101 in 1,001

I love blogs. Shocking, I know. But really, I love that blogs have created this world where normal people can share who they are and what their passions are with anyone who is interested. They also give me hope that there is more kindness and creativity in the world than is evident some days in the "real" world. Although I am sometimes overwhelmed by the constantly updating blogs in my Google Reader and sometimes feel like I'm drowning in more inspiration than I can handle, I definitely have found (and continue to find) some pretty motivating ideas to live a better life.

One of those ideas is 101 in 1,001. The lovely Kate of Pretty Damn Fabulous (and also a fellow bee — Mrs. Pomegranate) masterminded this idea to accomplish 101 preset tasks in a period of 1,001 days. I have never been a New Years resolution type of person, but now that yet another year is coming to an end I can't help but feel like there is more I could have accomplished, and more that I'd like to accomplish in 2009. But, as we all know, a year often flies by faster than we can imagine and a year isn't always a realistic amount of time to accomplish what you'd like (and there is nothing I hate more than having any item unchecked on a to-do list). That's why I like that 101 in 1,001 gives you 1,001 days to accomplish 101 specific tasks — some small, and some large. As Kate says:

Many people have created lists in the past — frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1,001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

I am totally being a copycat and stealing Kate's idea (but that's just a testament to how great I think it is!). I like how she has her list broken up into different categories and I'll probably do something similar. I have to do some thinking about what my list will include, but I think this will be a great way to keep myself motivated to continue a journey of self-improvement, learn some new things, and prevent boredom. I often get in a boredom slump and even though there are a million things I've said I'd love to do when I have the free time, I suddenly forget what they all are and feel like nothing can cure my boredom. Now I'll have a long list of possible activities to prevent any excuses!

Do you create New Year's resolutions for yourself, or do you regularly set goals to continue self-improvement?