Daily Archives: 21 January 2007

21 January 2007

Resolutions

By Nicki

 So what is it about a new year that makes people want to set resolutions? Does the average resolution setter realize there is more to reaching a goal than just setting a resolution? What are the steps necessary to reach that resolution?

Okay – say that the resolution is to lose weight in the new year – no, not one of mine as I like to set aspirations – things to aspire to with goals along side to help me reach them. Does saying you want to lose weight help in any way the actual lose of weight? Not likely. Usually, you need to have new eating habits, new exercise habits. These items need specifics to go with them. I will menu plan and be sure to drink plenty of water – still vague, I know but slightly better than lose weight. Possibly even mentioning in a resolution how much weight you will lose would be better.

So, do you set New Year’s resolutions? If not, do you set something else? And more important, how do you hold yourself accountable for what you want to achieve?

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21 January 2007

Aspirations 2007

By Nicki

 I know, why aspirations? I have always thought goals were those little steps you take to reach a loftier, higher aim. Therefore, and based on Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance, I have aspirations for the new year. I realize I have already missed a good portion of the year.

I have spent some time going over last year’s aspirations. I don’t think I did very well with them so, to that end, I will post monthly progress – at the end of the month – throughout this year to help myself be more accountable.

A lot of my aspirations are the same but there are a few new ones.

Aspirations 2007 (look for monthly goals a bit later, start February)

  • Be proactive in finding new friends and possibly a more than friend interest. I just am not sure that romantic interest is the right word but maybe it is.
  • Submit art and get published. I am also, as a way to get published, going to look ahead to the themes major art magazines will have in 2006 so that I may have a creation on hand to submit.
  • Lead Simple Abundance faithfully this year. Be sure to post a starter to each monthly thread.
  • Be more active as a mod at OrganizedHome.com.
  • Read a total of 30 books this year – including re-reads.
  • Fitness 1 – I will walk 400 miles this year.
  • Fitness 2 – I will wear my pedometer faithfully.
  • Fitness 3 – I will find an additional – strength – fitness outlet.
  • Budget 1 – I will pay down my debt.
  • Budget 2 – I will put at least 10% of my earnings to savings.
  • I will become adept at utilizing menu planning so as to maximize the money spent on food and the variety in our diets.

I know this is all great written down. Stay tuned for progress throughout the year.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Art, Family, Fitness, Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts, Simple Abundance

21 January 2007

Reviewing 2006

By Nicki

 I admit I am a bit behind. In 2006, I had reviewed the previous year and managed to set new aspirations (similar to goals but loftier in my mind) by January 2. This year it is 19 days later and I am just reviewing.

Aspirations for 2006

  • Submit art and get published. To this end, I am going to try to create something at least three days a week. My creating has gone to the wayside as work has increased. I am also, as a way to get published, going to look ahead to the themes major art magazines will have in 2006 so that I may have a creation on hand to submit. I will also join at least three swaps a month to keep me creating whether I want to or not. So basically, there are several steps within this one goal. I started this off wonderfully. I had dates on my calendar. I did swaps. As the year progressed, it escaped me. I don’t know if I intentionally put it off or what but I sort of stopped ?
  • Work on reorganizing the garage. The goal of being able to fit a car in it is rather unrealistic but it is possible to get it reorganized so that I am not afraid to open the door. The garage is still rather a mess but does fit a car in it. The car in it is the reason it is a mess. Will get rid of car by the end of May and then be able to really use the garage.
  • Lead Simple Abundance faithfully this year. Be sure to post a starter to each monthly thread. This was another “failure” of sorts. Come October I was in full travel mode with high school, middle school and college sports and activities. I put 13,000 miles on the car from mid-August to mid-November. In the process, I stopped posting this. I have started again in 2007.
  • Be more active as a mod at OrganizedHome.com. I believe I fell short, in my estimation, on this aspiration also. I am not quite so bad this year so far.
  • Read 2 books a month – including re-reads. I did read a lot in 2006. I easily read over 25 books, just not at two a month.
  • Fitness – I will walk 500 miles this year. In past years, I have done a month by month goal and then get disappointed when I don’t reach it. I will say this – Jan and Feb will have 20 miles each. I will list the rest of the months by mid-Feb. I will walk more during the summer months here due to our lovely weather. I stopped keeping track but am sure that this was a bust.
  • Fitness 2 – Once the kids are back at school and the tree is put away, mid-month, I will do Pilates 4 times a week. Once again a bust.
  • Budget – I will attempt to not overdraw my debit account at all in any given month this year. Sometimes this is hard for me. It should be easier this year as I renegotiated my pay structure mid-year last year and it is a set amount per week. I kept up with this aspiration. It meant more saying no to the kids but it did work.
  • Budget 2 – I will pay my utility – electric and gas come together – on time. This will, again, be an aspiration in 2007. I did it 75% of the time in 2006.
  • Budget 3 – I will pay off debt as I can. I am still working on this.
  • I will become adept at utilizing menu planning so as to maximize the money spent on food and the variety in our diets. This went well some months and not so well other months. I am going to work on it again in 2007, figuring if I get it down, it will become habit and will work better.

    • Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Art, Family, Fitness, Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts, Simple Abundance

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