Resolutions

Some people are really into the whole New Years Resolution thing and others aren’t. To me it seems like the year end holidays were the last push of a huge marathon and now, for just a little bit, there’s a moment to catch your breath and look back at how you did on that race. Did you give up half way through? Did you fall but get back up again? Did you learn from the rough spots? Were you better for it in the end? And, most importantly, what are you going to do to make it better next time?

With that in mind here are some of my resolutions and why I chose them:

1. Cleaning. Last year I made the switch to vinegar as my main cleaner, gathered my cleaning supplies into containers under each bathroom sink, and started making to do lists. All of that has helped me stream line cleaning and I hope to learn a few more tricks this year. A clean house makes me feel awesome.
2. Journaling. Last year I tried smash booking. It is a fun, portable way of getting memories written down. My biggest secret fear is forgetting. Dementia scares me to death. I want to be better about writing in my journals, smash booking, and scrapbooking. Blogging falls into this category too. I’ve been sucky about keeping up with records and I've got the blog stats to prove it.
3. Money. People groan about this one just like they groan about the group of newbies that just joined the gym. But, for me, it needs to be done. Car and house repairs completely wiped out our budget last this year. And it sucked. This year is a year for rebuilding and getting back on track.
4. Spiritual. As a family we really slacked off on going to church this year. I used work and home stuff as an excuse but really, there’s no reason why I couldn’t have sat down with my scriptures or some music for a minute. This year that will change. I need the peace and the strength that it brings me.
5. Finish. My word of the year. We have had so much going on that there were a lot of things we started and didn't have a chance to finish. The entry needs primed and painted. The backyard needs some gravel. The recessed lighting we got last January is still sitting in the garage. The goal here is to be able to walk around my house and not have to explain why the flooring is here but not there. I want to be relaxed when I am in my own home, not stressed about what I haven’t done.

Whew! Think I can take it on? It’s a week and a half in and so far I’m doing good! 

Are you a resolution maker? Do you start yours at a different time of the year? Or do you just wing it?