Buddy System

There are certain areas of my life where I have no problem with self-motivation--academics and work being the main ones. But there other areas where, in the past few years, I have been making regular goals and not following through as well as I know I can. Those areas are daily exercise, leisure reading, and volunteer work. Conveniently; body, mind, and soul.

Now that I am finally out of school and have a normal person schedule, I have decided it is time to really work on these. It has helped tremendously that I have family, friends, and boyfriend working with me. The only thing I hate more than letting myself down is letting others down. And now that it's on the blog, there is some accountability.

In terms of the exercise, there's now a goal behind it, which is running a 5k with my friends and later in the year running a half marathon with my brother while my parents also train for a smaller race. While running is a big fad thing, especially in DC, and I hate feeling like a sheep, there is something to it. I feel like it cleanses my mind from all the legal mumbo jumbo and tedious fighting I deal with all day at work. Plus, sweat to me translates into tangible results in a job where it seems like things get litigated for years. I can just run to mind-numbing pop songs with a catchy beat on my Pandora (it's probably the only time I like listening to Britney Spears and the Pussycat Dolls) and not think at all. Oh, and I got new purple Nike running shoes. Added motivation.

Leisure reading seems like it would be easy, especially from someone who came from law school and could read on hours on end. However, law school has killed my ability to read. I fall asleep 5 minutes within reading non-assigned text. So now I am trying to keep up with the UCLA Alumni Book Club (admittedly, I didn't finish the last book they discussed in time even though I picked it and felt like a loser . . . it's like volunteering in class and getting the answer wrong).

And finally, volunteering. I think I have come to terms that it is unrealistic for me to commit to some large and/or regular endeavor right now so I just want to do what I can and enlist those around me-- whether that means finally cleaning out my closet and donating clothes to the UCLA Alumni warm clothing drive or delivering groceries on a Saturday with Alex. I am no Mother Theresa, I am not even close to being like so many people who went to my law school who devote themselves to these huge causes, but it's something. And selfishly, I oftentimes think I need that something after being at work and seeing the struggle of so many people in the community. It's the humbling part about working in a trial court in a place like DC.

So there it is. The trinity of resolutions for 2010. Hold me to it, or pick one to join along.