Category: New Year Resolutions

We’re leaving for our Turtle Island adventure in just over an hour. Before we disconnect, I want to end the year with a review of my 2015 resolutions. I’ll also write, to auto-post on the first, my 2016 resolutions.

Before that though, I have to say what a pivotal year 2015 will be when the history of my life is written. Theo being born is the end of an era. It’s also the beginning of an awesome journey. I didn’t think I could love him as much as the other two. And somehow, I almost love him more. Maybe because he’s my last one. Maybe because he’s most like Micky who I obviously am obsessed with. I don’t know though. He’s magic.

It was a big year in learning about what’s important to me. Feedback to become a better person was ever present. This was less true in other areas. And a lot of moves are happening around me that makes the future more clear. The decisions I need to make are more obvious.

Two months ago, I would have said a lot of this in anger, frustration, tiredness. Today, I say it with an incredible clarity about who I want to be, and what I need to do to get there.

If you ask Micky, I’m sure she’ll say that many of the same things have happened to her. And so I’m excited to say good bye to 2015 because 2016 will be the first major year of change in a long time. And whatever that change looks like is going to be awesome to be a part of.

And with that… let’s score the resolutions!

Lose 30 pounds

I’m down about 12 – 15 pounds depending on the day. Halfway there isn’t good enough 🙁 I’m gonna see if a week of running, swimming, and eating seafood helps 🙂 Nonetheless, I’ve been really inspired this year by my weaknesses with food, inability to create habits around exercise, and generally dissatisfaction with my body image to put a plan together that will be a big move in 2016. More details on that in April/May.

Read 12 books

Nailed it! One of them was a kid’s book, but, nonetheless, I read a lot more this year than in the past. This is a trend I’m definitely going to continue. Thank you SFPL for all of your ebooks which made this a lot easier.

Book of the year for me was the one about Habit forming that I read this summer. The deepest book was the one by Ta’Nehisi Coates. In between there was a lot of things learned, and a lot of joy found.

Food-related resolutions

I nailed the one about learning to cook more things. I bombed epically at the less sugar one 🙂

Business-related resolutions

Launching broadcast hasn’t happened yet, but we’re 90% of the way there. That’s gonna be huge, and I’m incredibly proud to have led my second intrapreneur project within TokBox. So far, both look to be vibrant businesses. From a people point of view, I got close to my goal. Didn’t nail it though 🙁 From a business point of view, I’m really happy with what we accomplished. Up next is making that number even bigger!

Personal-related resolution

Nope. I bombed this one again. But I’ve already got plans in the works to do better next time around.

Thanks everyone for being part of these last twelve months. I was at so many graduations, weddings, barbecues, birthday parties, and other events where I laughed; I cried; and I thought about how lucky I am.

I posted my resolutions for 2015 in January, and since we’re at the halfway point I thought I’d give an update.

Lose 30 pounds

Well pictures don’t lie:

I’m very solidly in the 180s now thanks to Ramadan. If I get back into the habit of exetcising after work everyday, and commit to just salad at lunch, I’m going to nail this.

That’s a big if though…

Read 12 books

So far, so good. I’ve added a Goodreads widget on the blog if you want to see what I’m reading, and I’ve come up with some blog post ideas as well, and I’ll get to writing them soon 🙂

Food-related resolutions

Sugar/honey in my tea only once per day (this resolution is suspended when in the South, and drinking sweet tea)

Totally failing at this, and I won’t worry about it for this year.

Increase my list of things I can cook beyond kofte, rice, and salad

I’m down with a scrambled egg like never before. We’ve also nailed a chicken cooking technique that I love. This one is a nice check.

Business-related resolutions

I’m pretty close to happy with this one so far. I need to write more, and that will definitely help me accelerate.

In general though, this is much less a part of me than in the past. I don’t know yet how I feel about that, but that’s definitely the case.

Personal-related resolutions

This one I get a zero on. I need to do this better.

With six months to go there is lots to accomplish still. But all in all good progress has been made.

Today is the last day of my 12-week LTF program.

Back in January, I saw on Hulu that DailyBurn were doing a month free. I thought, why not. Let’s go for it. They took me through an awesome on boarding flow, and then suggested that I do LTF with Ben Booker for the next 12 weeks.

Holy smokes it’s been fantastic. Weight training 4 days per week. Cardio 2 days per week. A box. 2 sets of dumb bells. And I’ve lost weight, gained muscle mass. Gotten stronger. Feel more fit.

The jokes were cheesy the first time, but hearing them every week for 12-weeks almost made them funny. The cast of characters got into with the lead trainer which was encouraging, and actually helped come back daily. It was quick. High impact.

It’s a truly awesome program.

If you’re disciplined enough to work out on your own, then I would highly encourage you try out DailyBurn. And if your profile gives you the chance to choose Live To Fail (LTF), do it. You’ll enjoy the ride!

Three graphs, and three very different stories. 

Here is graph #1:  

It’s not bad. The highest weight is 199. The lowest weight is 187. And I feel really good that heading into April that I’ll solidly be in the 180s. That downward slope feels wonderful, and looks ok I’m the mirror too. This graph makes me smile. 

And then there’s graph #2: 

Now there’s a bigger gap. The slope isn’t as steep. But there’s a goal there, and one that can be reached. Generally neutral from an emotional point of view. 

But then there’s graph #3: 

There’s almost no slope. The goal doesn’t feel good enough. And the emotions clearly drop to frustrated and demotivated. 

It’s all about perspective…

My 2015 New Year’s resolutions for all to see, and to help hold me accountable.

Lose 30 pounds

I hopped on the scale after landing from the plane today at a very unhealthy 199 pounds. In 364 days, I’ll be a much healthier 169 pounds if I hit this goal. I’d love to be at 175 pounds as a minimum, but 30 pounds would be good for the soul.

Read 12 books

I read a lot more this year than I have for a really long time, and I really enjoyed it. I’m going to go for it again, and read 12 books this year!

Food-related resolutions

• Sugar/honey in my tea only once per day (this resolution is suspended when in the South, and drinking sweet tea)
• Increase my list of things I can cook beyond kofte, rice, and salad

Business-related resolutions

I have 3 very specific goals to hit at TokBox this year, and I’m going to hit all three with roaring success. Within those goals are business, people, and product objectives all of which I’m hoping to write about with gusto over the course of the year.

I’m also adding a stretch goal of building the mobile versions of Amplifize and re-launching AboutMyDive.com (as I’d like to dive a bunch this year).

Personal-related resolutions

I want to end the year knowing that I’ve done a better job with relationships than I have the last few years. There’s no great way to measure this. It’s really just a feeling more than anything else. But I do know that I want to be better at it, and I’m going to work on it.

Here’s to a wonderful 2015 (that I’ll fully document here for everyone to see)!

I just finished Start with Why by Simon Sinek.

The book is 100 pages too long. The TED talk does it better. If you could combine the TED talks with the stories, that would be a great book

I gave it 3 stars.

I can’t seem to get back into the writing groove. And so… I’m starting a 30 days until 30 writing streak.

From tomorrow through my birthday on the 20th of November, I’ll write one post per day. Even if it kills me 🙂

And then I’ll be old and have an excuse for forgetting things.

I’ve had a chance to really dive deep into the book New Year’s resolution because of holiday and a bit of MUNI travel, and so I thought I’d update the world.

1) Hatching Twitter by Nick Bilton

Holy smokes the author hates Jack Dorsey. And founding stories are so much more complex than I ever realized. Truly an insane account of an insane company.

2) Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

Politics are nasty, but the people in the game do the craziest things to be liked, electable, and thick skinned. I also think the world does t realize how close to McCain (and by proxy Sarah Palin) were to being elected. It would have been something else.

This blog post is 8 days late. It all started when I got sick, fell behind, and I’ve been playing catch up ever since. Some of these catch up blog posts are relevant to the day. Others are just random musings.

I haven’t gotten my copy of “4-day work week” yet, and I also haven’t picked up a book on implementing agile. Instead, I’ve started a book I borrowed a while back called:

Viral Loop – by Adam L. Penenberg

So far I’ve learned about Tupperware 🙂 but I’m quite keen to keep reading, and so it can’t be that bad :-p

I’ll update as I get further