New Year’s resolutions? Thbbbb. Didn’t do them this year. Which is probably a good thing because I would have forgotten all about them by now.
But my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks! That is really where my new year begins. I kind of take stock and think about whether the past year has gone in the direction I planned. And you know what? 35 totally didn’t. I couldn’t have planned such an awesome year if I tried! The big things were all amazing – I moved into a house, Chompers is finally sleeping in a crib, the big boys are doing ok, my parents had a year of no major health issues, I met an amazing man who is not only very dashing and sweet but also puts up with all of my silliness, and he took me on the most amazing vacation ever!! I lost my job in December and that was really upsetting, but I’ve turned that into a positive thing by re-evaluating what I really want to do. It prompted me to go back to school to finally finish my degree. And while it has definitely been harder for me than working, I’ve so appreciated being able to spend time at home with my little dude. All the rest of the ups and downs…that’s just life, right? It is not always going to be perfect. And it’s all just little stuff.
Maybe I shouldn’t plan this year coming up, right? Since apparently having no plan works!
That’s just not in my nature. I like lists. I like plans. I like to feel like I am working on something. BUT!! I don’t like doing something imperfectly or not being able to execute the plan exactly as it’s written. This is why out of the 80ish things on my list that I wanted to do while I was unemployed, I primarily accomplished two things that aren’t even on the list – cleaning and laundry. *smacksforehead*
So this is where I swoop in and make a new list and (haha) actually stick to it. I picked out 10 things that are super-important to me that I want to will do every day for the next year:
1. Go outside.
2. Do something creative with Aaron.
3. Spend 10 minutes being grateful.
4. Exercise, even if it is only stretching.
5. Plan/prepare for tomorrow the night before.
6. Take a picture.
7. Say hello to a family member.
8. Say hello to a friend.
9. Read something inspiring or educational.
10. Learn something new.
I’m hermity! So it might seem silly to have to remind myself to go outside or say hello to people, but it has been easy to stay in and avoid winter since I haven’t been working. And I have a huge family and tons of friends that I never see and pretty much just “visit” on Facebook. I want to see the people I am related to more often than just funerals and the occasional holiday – I like my family!
So 10 things. I can totally handle that. I always say that and then I miss a day and get frustrated and realize that I am not perfect (again!) and stop following the list because if I can’t do something perfectly it isn’t worth doing. Do you do that to yourself too? Annoying, right!?!
This is why I built in a little fail-safe. I think by now I actually get that I am not perfect and will never be perfect. It’s taken almost 36 years, but hey, better late than never to learn a life lesson like that. =) So I’m giving myself permission to be Perfectly Imperfect. And if I can’t get to all 10 things every. single. day., it will not be the end of the world. I will not pack up my toys and go home. Because if I even do those things just once a week, I’m still better off than I would be if I didn’t do them at all.
And, wow, I’m already doing that thing where I want to add things to the list and question whether the list is specific enough and do I want to post progress here and what about all of the things that are more long-term goals and should I wait to start on my birthday or just start right now and shouldn’t blogging on a regular basis be on that list and *whew* sometimes my monkey mind is just exhausting.
Holy wall of words!
Here’s a picture:
Relaxing. He’s doing it right.
