-School season? If you’ve got resolutions, please share them in the comments.