Not Your Usual New Year's Resolutions

I was talking to dear Mr. Potts recently about New Years and how resolutions associated with it are so often broken (broken badly by most accounts) in the first month of the new year.

Examples: exercise every day for 1 hour, quit smoking, use less foul language, be kinder to people, drink less, eat out less, etc. etc. These aren't my personal resolutions, but ones I've heard before.

Now, I know there are many reasons why people don't keep up with their resolutions, one of the main ones being that it is not realistic to jump right in to something & expect to be able to keep it up.

I asked Mr. Potts if this year, instead of making resolutions (we never really did that formally, anyway) if instead, the two of us could start a new tradition. We're going to begin a New Year Journal. In it, we'll record special moments that have happened through the year. At the end of the year, we'll go through everything we've done and list our 5 (more or less) most favorite memories/events. Then we'll also take a look at our lives and list 5 things that we would like to work on to improve ourselves - either as a couple or individuals.

Some that I can think of off the top of my head are:

1. Our Wedding - Friends and family celebrating with US.
2. Our Honeymoon - Beautiful and relaxing
3. Time we spent with Mr. Potts' family - they've all included me and welcomed me
4. My adoption of his grandmother as my own - I send her postcards from where I travel & little notes as well as flowers and gifts so that she'll enjoy them. It really lifts my spirits to know that I have a small hand in reminding her of how much she is loved.

So those are some of my favorite memories.
A few things I'd like to work on to improve myself? Hmmm....

1. I'd like to be more consistent in working out. I was given this body & I should appreciate the time I can put into keeping it healthy.
2. My patience - this is a never ending battle for me, regardless of whether I'm driving, walking in a crowded area or with my mother. I think my lack of patience when I am with her is what hurts me the most.

What are some of your favorite memories from 2008? Will you be making any resolutions - want to share them? What do you think of my idea?