2012: Achievements despite myself

There were important things that happened in 2012. And then there was my life in 2012.

It was a year of deciding I'm going to do something and then NOT doing it. Figuring stuff out. I guess sometimes that has to happen. But I'm an achievement-oriented person. I'm working on this failing, but alas, wiping out a lifetime of grading my life based on my productivity is a tough go. Progress, not perfection.

So, while I battle, I bring you my assessment of my 2012 achievements.

1. I had vocal chord surgery. And bit through my tongue in the process. But all in all, it was OK and I survived.
2. We renovated the Man Cave just in time for me to recuperate from aforementioned surgery and watch Netflix on our giant TV. It's pretty much done -- the room, I mean. 
3. I lost somewhere in the realm of 15 pounds. Mostly by watching what I eat.
4. Re-launched MaRSdd.com - Even though it looks and acts like crap, you'll have to trust me that the content management system is better. And it's somewhat responsive to your device's screen size.
5. Launched approx 1 million other sites. MaRS Commons, Mod Media Makers 2, Data Catalyst, Solutions Lab, a bunch of conference websites, a corporate intranet, MaRS Media. All while my team at work changed. I lost two employees to the tech team while I remained on the communications team running digital initiatives. Then I lost another employee to her new life.
6. Re-launched AnitaZvonar.com. In my spare time. :) 
7. I travelled: A ski trip, Chicago for a conference, cottage weekend (x2), French River anniversary weekend, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico (a post on these coming soon!)
8. My literacy student got his driver's licence and went back to school. I got a five-year tutor recognition.
9. Unsexy house renovations: Installed two more windows and got the sewer drain replaced with a really fancy one so that my basement will never get flooded or choked with tree roots. 
10. My mother in law passed away after a two-year battle with cancer.
11. My new baby niece was born. 
12. I worked like hell on fixing my back. I ended the year with two new therapy ideas. Sadly, I also ended the year with my back screaming in pain.

I looked at my lists from 2011 and 2010. Have I crossed anything else off these lists?

• Be active. I was dissatisfied with my shape. So I ate better. And I got active: joined the Global Corporate Challenge. Went on a cycling day-trip. Skied. Kayaked. Walked whenever I could. Even just cooking and cleaning kept me on my feet a little bit more.
• Volunteer. Even though I'm still teaching my literacy student, our program has changed. We focus on life-task achievements. And you already read about how well it's going. But I also I did the Heart & Stroke Big Bike charity event and the Global Corporate Challenge and - my favourite - did my first Hackathon: Random Hacks of Kindness (and my second: HackingHealth).
• I changed PART of my website. My blog looks a bit different -- that's because I switched the type of template I was using, which makes it easier to update that part of my site. I STARTED working on the rest of my site this past month, but there was a technical issue with my host so the stars didn't align).
• Worked on my brain. See the point about battling my achievement-addiction. I have definitely become less controlling. And at least I can admit I'm a controlling perfectionist.

And what about for 2013? 

Resolution: Have more fun!

• Travel. I really, really, really want to do a big trip in 2013. I already know I'm going to Cleveland this month. And on my annual family ski trip in March. I think Thailand is the next thing. But I'm also supposed to go to Cape Cod this summer and St. Maarten in December. How will I ever fit it all into the small amount of vacation time I have? Oh, the decisions.
• I'll have another vocal chord surgery in February.
• Work on my brain. This means reading and journalling and thinking and putting new ideas into practice without fearing their failure. Remembering that troubles will all pass and that I can take risks in order to fix a part of me that isn't working with my current methods.
• Be good to myself. That means staying healthy: eating well (mostly) and being active. My friend Jill wrote on another post that it means being good to the person I will be tomorrow. That means cleaning up the kitchen before I go to bed so that I won't get stressed out by said kitchen -- but, since I already do this, maybe this means spending money on something that will improve things for me instead of being too cheap and putting it off (ahem, landscaping plan!) or doing my physio exercises even more regularly. Or just trying new scary activities that I might actually like or learn from. Or fixing my professional life which has been causing me much stress and anguish.

And I have a few surprise things that I don't want to spoil or jinx by writing them here. I still keep a paper journal and all that kind of stuff gets hidden in there. Matter of fact, I might just go read some old ones now...