I seemed to do a whole lot of nothing over the winter break. Oh, I got stuff done, but none of the organizing--thinking--list making that I like to do when going from an old year to a new one.
So today I did a lot of thinking about what my word should be this year.
Remember last year's word was SIMPLIFY and I loved what I accomplished and thought about this year in regard to that word. It became a state of mind and slowly but surely (and I am no where near finished)I began to go through stuff. Stuff in my mind, stuff in my kitchen and the rest of the house, stuff at work, stuff with family and stuff with friends. I began to think that less is more. Do I really need that? Would having that make me happy? I started thinking more of buying stuff that is...what's the word? traditional? no. lasting the test of time? Yes. Classic. I think that is the word I am trying to come up with. (Watching a lot of the Hoarders: Buried Alive television show helped me too!)
Instead of buying a bunch of Christmas decorations I will tire of in a few years I bought mercury glass candlesticks--I had Christmas candles on them on the mantle and now candleless they are on the side entry wall shelf. It makes me happy to walk by there and see them sparkling like the ocean on a sunny day. My wish is that one day I can fill my whole mantle with them. You know when my kids are married and my grandchildren's stockings and daughter-in-law and son-in-law's stockings are intermingled with ours. I'm trying to look into the future a little and pick things that are time-less.
Anyway, back to 2011. Here's a list of the words I made before I narrowed it down to this year's word:
ENJOY
RELEASE--as in let go--be free (to be me, to have less, get rid of stress, etc)
HAPPY
LESS
CHANGE
BELIEVE--in myself, in others, in GOD, in goodness,
BREATHE
PURPOSE
ENOUGH--as in I am, I have, I love, I've put up with, etc.
ACCEPT--myself, others, life,
BE
FLEXIBLE
So that was my initial list and I keep thinking that I am not quite done with SIMPLIFY--I am still trying to come to terms with letting that go and embracing another word. That word has meant so much to me this year. I printed it out and framed it and put it on my nightstand. Every day I wake to that word and it is the last thing I see when I go to bed at night. It is motivation, a lifestyle that I believe should be my mantra--my life long goal. So knowing that I had to make a choice this year of a new word I chose the word LESS. It is still in the SIMPLIFY realm and so it makes it easier to come to terms with leaving the other word behind.
This is what I wrote to the side of LESS on my list. weight, bills, judgementalness, anger, anxiety, busyness. Those are my mini goals this year. Weigh Less, Have less bills, Judge less, Be slow to anger, Have less anxiety, slow down more--even more than I have this year--make more at home time with my family, friends and myself.
So I am starting the first of my mini goals Wednesday. (Dawn if you are reading this I will be at Weight Watchers with bells on). I wrote my weight loss goals down and I am going to start a weight loss journal and maybe even blog a little about it. I am going to succeed with phase one of my journey by vacation--June 19th.
I also wrote down a bill paying strategy. I need to be free of this credit card debt by the time Kate graduates. I have 2 years to do that. With my current plan we will be credit card free by November of 2012. Kate graduates May of 2013.
God grant me the ability to make these goals happen in my life. To finish what I start, to have patience for myself when I slip and help me if unexpected things arise. Amen.
