Every single year I make resolutions and break them within the first two weeks, which is exactly what 74% of the population does! This year I'm really motivated and driven to meet my goals. I'm making personal, business and blogging goals for this year and putting them on my wall by my workstation. I feel that if I print them all out and put them on my wall, I will be more motivated to actually continue on than if I didn't have them right in front of me. I do feel that will help me to achieve all of my goals for 2014. So what do I say? Bring it, 2014! I can overcome whatever obstacles you throw at me! (Hopefully!)
1. Lose Weight - This is so self explanatory! I think the problem usually is that I start a trendy diet like Nutrisystem, Atkins, etc... I just get tired of following the rules and eventually quit. This year I'm not going to follow one of those diet plans, I'm going to create my own. I'll take some basic ideas from the more trendy diets, but I'm not going to completely limit or restrict myself. I'm going to make the entire family eat healthy and I'm going to attempt to make all of our meals from scratch so I know exactly what goes into them and can calculate it from there.
2. Get My Kids More on a Schedule - I feel like everything here is so hectic. I have a set time for them to get up on weekdays because of school and a set time for Alayna an Olivia to do their extracurricular activities...but I do not have a set time for homework, dinner, bed time, etc... That's what I want to do. I want to be more strict, set tasks that they have to do every day and have a set time for everything. I feel like it would be a little more predictable and I may stress a little less than I do now. It's going to be hard to re-program my kids to follow a schedule but I think I can definitely do it. They just have to see that I am 100% completely serious and not going to back down.
3. Be More Responsible with Money - I did pretty decent in 2013 with this. I occasionally spent a little more than I should have, but not on large, frivolous things. In the past I've purchased purses that I really couldn't afford, electronics, etc... This year, however, I mostly went over budget on groceries, the kids activities or some small things that I purchased for myself. I'm definitely going to create an actual budget for myself with amounts that I can spend per month and I will stick to it. Since I'm going on a diet I don't have to spend money on eating out, since I won't be going to the city as much I can cut back on gas and since I'm going to be starting my full time job soon, I'll have some extra income. I hope that I can do even better this year. I'm also going to be starting the 52 Week Savings Plan, which I will blog about soon.
4. Get Organized - On any random day, if someone came to my door to visit I would be mortified to let them in my house. Why? I don't clean as much as I should. My living room is usually a mess, I usually have dishes in the sink until I feel like doing the dishes and laundry is never done. I won't even comment on my room and my kids' rooms, they look like hurricanes came through with great force. If you ask me to find something for you I will almost never be able to on a moment's notice. Finding something usually takes hours or days of searching until I happen upon it. I want to change that. I want to find a system of organization that works for us and I want to stick to it. My kids have to learn to clean when they finish using a toy or game and I have to remember to clean up once I bring laundry in my room or change my clothing. It's going to be a learning experience for us all, but one that we have to take on head first.
5. Be with my BF - Not too long ago I started dating my amazing and loving boyfriend. We talk about a future and know that we will probably end up together. I definitely am hoping that this year we could either move in together or take more steps towards starting a life together. I don't want to jinx myself and talk about this too much because honestly, I've waited a long time to find someone as amazing as him. I just hope that we can continue on strong and combine our families to create one larger one. :)
6. Pay Off 20% Of My Debt - I usually want to set my goal larger and pay of all of my debt every year. That's completely not acceptable for me since my debt is more than I actually make per year. You can thank credit card stupidness as a teenager and crazy student loans from college. I want to take just 20% of my debt and pay it off this year. Then I can continue on every year after paying a little bit off at a time. I don't want to be completely debt free this year, but want to work towards that as my ultimate goal in the future.
7. Be More Patient - I am the most impatient person you will ever meet. I yell at my kids, my mom, creditors, telemarketers, random people in the grocery store, people in a mall parking lot...I'm not kidding, ask any of my friends. I need to learn to be more patient and not yell as much. I'm not a mean person by any means, but I can just be loud when things aren't going my way. lol I'm the first one to admit it, at least!
8. Focus on Myself a Little More - The other day I got fed up with the way my hair was. Naturally, it's crazy damaged, wavy, frizzy and just looks like complete shit. I got up the energy to finally go to a salon and ask for help. My stylist was great, she told me that layers would thin out my hair a lot more and showed me how to let it air dry with rubber bands as well as curling it once it's dry. (Loser more wavy curls.) Her outcome was amazing and it actually lasted three days without getting any kinds of dry or disgusting. I also know I should just spend more time on myself more often and not concentrate on my kids 24/7. I have to care about myself more as well.
9. Play More with My Kids - I'm usually so busy on my phone, on my computer, cleaning or cooking that I tell my kids I can't play kitchen or a game with them. Don't get me wrong, I do play with them, just not as often as I really should. I'm going to be less concerned with the house and get on the floor to play with my kids more often. They're not going to be kids forever and by then I will regret not taking the time to get on the floor and play with them.
10. Get More Pictures Taken of my Kids & Myself - I really should take more photos to print out of my kids, since most of them are on Facebook or Instagram. I never know when that stuff could be spontaneously deleted by some glitch and then I will regret it. I also need some headshots of myself for my blog, business and my outside job as well. I'll try to do them all myself, but if I can't I will seek professional assistance!
What are your most important resolutions?
