Goals or Resolutions? And a Layout :)

As each new year rolls around, I find myself thinking about resolutions.
It seems so many people talk about making resolutions which too often are forgotten after a month or so.
I do like to set little goals for myself. Things I want to work on to improve my health, character, skills etc...And it got me thinking. What is the difference between a goal and a resolution? Is there a difference?

While surfing the internet trying to find more information on the topic, I came across this blog
and found a few answers.
According to the author, "one is a hope, and one's a plan." The goal is your hope, and the resolution is your plan which helps you achieve your goal. Interesting.
So to reach one, you basically need the other if I am understanding it correctly.
And I love at the end of the article when the author states, "This year, resolve to actually have plans, and not simply hopes."

I made this layout when I was 37. Four years ago.
The journaling:
So sad to to me that when asked by a friend, I could not name one thing about my physical appearance I liked. Top on the list is my weight right now. But I am taking control and doing something about it. I am learning to love myself...right here, right now at 37.

And I did. I set goals for myself and worked hard to try and lose the baby weight I gained with my pregnancy. But I also tried to find the positives in my appearance as well. And then it hit me. It wasn't so much about how I looked. But how I *felt* about myself. And I felt the best about myself when I was making healthy choices!

So fast forward to 2013. Age 41. Something has clicked. The need to be healthy for my children at all costs. My dad had a quadruple bypass in his early 40's. And I know I am healthy enough not to be at risk. He was over weight at the time, smoking, generally not healthy at all. But it was a scary time. A time when I thought I was going to lose my dad. And I don't want my children to have to face that. I mean I was in my late teens when my dad was my age. My parents started having kids young :)
But my kids are only 5 and 10! I want to be around a long time for them!

In 2013, I do have a goal. To be healthy. To make as many healthy choices as possible, but also not beat myself up if I make the occasional "oops".:)

For me, I think the way to do this is a different mini resolution each month in 2013.
For January, I have been eliminating fast food. Frankly, there isn't a lot of fast food I like. But every little bit helps. And over the holidays between errands, I found myself just grabbing a carry out if I needed lunch away from home. But I know how fast food makes me *feel* after eating it. Gross and bloated. Not so healthy in fact. :) I did have fast food once this month. McDonald's on an early dismissal day for school, when we met friends there and had lunch. Truthfully, my salad was so disgusting and just reinforced my pledge to stay away from fast food this month.

In February, I will have a different resolution as I walk this path to healthy living. I know it is about small changes and not doing too much at once. After all, I switched from white breads to whole grain several years ago and it had pretty much stuck. I will have the occasional white bread, but my first choice is whole grain. :)

Do you have any plans, hopes or dreams for 2013?
Will you scrap about them?
I kind of see a mini album for my 2013 goal and resolutions. :)