Yes it is that time of year again where we all vow to make positive changes in our life. You know, I have never been much into new year’s resolutions. I have always found them futile. It seems that by the second week of January, everyone has rebounded back to their old habits and forgotten their plans.

Instead of resolutions, I have always set goals. I write these goals down so I have a tangible list that I can use and reference throughout the year. It helps me stay on track.

Today I am doing just; I am making my list, except this year it will be a bit different. I am publishing my list on this blog. That means that many more people other than myself will be aware of this list. You, my readers, will be able to hold me accountable to the commitment that I am making today.  So, today I make a pledge too:

1. Become a certified fitness instuctor. I have a passion for exercising and being healthy and I would like to share that passion with others. I would like to remove the fear from people that getting in shape is hard to do. I would also like to generate some passive income. My first course is in January and I will be signing up for it on Tuesday. After that, I have two more courses and then I will be done. Once I complete this training I will be able to share with you many more tips about getting active and building a strong, healthy body.

2. Travel to a foreign country. My husband and I have booked off the month of April. We have been discussing different places to go and we should be finalizing this in the next month or so. This fits in well with my goal to see 50 countries by 50.

3. Grow this blog. I would really like to get my subscriber count up to 150 people. I know that is a big task but I am hoping to complete it. I would also like to have the forum on this site used. Currently it has been sitting there with no activity. I would really like to get some good discussions going where tips are shared that can help all of us. I would also like to generate an income from this blog. It doesn’t have to be much but anything would be better than the current $0 that I bring in from it.

4. Convert to a vegan diet. I have been doing the vegetarian thing for quite some time with little difficulty, but I haven’t crossed over to the vegan realm yet. It is difficult since my husband is not keen to do this. It makes it hard for meal planning and such; plus I don’t want to cause him any dissatisfaction since cooking is one of the things he loves. He has been very supportive up to this point but I know there will be some strain in going vegan.

5. Visit my grandfather. I have not seen my grandfather in years. There had been some family dynamics that made things difficult but this year I have resounded to hopping on a plane and visiting him. He is in his 80’s now and I would like to see him before he gets too frail. The current plan is to head out there in February.

6. Max out my TFSA. I have not been doing this the last couple years, but this year,both my husband and I would like to put more money into savings. I think a goal of $5000 into my TFSA is a good start and attainable. TFSA’s are a great place to save since the money is invested using after tax dollars.

7.  Convert our house to only using green products. We have been slowly trying to convert to green products. As we use items up, we refrain from replacing them. (I feel bad just throwing everything out without using it…it still pollutes). Instead, we have been making our own cleaners. I want to do the same thing with beauty products. There are some great recipes out there for numerous items.

8. Pay off our Line of Credit. We have had a line of credit that has been hanging on and within the next few months we would like to see it disappear. We are going to start blitzing it as of next week so it should be gone in a few months. Then we can start putting our money towards other things.

9. Spend more time with my grandmother. My grandmother and I have always been very close. Essentially she has been the rock in my life. Since I met my husband and subsequently got married, I have not been spending the time with her like I used too. I miss it a lot so this year I would like to devote some time on a regular basis to get together.

10. Spend more time with my family. Like my grandmother, my husband and I don’t get a chance to see my family a lot. Part of the reason is that my father travels a lot for business and my brother lives in another province. This year we are going to make an effort to meet with my parents twice a month for a meal and visit.  I really think this will help our relationship grow even more. Plus, I truly believe family is something to be cherished and not taken forgranted.

There may be other goals that I set for myself as the year goes on but for now, I have these 10 to start working on.

So, any tips to share on how to complete these? What are your new years goals?