Happy New Year, everyone! Hopefully 2011 has gotten off to a great start, and you've been thinking about how to make this year even better than the last. I'm not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. I think it's good to make positive changes in your life just because you think you should- not because the calendar says it's time to try again. But I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish this year, and hopefully I've come up with some goals that will help me become more of the person I'm always striving to be.

1. Simplify my life. I've never been someone who likes a lot of "stuff". I'm not a pack-rat, and I don't buy things just to buy them. (That's probably why I still have things in my closet from high school.) One of the most important things for me to teach my children is that things don't matter. What matters are the people in your life and the experiences you share, not the latest gadget or hottest fashion accessory. Whenever possible, I will set the example to help them learn this lesson. It's been hard for me to develop a plan for how I'm going to reach this goal, but it's a general way of living that I hope to embrace more this year.

2. Plant a garden and purchase locally. I've been talking about doing this for years, and finally decided that this Spring, my backyard garden is going to happen. I'm also committing to buying locally whenever possible, both for the environmental and health benefits.

3.Run a race with friends. I have a number of "running buddies" in various parts of the country. We've always talked about doing a race together, but just never formalized the plans. Running has become a solitary activity for me since having kids, and I miss the days when I used to run with friends. Even if it's just an in-town 10K, I plan to do a race with others this year.

4. Improve my posture. I blogged about my posture issues a while back. I still haven't developed a plan for how to improve it, but it's something I think about daily. I just need to commit to doing it, so it looks like the time is now!

As you can probably tell, I've created plans for some of my goals but others are still a work-in-progress. Develop a plan of action to ensure that you reach all of your goals for the coming year. It's never too late to make changes to your life- big or small- that will help you become the person you've always dreamed of being. Do what it takes to make this your best year yet!

What are some of your goals for this year? How are you going to achieve them?