9. Sleep More

I don’t sleep enough. This is a problem, because it results in me drinking so much coffee that I’m pretty sure it has actually replaced blood as the main fluid running through my veins. I think my lack of sleep is due to some combination of my hard mattress, going to bed way too late, and my roommate listening to trashy European dance techno at 3am in the room beside me. My hope is that if I can remove one of these three things, the rest won’t matter so much and I’ll be able to catch some Z’s.

8. See More Live Shows

I love music, and going to shows is one of my favourite things to do in my free time. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s tough to find tickets for a show if it’s in high demand and tickets are sold out in just a couple of hours. My resolution is to not miss out on any shows this year that I really need to see, just because they’re sold out at the venue. I’ve noticed that I can find a lot of tickets for sale on my local UsedEverywhere site; they’re posted under the General Merchandise category. And, to keep on top of it, I’m going to look to see if there are any MyLists for tickets and then subscribe by RSS.

7. Drive Less

I don’t drive an excessive amount, but I’d still like to cut down my carbon footprint a little bit more. I already take public transit instead of driving most of the time, but I’d like to incorporate some more environmentally friendly transportation into my personal life. I think a bike might be the answer. Or I could just stop leaving my house. That’s probably not a good idea, though. Bet you can guess where I’ll go to find my new set of wheels? It’d be listed under Bicycles & Accessories in the Sporting Goods category on my local UsedEverywhere site!

6. Run More

Speaking of driving less, I need to run more. I would like to get myself into the habit of running two or three times a week consistently and sticking to that. Even though I’m already in pretty good shape, I could definitely benefit from more structure in my exercise routine. It seems like just about everyone tries to resolve to exercise more or lose weight after New Years… but I think I might actually stick with this; it’s a pretty specific goal, with fairly modest aims. Maybe I’ll make myself some sweet running playlists for my iPod to get myself pumped while running.

5. Paint My Bathroom

This resolution comes with a little bit of a story behind it. My house used to be a sickening hospital-green turquoise colour throughout. About a year ago, I finally got sick of it and painted everything a nice, neutral off-white, which was a huge improvement. Unfortunately, the bathroom was the only room in the house that wasn’t gross turquoise, so I never painted it. Now some of the paint is getting a bit flakey and I think it’s time that I gave the bathroom the coat of paint it deserves, maybe in a colour with a bit more personality than off-white. Suggestions? Also, the post a few weeks ago about UsedEverywhere’s Services section got me thinking… if I find I can’t get around to it myself… I think it still counts if I get some help right?

4. Eat More Local and Organic Food

I’m going to do my best to implement the 100 Mile Diet, or at least try to eat a greater selection of locally grown meat and veggies. This is keeping with my desire to lower my carbon footprint that I mentioned in #7. Eating locally is a great way to get good, fresh, nutrient-packed food that hasn’t been flown in from who-knows-where, and it also boosts your local economy. I love the feeling of knowing that the food I’m eating came from somewhere I could drive to in an hour or two, rather than from the other side of the world.

3. Spend More ‘Me’ Time

Sometimes I don’t take enough time out of the day to just spend relaxing and doing something just for me. There’s always something I should or could be doing instead, like cleaning the house, hanging out with friends, or catching up on paperwork and emails. I’d like to spend a bit more time doing things just for myself, and I’m realizing that sometimes it’s okay to let a few dishes sit in the sink, or to say no when someone asks me to go out for wings and beer. Maybe I’ll spend the time catching up on some TV I’ve missed, or reading one of the millions of books I’ve bought that I haven’t yet had time to read. Sometimes a little bit of anti-social time is great.

2. Travel

Ooooh, travel! The word itself gives me goosebumps, I get so excited. This year, I want to go somewhere outside of North America. I figure that if I work hard enough towards this goal, I can make it happen, so that’s what I’m going to do. I think wanting to travel more is resolution-worthy because of all the time, planning, and commitment that it takes to make a trip happen, not to mention all the saving up I’ll have to do. This will be a long-term resolution to get out there and see some of the world we live in, and I really hope I can make it happen.

1. De-Clutter My House

Oh man, this is a big one. I live in a house with two roommates, and these roommates tend to change every few months. Whenever a roommate moves out, they always leave a bunch of stuff behind. Because of this, I have a bunch of computer chairs, televisions, mini-fridges, and textbooks lying around taking up space. Thankfully, Used.ca exists. I’m going to list all of this stuff and get some cash for it, as well as free up some space in my little home.

So, there they are. My New Years Resolutions. What are yours?