That time has come again for everyone to make resolutions and give themselves two weeks of new hope to start the new year.

I for one am going to start running more, drink less, and get back to doing hot yoga. I have all these plans to eat better, read more, watch less Netflix and expand my business.

Seriously, I’m going to do all of these things!

You see, I have a secret weapon this year. Her name is Pickle, my sweet, hyper, lovable puppy that has entered into her “I’m going to drive you crazy with all my energy and newly found sense of adventure” phase. Over the past week or so it has become painfully apparent that the one hour walk each day won’t be enough to make Pickle nap during the day. It’ll take more than 20 minutes of food games and fetch down the hallway. So clearly we’re going to have to start running or else I’m going to go bananas trying to keep Pickle busy. Our 6am potty breaks mean not going back to bed, but instead getting up, running, doing my pushups and chin ups, and mixing up a protein shake. I’ll feel so good about myself I won’t feel like a fourth beer or a Big Mac (okay, maybe I’ll run that extra mile instead).

Physical resolution: Check.

With all of the physical demands that come from Pickle becoming more of a brat, and with the need to expand my knowledge as my dog walking business grows, I’ll be forced to read more articles and books related to dog behavior and training. Say adios to all those status updates and tweets. I won’t have time to watch as much TV or as many episodes on Netflix, and my brain won’t feel like mush at the end of everyday.

Educational resolution: Check.

I’ll be the first to mention that training Pickle has been fairly easy, but there have been some low points. She has been so great with her potty training and commands that we forget sometimes that she’s a puppy, so when she gets distracted by an off leash dog or a squirrel, I sometimes lose my patience. Then those sweet eyes pull me back in and I can’t help but want to get on my knees and apologize to her. But as we progress with our training, and as we figure out ways to wear her out, I can take the time to take a deep breath and help her calmly and with patience. Then maybe I won’t get so easily overwhelmed by my day full of puppy play and training. It’s so hard being me!

Emotional resolution: Check.

Okay, here’s a tip for any inspiring business person. If you want to get the word out quick about your business, rent a puppy. Seriously, there are services for that. Anyway, I’m not exactly a social butterfly, so openly talking about my business is tough, no matter how excited I am about it. Pickle has given me the best ice breaker into building a client base and talking about my walking services. I want to become more vocal about all the excitement in my life, and I resolve to exploit Pickle’s cuteness to do so. I want to expand my business and become more financially stable. It’s been too long since I’ve been able to say that, it’s about time I take the plunge and start networking!

Business resolution: Check.

Every year I make small promises to myself to get a ripped set of abs, earn more money and spend less time playing with social media. This year, I am writing it all down to stay accountable. Feel free to call me out on it, and I can do the same for you! Luckily I have the power of a rambunctious puppy to keep me on track. Hopefully this year will be my year!

I’ll check back in with you on December 31.