Whew, how could it possibly be that Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and our trip to Florida are already over?! This last four to six weeks has been a complete whirlwind in our house.
Once again, I let my DSLR sit in my office cabinet and missed capturing some special moments this holiday season, which I now regret. I blame the iPhone and it's 'decent' camera and convenience for this.
Right after Christmas, we packed and geared up for our second annual 15-hour car ride to South Florida. My parents have a vacation home in the Palm Beaches and we typically head down there to celebrate New Year's each year.
While the drive was both long and somewhat bring, it was all worth it once we made it there and had a full week to relax and enjoy my family, some sun and lots of relaxation. For some reason, this year really didn't feel like the traditional 'New Year's'. Perhaps this is because B and I have always had grand plans for NYE (ever since we graduated from college), and now that is just not what we're looking for anymore. At this point, I'd love nothing more than comfy clothes, a bottle of champagne and a great movie lineup. Look what 29 has done to me.
But, now we're back home. Our bags are unpacked and I have managed to get some parts of my life back in order over the last few days. This past Monday really felt like my official kick off to the New Year. I gathered up my calendars, meal planner and monthly planner and set out to get my January organized. There is something about jotting everything down on my calendars that really soothes my soul.
While I was sitting there Monday morning, sipping on what was left of my Keurig coffee, and staring at a brand new year on my calendar pages, it got me to thinking about what I really want to accomplish this year.
I use the word 'resolution' pretty lightly. Mostly because, for as long as I can remember I have always 'resolved' to 'work out more,' or to 'read my way through the Bible this year.' None of these things have come to full fruition, so I thought I would take a slightly different path this year, and just set out some simple, measurable goals for myself. I'm not sure exactly how many there are yet, so here goes, in no particular order.
1. Purge & Organize Closets & Drawers. Almost as soon as we walked through the front door after our trip to Florida, I got this sudden urge to start purging my whole house. We've lived here for about 14 months now, and I just know we are starting to pile up 'junk' in some closets and drawers. I really want to get my house organized and streamlined this year. Think big, start small, right?
2. Stick to a Weekly Schedule. Since I run my business out of my house, some days it's really hard to find the motivation to sit down and hammer through my to-do list. Because there is laundry that needs to be done, and the dishwasher needs to be emptied, and I just want to finish watching that one episode of Sister Wives first. My home is my favorite place to work, but it is also full of distractions. This year, I want to be better about managing my time during the week, and be purposeful about blocking out time each day to answer emails, phone calls, to write, to do.
3. Be More Budget-Conscious. I've mentioned it here before. B and I are 'graduates' of the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace class. Although it's not for everyone, I truly believe that it was one of the best things we did during our time as an engaged couple. Being on the same page about finances is tough, perhaps one of the toughest things married couples have to deal with. But, I'm still working at it, and this year, I want to be more aware of how I spend my days and our money. We have a pretty good working budget, but I want to see if we can get more out of it. I have always toyed around with the idea of becoming a 'couponer,' and perhaps this will be the year?!
4. Focus Less on the 'Little' Things. I will call myself a bit of a perfectionist. I tend to have a little OCD when it comes to things like having my bed made within an hour of waking up. And, I never go to bed with a dirty kitchen. Like, ever. While a tidy house will likely always be important to me, I want to try and focus a little less on how often I clean my kitchen, or whether or not my bed is made by 9AM each day. If skipping the dishes means more time with B, then I want to choose that instead.
5. Enjoy the Time We Have Left As 'Newlyweds'. Of course both B and I are hopeful that this will be the year that we begin to grow our family. But, whether it is or isn't, I want to make sure to treasure the moments that we still have left with just the two of us. To talk, to laugh, to watch movies, go to bed early or sleep in late. To go on dates and spend time with friends. I have a good feeling about what 2013 will bring, and I want to make sure to treasure my husband as much as possible.
I think this is a good place to start. I'm happy with this set of 'goals' and want to hold myself accountable to them. I'm excited to be diving in to this new year. Bring it on, 2013!
No comments:
Post a Comment