Dream Small

I've never been very good at big changes or sticking with anything that I dream up that's too radical or accomplishing much with any social significance. The cabbage soup diet lasted about 34 hours one year and no matter how hard I try, or how bad I want to, I cannot stop being a spend-thrift. Or loving and eating chocolate. Or popcorn. Or donuts. I've yet to do a triathlon or a half marathon. Not even a 10K. I can't seem to stop drinking coffee or wine either. I have tried volunteering some but got so frustrated with people I wanted to choke them or play whack-a-mole. So this year I have decided to do something different. This year I've decided to try something new. This year my new year's resolutions are going to be manageable. They are going to be easy. This year I've decided that I am going to dream small.

Nothing life-changing or earth shattering. My resolutions will be hard in a way that is easy. Challenging in a way that is accomplishable. I will call these resolutions do-able. I have made up my mind. I'm going to dream small. I'm going to make sure that - no matter what - my desire to accomplish these new year's resolutions cannot possibly ever wane. I am not going to set out in 2012 planning to achieve some super-lofty altruistic goals or life-changing paradigm shifts. I'm not going to do anything that takes 27 straight days to make it into a habit. Instead, I'm going to set about accomplishing some things that I cannot possible screw up. I'm going to make it easy on myself. Simple. I've decided that I'm just going to do what I love to do on my bikes and I'm going to love doing it.

Basically I'm going to plan 8 great rides that I haven't done before. Easy. I'm going to put them on the calendar and plan them out and get my family involved. Simple. Then I'm going to prepare myself for these rides in the way that I do best which means no training plan or coach or schedule - just time on the bike riding around the valley and up and down the canyons and in and out of the mountains. Do-able. After I dream small then I'm going to go and do it. Go ride. I'm going to ride these 8 great rides that I haven't done before. Manageable. Then I will see. Then I will see if something happens that changes me. Then I will see if something happens that makes me better. I'm going to dream small and then go ride my bikes. 8 new adventures turning out the weakness. 8 new rides to fight the wind and gravity. 8 new rides finding hope. Yes. I'm going to dream small in 2012. I'm going to dream small and see if something big happens as a result.