As you know, I am a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. I am less likely to do the typical vague goals, "lose weight," "be kinder," etc. Instead, I identify general areas and choose specific goals under each of these areas.

For 2016, I have identified five areas to work on. While I'm not willing to share my complete list (it is rather personal), I will share the five areas with one example under each.

Area 1: Finish Off Large Projects

Example — Clean and organize my attic.

Area 2: Work on Building Good Habits

Example — Entertain at least once a month

Area 3: Learn New Skills

Example — Learn to knit

Area 4: Seek Out New Experiences

Example — Attend a practice of the Washington Capitals

Area 5: Live More Lightly on the Earth

Example — Set up and use a clothesline for drying clothes in the spring/summer/fall to save energy

All of my goals are written down and we'll see how things go. All I can do is try.

For the rest of January, I'll be blogging about taking steps in 2016 to get your life moving on the right track. This week, we'll discuss getting your health in order. Next week, we'll look at finances. In the third week, we'll turn to getting the house in order. We'll finish out the month with a more holistic look at life.

Unlike many resolution articles, these posts won't tell you about all the things you need to buy to make your life better. Instead, we'll focus on the every day simple (and not so simple) changes you need to make to build the life you want. I hope you will join me for this special series.