Our New Year's Resolutions for 2020

We’re ready to bid farewell to 2019 and welcome the new year! We want to thank all our readers for following along and for their loyalty. As we do in Italy, we will wear red lingerie and eat traditionally luck– and money-attracting foods like lentils and cotechino. We will spend the last hours of 2019 with friends and family, and drink sparkling wine. We will also start the new year by setting new year’s resolutions. Whether to change an undesired trait or behavior, or to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve life, new year’s resolutions allow us to reflect upon self-improvement, annually.

on the road to 2020

Here at Casa Mia, we’ve decided to publicly share our top 3 new year’s resolutions with our loyal readers. Without further ado, here are each of our New Year’s Resolutions for 2020.

Eleonora's new year's resolutions

Eleonora’s new year’s resolutions for 2020

I always set myself up for disappointment when every year I resolve to lose weight and do more sports. So this year––besides vowing to be even more environmentally responsible, and to get rid of old bad habits––I’m writing down these three realistic resolutions:
1. My first new year’s resolution involves learning a new skill: driving with a stick shift – Can you believe I have lived in Italy most of my life and I still drive on automatic? Che disastro! My 2020 will begin with a jolting start, familiarizing with the clutch and using my left foot.
2. My second New Year’s resolution is learning a new language: Russian – My brother-in-law is fluent and taught Russian in college for many years. I’m sure he will approve. Hopefully he will help, too. The sound of the Russian language is fascinating, plus my dream is reading Crime and Punishment in original. Did I say realistic? Oh, well.
3. My third new year’s resolution is to travel to the Italian island of Sardinia – Confession time: I’ve never been to Sardinia. I know, I know! How can I be considered a cheese connoisseur without ever having been to Sardinia? I mean, seriously! I can’t wait to finally visit its rugged mountains, fertile valleys and jaw-dropping crystal waters––as well finally eat my weight in Pecorino Sardo. ––Eleonora

Gina’s new year’s resolutions for 2020

I’m not one for new year’s resolutions but rather short and long term goals, always tackled in groups of three, as three represents harmony. Besides reducing the number of material items in my life, decluttering and striving toward minimalism, in no particular order, I resolve to:

1. Purposely create more moments with family, friends and loved ones in Francesco and my home in Rome and during my travels to the U.S. and beyond. My favorite memories in life involve sitting, sharing and eating around any table with others, traveling to new and old familiar places and just “being”. Stop making excuses. There will never be the right time, enough money, nor a big enough home. There will never be a more perfect time than today.

2. Continue connecting with my Sicilian and Campania roots by leading a five-day extravaganza of food, wine, cooking and leadership/coaching in my beloved Sicily and teaching a group cooking lesson featuring my grandmother’s and mother-in-law’s recipes from Campania.

3. Explore the three regions of Italy that I have yet to set foot in: Valle d’Aosta, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Molise. ––Gina

Carolyn’s new year’s resolutions for 2020

For the past few years I have alternated between the following two New Years Resolutions: 1. This year, I resolve NOT to make a resolution. Let’s be honest, I have a tendency to fail at these, and well it is easier not to set myself up for failure! and 2. This year, I resolve to strive to be the best version of myself each day. Hindsight being what it is, what was I thinking? Not only is this quite a lofty goal, it doubles as a severe cop out! So as 2020 is upon us, this year’s resolutions are small, attainable goals that are focused on furthering myself personally and professionally, which lucky for me, are not mutually exclusive!

1. Register for Italian language lessons – Working for Casa Mia has allowed me to travel to Italy a few times a year which is amazing on so many different levels. And although most Italians speak English better than I, it’s time to learn more than the basics. Back to school it is! Andiamo!

2. Sign up for Global Entry – The addition of more frequent international travel is not as glamorous as it might sounds as inevitably there are lines upon lines at airports. I started the process of acquiring Global Entry and of course, did not follow through. 2020 will be a year of less lines at the airport. Period.

3. Take an Asian inspired cooking class – My love of cooking has dictated the drastic, albeit amazing, path my life has taken over the past two years. Asian cuisine has always interested me, but I have been so focused on Italian flavors, I simply forgot. I’m ready to wok and roll in 2020. ––Carolyn

What are your new year’s resolutions for 2020? Leave them in the comments below!