Hopes for 2015

I think that I am with a lot of people when I say that resolutions aren't exactly the best way to go. You come up with these amazing things that you plan to do, and despite the best of intentions, they just don't happen. So, I decided instead to just consider this a list of things to strive toward and hope for this coming year. And because of my extreme laziness as of late (I will use the fact that I still don't feel great after my surgery the other day), I am going to do this in list form, because it is just so much easier.

• Lose some weight. Yes, yes, I know. Everyone says they're going to lose weight, and some succeed while most of us fail miserably. However, I am very proud of how far I came last year, and the strides I was making toward better health before the whole gallbladder thing happened. So now, it's just a matter of getting back on track.
• Cook for myself more often. I am a huge fan of takeout, restaurant dining, and occasionally fast food. Not only is it kind of awful for you, but boy does it get costly! I need to work toward eating better all around.
• Visit at least one more state. My plan is to try to visit Texas and Oklahoma, but I am trying not to set actual limits on it. If I can cross one or two more states off of my list, I will be happy - and I won't stress over which one(s) they actually are. I eventually want to make it to at least all forty-eight contiguous states, so I need to start knocking more of them out, one at a time.
• Continue to abstain from alcohol. I was never much of a drinker, really, and only ever really would have a drink or two every couple of months while out with friends to dinner or something. Last February though, due to some personal and family issues, I decided to completely give the stuff up. I catch myself occasionally thinking "Gee, I could go for a drink..." and all I find myself wanting is something simple and virtually harmless, like a wine cooler, but I don't do it. I want to be someone that my nieces can be proud of. I want to be someone that they can look at and know there's more to life than the small town where they are growing up. I want to be someone that makes decisions based not only on myself, but on who might be watching around me.
• Continue to put money away into my company's stock purchase plan and 401K plan. If possible, raise the contribution amounts on one or both after I get my yearly raise. Try very hard not to touch the stock money for silly thing, and let it build up as a substantial little rainy day fund.
• Work on paying off the last few lingering bills - the student loans, and these rotten new medical bills. Strive to be debt-free.
• Go on adventures! They don't have to be anything particularly fancy, but just get out and go! Recapture the feelings I had last year when I went to Nashville, or when I went to Rhode Island and Maine. Go to zoos, to museums, to plays. Go explore some place in my own area that I haven't visited as of yet. Take the dogs to a new park and explore with them. Don't be complacent.
• Build a career with Jamberry Nails. While I don't expect to be able to quit the day job this year, it would be amazing to get to a point where I am making enough money that I can start really saving to buy a home, or pay my car off earlier than planned, or put a big chunk into my student loan payments. There is so much opportunity within the company, and I want to take it by storm. I want to be a team manager by the end of this year, but won't beat myself up if I am not. I just want to know everyday that I worked hard toward a goal with it.

What are your goals? What are you going to do in 2015 to make them happen?