New Year's resolution: don't forget to live

re • solve—verb—to decide firmly on a course of action

re • solve—noun—firm determination to do something

I do not make New Year's resolutions. This is primarily because I don't want to put myself through a ton of stress trying to live up to some bizarre standard I can't achieve, and also because I don't know specifically what the future holds. As a mom, wife, etc. I have to be at least a little flexible for those who are depending on me.

I find myself wondering how many people made resolutions on January 1st. My guess is that there were quite bunch, since the beginning of a new year always seems like a good time to overcome all those bad habits that generally follow you around like a dog on a leash. I doubt many people actually keep those resolutions for longer than a few days or possibly weeks with the exception of a few iron-willed individuals.

In light of this, I've decided it's more beneficial for me to make a 2011 general game plan than 2011 resolutions, so I'll share my game plan creation guidelines with you here.

• Have some big goals

• Have some little goals

• Have some dreams

• Write down strategies for achieving goals and dreams

• Be flexible and realize that it's okay to make some adjustments

• Be reasonable in expectations

• Don't condemn myself when I mess up

• Shoot for the moon sometimes

• Don't forget to live

I like that last one. I picked that up on a photographer's website, and I thought it was very important since I keep my nose to the grindstone to such an extent that life passes me by sometimes. Then I look up and wonder, when did my kids grow up? Where was I? I have to remind myself not to forget to live.

What are your resolutions for the new year? Do you have a game plan?