2012 Resolutions: A Noble Goal!

I know, I know, some people hate on resolutions because they hate feeling like failures when they miss the mark on those resolutions.  To me, that's like saying, let's never dream or venture for a goal because if I fail, I'll feel bad.  Where would we be if we didn't resolve to do something different or dream or walk out on a limb?  Maybe we do fall down, but consider

New Year's Resolutions, while not for everyone, do serve as a great time of introspection and evaluation of the course of one's life.  Of course, you don't and shouldn't wait until January 1st to begin changes in your life.  You start a new day every morning, a new minute ever minute,

My friend, Margaux, is setting monthly goals for herself, so as not to get overwhelmed with all the things she hopes to see different in her life.  I love that idea as it's not too overwhelming to pick an area of your life to fine tune for 30 days.

Last year's resolutions were more success than fail for me. 

Blog regularly.  Success.
Shop less at Walmart and purchase more WAHM stuff.  Success in that I didn't shop at Walmart as often, but fail in that I didn't support many WAHMs.  I made a lot of my own stuff instead.

Journal.  Big, fat, fail.  On my list again.

Get rid of crap.  Success after a garage sale, but now after Christmas, it's a fail again (she has grandmas, what can I say?). We're getting rid of more of India's toys now though as we only keep one toy box - everything else leaves the house!
Stop being so short with my husband.  I think, success.
Make more stuff.  SUCCESS.  I made a lot of food, clothes, hair accessories, household items, canned everything in our garden, etc.


And on to this year's resolutions:

• Enjoy my family, every season, every stage, most moments.
• JOURNAL, write, record our life.
• Tactical learning for India.  Hands-on crafts, no matter how messy, will be a part of our lives. 
• Make MORE things.  Clothes and accessories for India especially.  I want to get back into making kombucha, homemade lotions and continue making homemade bread. I'd also like to try making water kefir, so if anyone has any great tips, send them my way!  I'd love to be prepared enough to have homemade gifts made for special occasions as well. 
• Get serious about my camera.  I have a nice camera, but I need to take the time to get to know it. 
• I'm half-tempted to work on my guitar skills, but I'm not so sure I can really commit to that.  I'll put it in here anyways! 
   
  Did you keep your resolutions from 2011?  Have you made any New Year's Resolutions for 2012?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

New Years Resolutions 2011

*I had this all ready to post on New Years, but with my Grandpa passing, I waited until now.  I hope you don't mind. :-)

Most people dislike New Years Resolutions. Why?  Well, mainly for two reasons. 

One, they don't want to conform to the general idea.  They don't want to be counted with the average person.  The idea of being an individual resonates with me in many other areas, but with New Years Resolutions, I'm ready to comply with the rest of society.

Secondly, they don't like the feeling of failure.  I think that is the most common reason.  Let me tell you - this recovering perfectionist understands!

Every year, around Thanksgiving, I begin to think about my goals for the upcoming year. 

Then, I set my New Years Resolutions and every year I fail at them.  I don't think I've ever succeeded in one.  Some of them over the years have been, but are not limited to:

• Working out
• Journaling
• Spending time reading the Bible daily
• Learn a new vocabulary word everyday (this was actually quite difficult)
• Keep my house clean (this was even MORE difficult)
• Write one snail mail letter or thank you a week
• Stop cussing (Ha, normally, just a few short months later I try to give this up for lent)

But I'm not defeated by my failures.  They served their time and purpose, and at least got me thinking (some of them months in advance) about areas in my life that I would like to see change. 

SO...

You want to know what this year's resolutions are?  Of course you do, that's why you're reading!

• Blog regularly.  I haven't decided on a "set" number of blog posts a month, but I do with to blog more often than last year.  Which shouldn't be hard considering I blogged more in the last four months of 2010 than I did in the previous eight combined.
• Shop less at Walmart!  I wish I could give up Walmart totally, but the cheap prices, oh the cheap prices.  And yes, I know why they are so cheap, and that is why I'm convicted to shop there less.  Instead, support WAHM (work at home moms) & their gorgeous creations, local businesses, and companies that help society, not hurt it. 
• Journal, journal and journal.  I love all my old journals, they are precious to me.  I have really neglected my personal journal since falling pregnant with India.  I also have a journal for her that I write in - milestones, notes of love, encouragement.  Someday, I want it to be filled with stories of her.
• Get rid of crap in my house.  You know what happens when you move from an apartment to a house? You get crap, and fill that house full of it.  Unless you are Salena or Vanessa  - then you don't.  I want to get rid of about a quarter of my stuff.  I mean, my baby can't even crawl yet, and my basement is full of toys for her!  And all the boxes of stuff I've been planning on selling on eBay?  Hello, garage sale.
• Stop being so mean to my husband.  I'm not always mean, but my husband is pretty sensitive, so I have to be careful how I say things.  I can be abrupt, and that hurts him.  I'm pretty curt or frank with him (whichever man you prefer lol!), and I need to pad my words more.  I've been working on this one for a while too.  *sigh*  I really am a work in progress.
• Make more of our stuff from GOOD products.  Clothes and accessories for India, window coverings, meals made from whole foods, more garden produce, homemade yogurt, sprouted bread, etc.

Ahhh, 2011 Resolutions are set!  Actually, maybe not set, because I love to add an extra one here or there.

Do you make New Years Resolutions?  If you do, what are they?  Have you ever stuck with any of your resolutions?

Get in Shape: Update

This morning I met some girlfriends at our local YMCA to do some walking and let's be honest, a lot of talking too. In light of that, I thought today would be a very appropriate day to update you about this post.


Well over three months ago, I posted about how much more exercising I was going to do and my intentions to lose 10 pounds.

There's good news and bad news.

Bad news: I've failed at getting in shape.

I haven't worked out at all. I maybe did the 30 Day Shred one more time after that post. I walk even less because I live in Minnesota and it's a wintery tundra right now. No one walks outside in the winter. No one even goes outside. Unless you are walking from a building to your car.

If I were to pie graph my day, you'd see a large portion of that graph dedicated to me sitting on my couch - writing this blog, Facebooking (can that be a verb?), feeding India, reading the news....

Well, here, I just conveniently made a graph - for the visual learners.

OK. So maybe that's exaggerating a bit. But it feels like I spend that much time on my couch.

And the 1% devoted to exercising? Well, I hope you don't mind that I added up how many times I walk up and down the stairs (2-4 times) and the minutes I spend bouncing India on my hip (10 minutes) and the times I pick her up (countless) and totaled that as my only exercise. That all equaled 1% of my daily time.

No squats. No push-ups. No lunges. I can't remember the last time I did a sit-up.


I did have good intentions. But I have a busy husband so he can't watch the baby. But I just want to relax while India naps. But I hate wearing a sports bra while nursing. But we only have one car so I can't get to the Y. Butt, butt, butt.


I know, I know, I promised good news.


The good news: the 10 pounds are long gone (thanks to my father's metabolism and breastfeeding).


I know most people would be elated to lose 10 pounds, but I'm still mushy. And the fact that I didn't lose it the way I intended (working out), is still a little defeating.

I still eat pizza with hot buffalo sauce on it. I make (and eat) chocolate chip cookies. I eat Nutella and peanut butter by the jar.


AND I sit on my couch.


Yes, half of my goal was accomplished - the weight loss. The other half wasn't - I wanted to firm up. I want to be able to run a few miles any given day. The numbers on the scale don't mean much; I want to feel good. I think we all know the natural high after a great workout.

I'm not about to make this a New Years Resolution or anything, but I do need to be more active. I'm thankful I have some girlfriends with some of the same intentions that encourage me to make my pie chart look a little more balanced.


We may even partake in a little jazzercise, perhaps.  Who wouldn't want this to be a part of their daily routine?


What do you do to stay active? Do you find yourself coming up with lots of excuses to skip working out?