I’m currently in the middle of the General Ordination Exams, a set of six competency exams to see if I learned something in seminary. (Sort of like seminary OWLs. Or, I guess, more like NEWTs.) The exams are going fine, but they’re monopolizing virtually all of my brainpower and ability to arrange words into coherent sentences and paragraphs.

I considered simply writing down all the words that came into my head, one after the other, a sort of stream-of-consciousness beast mode. Instead, I came up with something we can all work towards: a list of attainable New Year’s resolutions.

I don’t know about you, but when I make resolutions—which doesn’t happen every year—I don’t tend to keep them. But I feel like I could probably aspire to any of the items below…maybe…if I just picked one.

Eat something marginally related to a fruit or vegetable with every meal. Remember that potatoes are nutritionally a starch.

Remember to text your old friends sometimes.

Try to get outside every day unless you’re really, really sick. Note that this involves leaving your apartment.

Read a book. (Already checked this one off. Three times. Winning 2017.)

Drink water. Preferably every day.

Make your bed…at least once a week.

Don’t engage in emotional debates in a Facebook comment thread or on Twitter.

Be more grateful. Maybe occasionally write down the things you’re grateful for if you’re feeling super motivated.

Vacuum.

Get sleep. I don’t think I’m physically capable of all-nighters any more, so this should totally be doable.

Exercise every month.

Don’t watch more than five hours of TV in one day.

Stretch goals: eat healthier foods, sleep at least seven hours every night, exercise three times a week, read fifty books, establish a writing schedule.

Now, surely you can find something in that list that’s achievable for you. Or perhaps you have something to add?

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