Becoming a Real Adult: Goals for 2013

With 2013 here I've been thinking back on the past year.

It seems that the theme of 2012 for me was 

"Becoming a Real Adult".

I was awarded a full tuition scholarship. I drove from Utah to Washington without any parents. I held my first full time job. I paid my own way through a semester of school. I got a credit card. I got kicked off my parents' health insurance. I'm living in my own apartment and cooking for myself. I chose a career path. I changed my major from a fake major to a REAL major (which is very intimidating). I got in a major car accident and learned how to talk to lawyers and insurance companies. I'm being assigned actual callings to do work for church.

2012 was also a year of "learning how to make decisions". I made A LOT of important decisions that will determine what direction my life takes, I can't lie, it's been extremely nerve-wracking. I have a lot of options, and the majority of them are all great. It's just a matter of choosing the better of two goods. Actually in some cases, it's just choosing what I want. Which I've discovered is really really hard when you don't know what you want!

This past October my church held a worldwide conference. One of my favorite apostles, President Uchtdorf, gave a talk titled Of Regrets and Resolutions. You should read it, but part of what he said encompassed three main regrets that people have in life. 

1. I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.

2. I wish I had lived up to my potential.

3. I wish I had let myself be happier.

Based on the decisions I have made over the past year, President Uchtdorf's talk, and where I want to be in the future - I have come up with a list of goals that cover most of the important areas in my life.

Academic

Goal: Apply and be accepted into the Business Management program in the Marriott School of Management at BYU.

I've slid by at BYU so far as a Family Life major. It's fun, it's great, it teaches me how to be a good wife and mom, but I wouldn't be able to get the kind of job I want without going to grad school. Which I'm not cool with. I've always been interested in business, but have been intimidated by how competitive the program is. But, I've come to realize that it's stupid for me to not do something I want to do just because it's hard. So I'm taking a leap of faith. Taking into account the 2nd regret most people have in life, I don't want to kick myself for not going for it.

Physical

Goal: Exercise 6/7 days a week, make healthy eating choices, and get a good amount of sleep every night.

Now that I've got the hang of cooking every meal for myself, I'm going to he healthy about it. Which might be hard on a college student budget, but I'll figure it out. Mainly I want to cut out white flour, white sugar, bad fats, and eat more fruits and veggies. For exercise, I set aside specific times in my comprehensive schedule. It's just a matter of getting out and doing it. Getting a healthy amount of sleep has been pretty difficult in the past. There is SO MUCH to do, and not enough time in the day. I can constantly be studying or be having fun with my friends. I want to get at least 7 hours a night and so I've given myself a bedtime that I'm going to stick to, except for on Friday and Saturday nights.

Emotional

Goal: Be happy. 

Sometimes this is really really hard. This whole school, money, lawyer, future, adult thing is really stressful. But attitude is everything. I wish I knew this in high school. I'll make time to have fun, and I'm not going to worry so much. I choose to be happy, and so I will.