After I posted my New Year’s Resolutions, I started thinking about the goals. I consciously looked at my daily life with the goals I had posted in mind, and tried to realistically evaluate them. I took a step back from the mindset of GOAL-SETTING OMG I MUST DO THIS partly due to a query I heard on Zen Parenting: why is December the only month we feel so giving and connected? Why can’t we take the holiday spirit year round? The hosts talked about how we often start the new year off in January with restriction & things we must do, instead of carrying the holiday spirit with us throughout the year. The spirit of giving, forgiveness, kindness, and generosity.
I absolutely stand behind the general thought that went into my list of goals, however a number of them I feel I need to readjust, due to the way my life is at the moment. I’d also like to encourage you to do the same!
For example. I tend to think I could do a little yoga or core work in the evenings. I also had the goal of reading every night, instead of watching TV or hanging out online. However, there is a very specific reason that this just doesn’t work right now, in my life: Amber is a very light sleeper! She also sometimes needs a little fussing to fall asleep. This means that I daren’t move an inch in the first 45 minutes after she goes to bed. The sound of the electric kettle has woken her up before! Add to that the fact that she very often wakes up before 5 am, and I need to be in bed by 8 pm for my own sanity. Do you see the problem here? I have a vision of what I would like to do in the evenings, a vision of how my life would look like. But for now, it’s pretty difficult to make that happen.
Another aspect I hadn’t taken into account, is that I forget what it’s like to be in the middle of midterms/end of term papers/busy-busy-busy life. What happens is that I just cannot fathom making a lovely green salad, or going for a run. I can make myself do it, but it takes huge amounts of motivation. Living healthily in these times just does not come naturally. I’m not giving myself permission to just let it all go – I’m heading towards an insane time in my life (Feb-March), but that insane time will still take 7-8 weeks. Not exercising & eating really crummily for that long is also not an option. Neither is expecting myself to stick to the 3 runs, 3 strength workouts, 2 yoga workouts, daily meditation, etc. the whole time.
I do want to remember to celebrate life! Despite the insanity, my family deserves a happy & relatively sane me, as do I! This:
… this is me. Intensely happy, giddily proud, completely at home in my own body & mind (crossing the finish line at my 15K race in November).
And this:
… this is us. Happily imperfect (trying to get a family Christmas picture… this is the best one 
) & goofy as hell.
Goals for the rest of January
- Actually set up the envelopes for envelope budget system. Get envelopes, write purpose on them, find a safe place for them.
- Write shopping lists for the 8-weeks-of-insanity. Give Rowan the instructions to order the groceries online, discuss how we want to set it up.
- Archive all the mail lying around, and get rid of study stuff I don’t need.
- Mop the floor. I call this my bi-annual chore. Hehe.
- Set up our movie night: look up movies we want to see, get the unlimited rental deal, find the popcorn maker.
- Run four times.
- Do two Jillian Michaels DVD workouts.
- No eating after dinner, except on movie night
- Plan quality family time (pyjama mornings, family outings) & get outside at least three times.
- Blog about how things went!
I’ve been wanting to reply to your previous post and then voila! You have another post up since then hehe. I like the idea of going through each month and having goals to accomplish. The thing that gets me about new years resolutions is that things change. Things change over the course of a year. I know it goes quick, but hey it is a YEAR. I guess you never know whats in store for you or things creep up and you think whoops I forgot about that. I like that you are not expecting yourself to live the picture perfect healthy lifestyle in this upcoming busy few months for you. And that’s OK! Making small efforts is what counts in my opinion, and you know what? By doing that you won’t feel like you failed at x, y and z and make yourself feel even worse. Pass the cookies.
I always wondered if ordering groceries online would save money. What do you think?
Btw, I like how you said “run four times.” Not four times this week, but just four. An attainable goal I think!
Set yourself up to succeed!!
Haha, yes, I’ve given myself permission to post when I feel like it, so I’m rolling with the inspiration at the moment!
It’s true, things DO change over a year. A lot! I think we do tend to have general life goals and trends we’re working on, finding balance being one core aspect. However specifics definitely change and not in ways you can always predict.
I think by going back to the goals you set, reviewing them, is a very valuable lesson, but only if you’re ding so to learn – not to judge or punish yourself. It’s a bit like reviewing an essay before you turn it in. I used to hate doing that, or looking at the remarks a professor wrote down. I was afraid of criticism, but now I know it’s incredibly valuable.
I think it also helps prevent becoming the proverbial insane person, by doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.
Mmm. Cookies. They had a BOGOF offer on that too, this week
I think ordering groceries COULD save you money, but as with anything it would take time and planning and compromises. The benefits are that you don’t necessarily see impulse buys, you can start your cart and continue later (leaving less possibilities of forgetting an item), and you can see how much the bill is, and decide to cut certain things to lower it. However, here at least there is only one supermarket that offers this service, and it’s not the cheap supermarket! So I’m hoping to spend a max of 10% extra. For me it’s worth it for the busy period! We’ll have weeks where I’m working in Amsterdam for 5 days and then Rowan will be working all weekend. No way I’m planning any shopping then!
Thanks for the support hun!
PS- totally CUTE family picture. I love you guys!
Heehee thank you!!! Love you too!
[...] Comments « Evolution of Resolutions & January Goals [...]
[...] I don’t haz it. Still, I looked back at my January goals and I actually feel like I can still get most of those things done. Even today! Anything that [...]