Creating Striations: Defining 2013

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter

Pensive, yet excited.

Intellectually wrung, yet physically and emotionally rested.

Lingering, deliberating, strategizing, planning, poised for renewed momentum.

The days between Christmas and New Year’s are gently stretched and pulled with the weight of contemplation, and hope. Renewed resolve to complete the incomplete and start the unstarted provide momentum and hope.

The days leading into 2013 are robust. Weighing heavily on my mind are vows to:

1. Perpetuate My 2012 Resolution to Get Fit. My husband, Captain Rob and I hit the ground running in January 2012 to shed weight and strengthen our bodies. We succeeded! As of today (Dec. 30), I’ve lost 30 pesky pounds while also focusing on toning and sculpting.

The before picture (on the bottom) shows me in the midst of transformation (about four months in), while the after photo (on the top) illustrates where I’m at today (taken the week before Christmas).

While delighted for the changes accomplished in the past 12 months, I’m not yet done. However, monitoring the scale is no longer my number-one priority (though, I aspire to shed another 10 lbs.); as importantly, my goal in 2013 is to heighten strength training. This includes increasing the weights I lift and changing up my routines throughout the year.

A significant aspect of my escalated strength training initiative is my goal to create striations in my shoulders and greater muscle definition overall.

Moreover, I realize that health and fitness objectives are never completed. While celebrating milestones is important, the organic nature of the human body requires continual effort and change. My vow is to continue this fitness journey throughout my life.

2. Revive Mine – and Rob’s – Personal Voice in the CareerTrend Blog. This past year was satisfyingly expansive as the CareerTrend brand was transported via Glassdoor to US News, and beyond as we were represented in a variety of high-profile news media including Business Insider, AOL and FOX Business.  However, along the way, we slowed a bit in creating our own personally-imbued content.  My goal is that 2013 will ensure a minimum of three posts per month on the CareerTrend blog from either Rob or me.

3. Deepen Communications With My CareerTrend Clientele through regular reach-out via social media, email and quality-focused newsletter content.

4. Serve My Clients’ Needs, With Vigor. While the intellectual and emotional investment often is daunting, and I am satisfied that my clients are reaping value beyond their financial investment, I know I can do even better. I strive to strengthen my resolve and continue to improve on my value to my clients.

5. Show (don’t just tell) My Family and Friends I Value Them, more readily and frequently than I did in 2012.

6. Visit Kansas City, Missouri, and in particular, spend time with my parents and sisters/their families, and friends, who may be available.

7. Increase My LinkedIn Investment. This business, marketing and relationship propelling network is often underutilized. My job is to remain abreast of latest trends and techniques that will lift my clients’ careers; as well, I personally need to continue to expand my value and offer meaningful contributions through daily updates and reading, commenting on and sharing my networks’ content.

8. Create a Zen Office. While focusing in on my writing often consumes my imagination and transports my mind, I still desire (and need) a more encouraging, stimulating and motivating environment in which to conduct my day-to-day business and design career and blogging stories.

9. Rein in My Run-Rampant Email In-box. This speaks for itself. I plan to work on this through the month of January. Clearing the clutter of the accumulated emails will augment the ‘zen’ mentioned above.

10. Support Fellow Business, Marketing and Careers Bloggers Better. Encourage, promote and comment. This will mean better organizing my time and centering efforts on those folks (friends, colleagues) whose intellectually and emotionally replete blogs I most admire.

11. Be a Better Wife and Partner. I am excited about the goals and dreams Rob and I have articulated with one another for the rest of our lives, and in particular for the next 12 months. I vow to be fully present, energized and communicative as we move through the day-to-day. It’s often the little things that shape and bolster the foundation of a marriage. 

12. Read More. I must prove to myself, and to Rob, that the Barnes & Noble ‘Nook’ was a wise investment. I must read more in 2013.

13. Improve My Relationship With God. I will continue reading my C.S. Lewis book; download the Bible to my Nook; and talk to God more frequently.

Have You Committed to Your 13 Vows for 2013?

What projects, goals and/or commitments would you like to address, reinforce, start or re-start? If you haven’t taken time to do so, what is stopping you? I’ve read many naysayer posts indicating that ‘resolutions’ are out, but I must object. We can resolve to achieve (most) anything we want. It’s about taking a stand to commit to what’s important, then adapting your sails throughout the year to adjust for the unexpected while maintaining an eye on the destination.

What better time to cut your losses for the prior year and start with a fresh slate than now, as 2012 comes to a close? New years are considered ‘markers’ for a reason! They are chronologically defining!

And, don’t forget to Think BIG! While day-to-day action steps may range from quite small to very large, make sure that your end goals are LARGER than your current reality. Create milestones and markers, and celebrate along the way!