Happy New Years- 2013

I know, I know,
to some people this seems a little late!

Some people are already well on their way
to accomplishing their goals for the New Year.

Well not me,
I learned several years ago that I just
wasn't very good at setting and
KEEPING New Years Resolutions.

And then I figured out why,
it's not that I am a bad goal maker
or a bad goal keeper
or even a bad goal accomplisher...

it's that I need to give myself time to
recover and reflect before I make a
bunch of plans to renew!

When I make my goals after the holidays,
I concentrate on "repair" type goals
or "reaction" goals- things to put my life
back in order after the chaos of the busy
holiday season.

You know the ones:
* Lose 5-10 pounds (or more)
* Exercise More
* Keep my house clean
* Organize my closets...

But what I have found is if I give myself
a recovery time;
time to get my feet back underneath me,
time to clean up Christmas,
get the hubby & kids back in a routine,
than I am able to focus on things that really
matter- that will REALLY make me a better
person. NOT perfect,
but definitely closer to who I want to be!

Usually I wait for the kids to return to
school and my hubs to return to work.
I give myself one week to recover from
holidays, get the house cleaned up
and my routine back and running.
I aim for the third week of January to get started,
but if for some reason, I need another
week, I give it to myself.
I don't rush myself,
because I am planning my own personal
work of art---
ME!! (that sounds self centered, but I promise, it's far from it)

In the meantime, I ponder & I pray!
I am going to say, I put A LOT of thought
into my New Years Goals and
I am also going to say
"It is Totally Worth It"

We plan goals in four areas:
1. Spiritual
2. Physical
3. Mental
4. Personal
(this year I added an extra one)
5. Family (I am the only one tracking
this one in our home, and the only one 
that knows about it- sneaky huh??)

Last year, I bought a special journal
for tracking my goals and it worked
WONDERFULLY-
I am doing it like this from now on.

I keep four sections, one for each area,
and than write my goals for that area.
I leave enough room for tracking and
any journal or note taking I might need.
And on a regular basis (you decide what regular
is to you) I checked up on myself and
recorded my progress.

I LOVED it!!! LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it!!

If you haven't made New Years Resolutions yet,
or you never make them- I honestly
would suggest you try this.
It is NOT too late. Who says the Year of YOU
has to start on January 1??

I will tell you all about my 2012 goals tomorrow!
It was seriously an amazing year!!

Start with the End

My son has a book he absolutely loves
to read at night-
I am sure you know the kind,
the ones you read over and over
and over and over...
again!

He reads himself to sleep every night- oh the cute times

I don't mind reading this one,
it is called
The 7 Habits of Happy Kids-
written by Sean Covey,
the son of Steven R. Covey.


One of the habits taught is
"Start with the End in Mind"
I've been thinking a lot about that as
I am monitoring my progress with
my New Years Eve Resolutions-
by the way,
How are you doing with yours??

Anyway,
I've had an amazing awareness about
New Years Resolutions-
most people go about them all wrong,
which is why most people don't get past
week one with their Resolutions still in tact.

This year, I am looking at my Goals for the
Year as a picture of what I expect to see
December 31, 2012-
not a picture of how things WILL be
immediately.

I think we get so discouraged when we aren't
perfect at our goals,
or worse,
when we have already broken our resolutions
after the first week of trying.


Maybe I am of a weaker sort,
but for the first time I am into
February and feeling GOOD about
where I stand with my resolutions-
I haven't lost the weight,
exercised faithfully six days a week,
eaten absolutely NO sugar
or enjoyed time in the sunshine
when it comes my way-

But.....
I have lost a little weight,
began to establish a new exercise plan
that will work with my new schedule,
CONSIDERABLY decreased my sugar consumption
and ENJOYED a lot of
beautiful afternoon walks in the sun!

I have an awareness of what I want to see
as my year progresses.
I know that at the end of the year 2012,
I want to see a new person,
I've defined what this new person
will have as her priorities and I have
come to terms with the fact that
all of this will take some time.

This Year, my resolutions are more
about the journey I will take,
than the immediate benefit or results.
I think these resolutions will stick-
all but one-
I mean how long can I go without sugar :)

My absolute favorite way to eat a homemade cream puff