As someone who loves change I am very excited about the New Year! Seriously~ it has "new" in the name, so it must be a great opportunity for some excitement :)
I've been thinking a lot about New Years & resolutions... Having spent several years as a professional coach I can't help but critique many resolutions. They aren't in the SMART format!!!! I sadly can remember the percentage chance of an unspecific goal's chances of achievement (not high). Luckily I keep those thoughts to myself so my co-workers still talk to me :)
For 2013 and what it has in store for me I am excited, hopeful, and ready to hit the ground running. I only have two resolutions (more than 3 goals at a time have a 10 times less chance of being achieved) - one couples resolution & one solo resolution.
1) James & I have decided to be consumer-debt free by November and have $5k in emergency money set aside. Not sure if that's the technical term, but we are paying off all of our credit cards, medical debt, lingering moving debt, Jackie debt, etc. We started the budget to accommodate this a few months ago (to make sure it was feasible), and although it is a stretch we are making it happen. This is extremely important to us as we try to live beneath our means, be fiscally responsible & good stewards. I won't sugar coat it. It does pinch. I went from (pre-wedding) spending whatever I wanted on make-up or clothes or pretty things at Target to being on a strict budget for non-essential items. I am becoming best friends with makeup at CVS & love their "you'll-love-it-guarantee" for beauty products!! I am also becoming better acquainted with only buying things on sale, Forever 21, etc. (Don't worry about me, we are spending what we need to on food) This is a great "building of character" as Dad is fond of saying, and I know it will benefit in the long run. It is challenging though not to covet other people. Like being on a diet & hating everyone you see eating dessert! I will need to pray about this. A LOT! Especially when I visit some blogs that I love & see girls younger than me giving "outfit" ideas and they have 8 LV bags or a giant Chanel tote or 10 David Yurman bracelets... really? Do you really want to help others with style suggestions or just brag about your closet? (see this is hungry-angry dieter coming out) I know starting a marriage on good financial ground is so much more important than having designer shoes by the hundreds. But human nature keeps pestering me!
2) On a personal note, I am deciding to practice more self-discipline. I find myself saying that I will do a lot more things than I actually do. This irritates me greatly! :) First, I am going to start by thinking about what I say I am going to do before saying "yes". Make sure that I really do have time on Saturday to go to the office & catch up on work or meet a friend for a pedicure or volunteer. I tend to think a lot of things are fun, but don't realize that working 40+ hours a week, cleaning house & taking care of a husband take a lot of work & time. I am frequently exhausted & bail on things I've said I am going to do. I need to take better care of myself nutritionally so I have the energy for important things in life. I need to stop eating James' frosted mini wheats because I forgot to buy breakfast. I need to stop telling myself "I'm going to eat a salad" then leaving the cafeteria with nachos & Dr. Pepper. In addition to being more selective & better fueling my body, I am going to ask James to keep me accountable to following through once I do commit to doing something. In our kitchen we have a calendar where we write down work schedules, trips, extracurricular activities, etc. For this year if I bail on something instead of erase it I will mark through it - a visual reminder that I did not practice enough self-discipline. Yikes! I used to be known for having lots of self-discipline, I think dealing with depression several years ago was a setback, then as I was healing I had the attitude "So I didn't work out like I said I was going to, but I took a shower & went to the grocery store in the same day, that's a BIG improvement." As I was healing that was true. But that is not me. It is time for me to stop giving my self a break & justifying that sort of behavior. Please pray for me, I will need lots of strength to continue to grow as a person this year.
I am so thankful for everyone dear to my heart. Thank you for being there for me. I wish you & your family blessings this upcoming year! Let me know if I can help you in any way!
