I can’t believe it’s already time to welcome a new year. Of course, this also means turning the final pages on the “old” year, which may or may not have any additional text on them. I tend to get surprised in the final days of December, saying, “Wait, I thought we were done and onto the acknowledgments page.” I will never learn, and that is probably a good thing.

That said, as we gear up for a fresh & shiny new 12 months, we look back on what the previous 12 brought—and what they did not bring. What did we accomplish that we set out to do? Where did we fall short? In what ways did we surpass our wildest expectations?

For me, 2013 was an objectively transformative year. Then again, the past few have been in their different ways. 2011 was all about endings and saying goodbye to what no longer served me well. 2012 was a clean-slate year of setting plans into action and planting new seeds. 2013 has been about beginnings and change and scaring myself on an almost-daily basis and reconnecting the heart, mind, and mouth.

I can’t help laughing a little as I look back at my 2013 New Years Resolutions,which were:

• Continue to meditate: Mixed success with this one—let’s just say I went through “phases.” And by “phases” I mean I’d get on a roll for a few days and then fall off the wagon.
• Integrate more mindfulness-based practices; learn Qi Gong: Nope, did not happen. Well, not the Qi Gong part. I did, however, make yoga a regular practice, making it to my mat at least twice per week.
• Make room for the good, right things: I covered a lot of ground in making room for good/right things in my professional life, so cheers to more of the same this next year! As far as my personal life is concerned…We don’t need to go into detail about my dating misadventures, but I have to ask—is it just me or are most men, like, spectacularly inept at being decent human beings? People talk about broken hearts, but I was basically walking around with a stress fracture most of the year and eventually had to take a break. At least I had some positive experiences too. So we shall see—maybe 2014 will be about PT/OT. Who ever knows? One good thing about being a workaholic introvert is that I am never bored in my own company. Besides, when all your friends are married/engaged/committed, you have plenty of time to devote to things that matter to you, totally guilt-free.
• Get outside more: I actually managed this one! I took a lot of after-work strolls this year, which was great!

The five most popular posts written in 2013 were:

1. Healthy Shake ‘n’ Bake
2. Langostino Mac & Cheese
3. Rouge Tomate
4. Lady-Like Behavior and Tortellini Soup
5. Chocolate Chia Pudding

And just for fun, the five most-visited blog posts of the year were:

1. What to Eat During your Period
2. Saturday-Style Banana Muffins
3. Experiment Gone Right: Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
4. What to Eat After Sex
5. Healthy Shake ‘n’ Bake

The most popular What I Ate Wednesday posts of the year were:

1. WIAW #100: Milestone
2. WIAW #132: In which I enjoy Mexican food in New Jersey
3. WIAW #112: “Artist Date Saturday”
4. WIAW #139: Birthday Edition, complete with hot yoga, wind chimes, and bourbon
5. WIAW #136: A relaxing Sunday involving pumpkin cranberry oatmeal and langostino mac & cheese, among other things

Because this post is already way too long, I’ll save my 2014 goals for another post. Thank you as always for reading.

How did you do with your 2013 Resolutions? What was your favorite moment or accomplishment of the year?