Girl on Fire: New year, new resolutions

[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, January 2, 2014]

As so many other people have done, I’ve set several resolutions for the new year. This year, I’m focusing on fitness, finances and writing.

It seems to be a constant battle for me to lose those few extra pounds. I love working out. Even though jogging in this winter cold isn’t appealing to me, and running on a treadmill or the indoor track at Southern Prairie YMCA can get boring, I’m going to keep on running so I can finish my half-marathon in April.

I also plan on lifting weights more. I haven’t had a really good weight workout in a long time, so I’ve resolved to do at least one a week, and hopefully add another one or two during the week also.

I’m glad I have so many positive influences in my life concerning fitness. My parents and sister are all fitness buffs, my boyfriend Russel Finehout loves lifting weights, and I have so many friends who work out any chance they get.

Along with this, I want to eat healthier, too. Even though working out makes me sweat and feel like I’m working toward a goal, having that healthy meal after that workout is the icing on the cake. Less processed foods and more natural fruits, veggies and meats and hopefully I’ll reach my goal by the end of this year.

On the other hand, I also have a financial goal I want to meet by the end of the year. I was exploring Facebook a few days ago and discovered a blog post titled “52 Week Money Challenge — Are you game?”

This blog post challenges you to put money in savings every week of the year. It starts with $1 week one, $2 week two, and continues until week 52, with $52 to be saved. By the end of the challenge, $1,378 is saved.

I like to think I’m thrifty, with not having to pay cable or internet bills every month, but I know I spend money when I don’t need to, like on my almost-daily drink fix from Adams Street Espresso (I love their yummy chai lattes in this frigid winter).

But, this challenge is something I want to succeed at. I have a vacation planned this year, and there are always those little expenses, that saving as much money as possible certainly cannot be a bad thing in any case.

My third goal is writing. I’m always writing, as that is what reporters do at newspapers, but I would love to be able to write more fiction. I have the time, but somehow nothing has really come to mind to write about. But, I resolve to write something each week, if it’s just a few words or a few pages.

My forte is writing fiction of all kinds. I’ve read so many books with ideas I wish I’d thought of, or plots that inspire me, that I hope I can take leaves from those books and write something of my own.

Finishing it isn’t the plan, but starting something I may be able to finish someday definitely is.