Hello 2017!
How did 2016 come and go so quickly? This last year literally flashed before my eyes, and really impressed upon me the importance of having a plan and a goal, and to make not just the big moments in life count, but also the little ones.
A brand new year means 'a fresh start'. A new beginning. A fresh start means we get to make changes to the areas of our lives we feel need a shake up. Some decide to change jobs, some want to have more fun, read more, get healthy, learn how to play an instrument, or speak another language. Anything is a viable option!
A few weeks ago, I decided to start re-reading Gretchen Rubin's 'The Happiness Project'. I wanted to read it again and use some of the concepts in the book to help me create a plan that will help me succeed at fulfilling my goals this coming year.
I didn't want to go into a brand new year feeling as though I may not follow through and achieve what I want to do with my time this year. Good intentions are just in fact good intentions. Its the follow through that's difficult for most people.
I decided to make a list of things I should do for myself.1. Identify and write down what my values are?
2. Create a personal manifesto for what I feel is important to my life.
3. Write down a list of things that I would personally like to achieve in 2017.
4. Assign them time in my calendar and personal diary. Break each resolution into workable parts.
e.g. Health is a priority. This includes exercise and also meals and snacks. What days am I going to commit to exercise, write up a list of healthy meal and snack options, and then assign meals to a calendar. Print out recipes and do this for a month. Make sure there is always healthy snack option in the house.
5. Ask for appropriate people in my life to help keep me accountable as I am an obliger type of personality. Accountability will help me reach my goals.
1. Integrity: Honesty, sincererity, standing up for oneself.
2. Family Happiness: Quality time, Bonding
3. Friendship: Close relationships with others
4. Pleasure: Fun, laughter, a leisurely lifestyle
5. Health: Mental and physical
6. Inner Harmony: Being at peace
7. Generosity: helping others, improving society
8. Loyalty: Devotion, trustworthiness
1. Be Sarah
2. Family relationships are very important to me.
3. Having good friendships are really important to me
4. Trust that God knows what he is doing!
5. Connect before I correct
6. Let Issues go
7. Do it now - If I can do something right now, I will get it done
8. Act how I want to feel
9. Love first
10. Do not eat free food unless its healthy
11. Identify the problem
12. Trust in Abundance
13. Enjoy the process
14. Use the things I have....don't save them for later.
15. Always use a kind voice
16. Be present in my day, with my husband and with my kids.
17. Parenting: Its a fun job and I enjoy it!!!
18. Always make time for fun.
19. Reminder: the days are long but the years are short.
Things i would lke to do in 2017 - no particular order..
1. 365 day photo challenge.
2. Write a journal daily.
3. Spend more time on my blog
4. Be a better friend and reconnect with friends who I have let slip by.
5. End of term weekends away to celebrate our achievements.
5. A weekend away with my friends once a term.
6. Making exercise a priority
7. Become a better cook
8. Have more date nights with hubby
9. Organise more opportunities to have fun
10. Work on our home - DIY
11. Health has to be a priority.
12. Get to know my camera better
13. Learn to crochet
14. Organise family adventures
15, Spend more time with extended family members.
16. Have more one on one time with my mum.
17. Work on a project - will tell you about it when there has been some significant traction.
Over the last year, I have realised that I need to make my resolutions tangible. Its so easy to make airy fairy concepts like 'get fit', 'cook better', 'write more', 'be a better friend', but its really important to look at what getting fit means in amongst the craziness of family life? or how do you plan to be a better friend?
Late last year I bought myself a 2017 diary and I started putting in family member and friends birthdays so that I can start getting my thoughts a little organised. I have put in term and holiday dates for school and public holidays, our desired end of term weekends for our family to have some fun together, written down a list of things either the kids, hubby or I have mentioned we would like to do and put a tentative booking in the calendar and diary. Over the last few days I have been looking at my calendar and blocking out times for specific things, for example, a friend of mine and I have decided to meet up and walk for an hour on a monday morning. This will help me start my week well, and I am really looking forward to having a regular time to catch up with my good friend.
To help me catch up with friends on a regular basis, I have also assigned the last thursday of each month to catch up with friends who want to meet me at a local cafe. I really want to make sure I make sure I catch up with friends this year on a regular basis. I find that if its not in my calendar or diary - it doesn't happen, so I am working on ways in which I can plan better to make friends a priority in my life.
If you would love to share either your manifesto, or the things you would like to do in 2017 - I would love to hear about them!
