The New Year

The past 2 years a friend has hosted a "New Year Retreat" where a group of women from our church get together to discuss our goals for the upcoming year, choose a word for the year, cut out various things from magazines and make vision boards.

For 2018 I chose the word Growth. I picked this word because I wanted to grow in my faith, grow confident in myself and grow in my writing. My vision board was tacked up on my bedroom wall where I could see it every day.

When preparing for our 2019 retreat, I looked back at my goal worksheets from last year and realized my goals were exactly the same. More prayer time, eat healthy/work out more, and blog consistently. Nothing had changed from last year. I was still overweight, ignoring my blog and not putting in much effort with my spiritual life.

This year I decided on Discipline.

I'm determined to change myself for the better this year and not allow myself to stay stagnant. But here we are a quarter of the year gone already and I've made no progress whatsoever.

We cancelled our membership to the Y. It hadn't been used in at least a year. Cameron doesn't do well in a daycare setting and I didn't want to drive all that way, take the time to check the kids in and be called out of class or away from the equipment to collect my screaming child. See how easily those excuses come out?

Hubby has joined the rec center here in town. He's been going in the evenings with a few other guys. I keep telling myself I'll start doing something here at home or once the weather gets warmer I'll walk more and do more outside.  I thought I'd had the slap in the face I needed last month while trying to find a dress to wear to a church function. I pulled old clothes out of my closet, tried to post a few more motivational quotes around the house, and started doing my best to meal plan every week.

The meal plan is sticking, let's hope the rest follows soon after.

A New Year Indeed

I had high expectations for myself at the beginning of the year (doesn't everyone?). I made my list of resolutions, even broke them down into categories and set them up using Gretchen Rubin's books as a model. Each month focusing on a different project, task or lifestyle change.

The categories were:
-Fitness and Health (at the top of everyone's list I'm sure)
-Budget/Money Management
-Parenting (Orange Rhino challenge)
-Boosting my Blog
-Reading more - I own stacks of books I've never read not to mention a long to read list
-Personal goals - Crystal Paine's Say Goodbye to Survival Mode
-Crafting w/ my kids more
-Take more time for prayer/spiritual time
-De cluttering the house

There's also the mundane resolutions which are more like daily chores you add to your already growing to do list. Stuff like: use lotion every night, wipe down the kitchen counters every night, pick up the living room, etc. These things are almost always the first to go and it's never a big deal. 

Now that we're 3 weeks into the new year, I feel pretty good about my resolutions. I don't have a real plan, just the general idea discussed above. No set schedule of what month these categories would happen just knowing I have a plan is enough.

I had Hubby hang some shelves on one of the walls in our bedroom for all the books I want to read. Get them out there in the open to remind me I need to read them. There's a bit of a theme on those shelves. Parenting, discipline, faith, diet, etc. Evidently, I've had good intentions of bettering myself for quite some time as many of the books I've had for over a year. This year I'm determined to get through them all. That doesn't mean I haven't checked out the occasional book from the library, or course.

My motivation board is set up in the bathroom. It's been in there for a few months but I'm actually using it now!

I got this awesome Erin Condren planner for Christmas just waiting to be filled w/ reminders, meal plans, gym dates, and play dates/activities.

I've started the year off strong going to the Y 3 or 4 times a week. Doing mostly classes, some out of my comfort zone, which is a big step for me!

Did you know it's true what they say about how much better you feel after you've worked out? It's amazing! The key is to keep going back day after day. To keep getting that thrill and rush. On the days I don't go to the Y I'm not as productive around the house, I'm more likely to be in a bad mood and short w/ my kids.

Losing weight has been a large part of my life the past 5 years. All that baby weight that was never lost. After C was born Hubby and I tried South Beach Diet and it worked. After Miss A I was lazy. She was such an unhappy baby I was tired all the time and the motivation never came.

Now that it's been almost a year since Baby C arrived I've finally got the kick in the a$$ I needed. Not to mention events in this coming year: reunions, vacations, warmer weather, swimming to name a few. Right now I would not feel comfortable taking my kids to the pool at the Y, hell I don't think my bathing suit even fits!

Not to mention the closet and dresser full of clothes (mostly pants) I haven't worn in years. And they're such cute pants too. Capri and flood pants I haven't been able to get past my hips since C was born.

So even though I have no idea what category I'll be focusing on next month, the Y classes will still be penciled into my cute planner.