2011 Please Be Kind.

Another year over and a new one just begun, 2011 has big shoes to fill after a blockbuster year like 2010. I accomplished so many of my goals in 2010, that when my guy and I were out to dinner last night discussing the goals I was going to set for the new year I was having a hard time. As I've posted before in a post called, Goals, I have some lofty dreams and I know they can't be reached overnight, so at dinner I really had to assess and see what was most attainable for me in this upcoming year. 

2011 to me will be known as the year of "Patience", if I had it my way, I would go balls to the wall and try and capture every dream on my list this year, but my manfriend put it all in perspective and told me, "Do it right. Take your time. Your path is only going the right way." Thank God, for people like him and my family that make me see things a little more clearly. I want to enjoy each dream as it comes my way and not be so overly anxious to speed up to the next one. 

So with much thought, I came up with my goals to be reached in 2011 the year of Patience. Some of them are a little silly and not all of them pertain to my running ability, I am going to have fun this year and really try to savor each and every moment. 

Goals for 2011

• Compete and Finish a Half Ironman 70.3. This is on my long term list leading up to the ultimate dream the Full Ironman and I know I have to start sometime, so 2011 will be the year I transition into triathlons. I registered for my first Half Ironman in New Hampshire in August, and I couldn't be more excited. I know it isn't a cake walk, but I promised myself that I will go into this race over prepared and up for the challenge. 
• Start Living Strong Yoga by Meg. Come May I will be fully certified through CorePower Yoga and I will be able to teach. I hope to really get my practice up and running. I love yoga so much and it has so many benefits that I  want to share with others. In the upcoming months I will be posting a schedule and rates, I hope all of you try it out and keep coming back for more. My main goal with Living Strong Yoga is to donate most of the proceeds to The Lance Armstrong Foundation.
• Qualify for the Boston Marathon. I am not sure which marathon I am going to run in order to qualify, I know I have to do one before mid October. I feel it's time for me to show, myself what I am capable of doing. I am only seven minutes and forty seven seconds away from being a qualifier. I ran Boston once before with Team Livestrong and as great a feeling that was crossing the finish line and knowing how many people I've helped, qualifying is a personal goal that I will obtain. 
• Run a Race in Europe. I've been living in Greece for three months, I was here during the Athens Marathon which is something I'll carry with me forever and I hope to one day run it. The reason I want to run a race overseas is because I am from a small island in New York, and we have tons of races but the competition is always the same. I want to be some place where I know absolutely no one, and I want to shine. At the end of my manfriends season, we are going to do some traveling and I've been researching different races that are happening around that time, hopefully I will get my chance to run as a stranger. 
• Be less NERVOUS. I have a little problem, and that is I get nervous about almost everything. I am always afraid things are going to go absolutely wrong. I don't know where this has stemmed from, because to be honest I have been blessed with most things going absolutely right for me. So this year, I am making it a point to just go with the freaking flow, and enjoy instead of worry. 
• Apartment. So even though my guy and I are living in our own place overseas, it still isn't ours. We didn't get to pick it out and it came furnished. I am dying for a place to call our own, so I am very excited to be getting that very thing when we get back to New York in May. Call me a weirdo, I don't care, I am so excited to decorate and make ourselves a home. I am on furniture websites constantly coming up with ideas, the poor manfriend why does he put up with my obsession of Crate and Barrel and Ikea, haha.
• Making My Blog Better. As I've said before, this blog started on a whim and it has become a real love of mine. I never knew how much I loved to write until I started. I also didn't expect Jeans and Tee's and Travel and Cakes to have to success it has, I have you to thank for that. I hope in the upcoming year, I can improve this site for you and keep you coming back. 
• Run some Half Marathons. I love the Half Marathon distance and I hope to run at least four this year and go for a PR, possibly qualifying for the New York City Marathon. 
• Spending more time with my family. Being away from home makes you realize a lot of things, but I feel the main thing for me is that there is nothing better then family. Over the summer, I want to spend as much time with my family, barbecuing, good conversation, sharing numerous bottles of wine and of course Sunday Funday. 

Other Things to Look Forward to.

• Welcoming a New Niece or Nephew into the Family. My brother and his wifey are expecting their first little babe and I am so excited for them. I will be flying to the West Coast for sure to welcome their new bundle of baby joy. 
• House in L.B.I. This is something I look forward to every year, Long Beach Island is a place to just rest and relax. I love it down there and I am counting the days until I am on the beach with my family, drinking a Tiki Tea. 
• The McAlarney & Mastrangelo Wedding. My manfriend's brother and his girlfriend are getting married. I couldn't think of two better families becoming one. I am really excited for this wedding, I know it will be wonderful, and I am so happy for the both of them. 
• Ireland. I have been wanting to go to Ireland for as long as I can remember. This May I will be heading to the Emerald Isle. This trip really means a lot to me, I'll get to visit my cousin Annie's memorial in Dublin and pay tribute to my Uncle John. I can't believe this trip is becoming a reality. 
• Getting Our Puppy. My guy and I have spent many hours discussing what kind of pooch would be ideal for us, we researched many breeds and we came up with a winner. In May, we will be getting a Labrador, color and name has yet to be decided. I can't wait to have a pup that I can run with and that can keep my manfriend and me company while we are away from home. (Note: No dog could never and ever replace my Cobi, just saying.)

So there you have it, not to many goals on there but all of them will take a great deal of commitment and dedication. I really hope to achieve them and have a successful year. I hope you create some goals and go after what you've dreamed of achieving, the only person stopping you is you. 

This following quote has become my mantra.

My advice to anyone would be, to make goals. Go after things that might seem a little lofty, have people question if you can do things, and prove them wrong. We only get one life, so make your story a good one, go out there and be all you can be and more.