2012/2013

Happy New Year!

Today is the day so many of us embark in earnest on another attempt at improving ourselves, our lives, our circumstances, our futures. I've never been big on resolutions because so few actually achieve their goals and I think a major, life-changing change (as most resolutions are) can and should be made when you're ready...not at some future point dictated by the flipping of a calendar page.

That said, I totally get the appeal of the fresh-start mentality. There is something enticing and motivating about the flip of that page.

A few years ago, I adopted a "do something" philosophy. Monthly mini goals that ranged from organizing and cooking to writing and crafting. It went smashingly well. I would so much rather succeed at 3 or 4 or 10 mini resolutions than fail at 1 or 2. And if my mini-goal successes result in long term improvement, that counts as a "major" resolution kept, right? I'll be repeating some of my 2009 monthly goals and incorporating some new ones as well.

So that's what I'm attempting this year. This year feels momentous. In the fall, my baby will be in kindergarten. I have plans to make this year. Goals to identify and put into action. Baby successes are always a motivating factor, right? Right now, I need successes, big and small because I'm feeling a little aimless; a little lost. Every day is busy but it's busy with routine for the most part. Rote and predictable. And there is nothing wrong with routine, I crave it. But when routine becomes mindless, that's a problem. That's when you're spinning your wheels going nowhere fast.

Which brings me to the second part of my 2013 Declaration™

I've never participated in the One Little Word phenomenon because honestly, I am terrible at following through on long term creative projects. In tandem with my do something philosophy and my feelings of being a bit adrift, this word popped into my head though. And so, while I won't be doing an official OLW project, I am going to use this word to guide me each month. I want to apply the meaning to each project I undertake and hopefully, to my Life in a larger sense.

So, instead of simply riding the wave of routine, I'll be a little more thoughtful about how I spend my time. A little more cognizant about where and how my energies are spent. A little more appreciative of the little accomplishments.

Any other resolution-averse out there that wants to join me? I'd love to have you link up to me if you'd like to encourage and cheer each other on.

My January goal? Get my butt moving, cook healthy meals, drink water and take my vitamins. Definitely predictable but completely necessary after the holiday bender I find myself on the tail end of. I'll go into more detail about what I'm doing in a later post but there you have it. Hold me accountable.

(And then, just as I was about to hit publish, I got this in my email. Either etsy is spying on me or this was a very fortuitous post, indeed.)