2014 Focus

Resolutions. Love ’em? Hate ’em? Do ’em? Or not? We’re twenty days into 2014 now—how many New Year’s resolutions have already been broken, or at least bent? If you’re still going strong, good for you! You’re one of the rare ones, I think.

Personally, I’ve stopped making resolutions, but facing a brand new year with no plans or goals is way too depressing. There has to be something to strive for, right? Even if you’re wacky like me and rebel against your own goals. I’m like a four-year-old that way. As soon as someone tells me to do something (or not do something!), even if it’s me doing the telling, I start working against it. I used to try to fix that behavior, but I’ve learned it’s easier to just work around it.

So I have my lists. My 100’s List, my daily to-do lists (which have been revolutionized by my new organizational system using sticky notes, which you can read about here if you missed it), and a bunch of other tools I use to try to keep myself moving forward. I also have really good friends who are great about kicking me in the ass if they see me slacking off for too long.

This year, I have a few key areas I particularly want to focus on:

Family: My family is awesome. Focusing on family, for me, just means making sure I get extra time to be with them. I want them to know how much they mean to me. But I also have a lot I want to accomplish this year, so I’m going to have to be better about delegating my time so that they don’t feel pushed aside while I’m working on whatever else is on my plate.

Health: The perennial favorite. Almost everyone I know makes a New Year’s resolution that involves eating healthier, losing weight, exercising more, getting better sleep, etc. And those are all good goals. They’re also the toughest ones to follow through on, at least for me. I can keep up with it for about six months before I fall off the wagon, and then it can be years before I hop back on, which explains a lot about my current health and fitness level.

I’ve tried different forms of motivation—worry about my own health, wanting to set a good example for my kids, vanity, rewards for meeting certain smaller goals, smaller clothing sizes, the ability to shop where I want instead of where I have to, things like that. None of them have been particularly helpful long-term. I’m at the point now where I’ve got to become my own Jillian Michaels screaming in my ear to JUST DO IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO, and never mind the nicey-nice motivational speeches or rewards. Just remove all elements of choice from the equation and DO IT.

I haven’t put this into practice yet. I’ve been telling myself I’m “gearing up” and “getting organized” or “getting ready” but the truth is I know I’m just stalling because the first time back on that treadmill is going to suck. I’m going to be sore for days (weeks, months…), I’m going to have a hard time getting through it, and I’m going to be really angry that I let myself slide so far back on all the progress I’d made two-and-a-half years ago. And that’s just too bad. It’s time to suck it up and get on with it, or I'll be writing this same sort of post next January, and I REALLY want to avoid that.

Organization: I love Pinterest! I especially love my Organization Board. There are a whole bunch of ideas pinned there that I am eager to put into practice and which will make everyday life much smoother so I can get more done and have more time for the things I want to do and the people I want to be with.

Work: This is a biggie. I have some great big writing and publishing goals to hit this year. I’m already making progress, and I’m super happy about that!

Romance: Next month is my 20^th anniversary and I want not only that day but the whole year to be special. Despite the fact that our kids are older, time for romance has been thin on the ground the past few years. My hubby works long, hard hours, and I’m always at the computer or working on some project or other. We’ve gotten into some bad habits as far as making time for each other goes. He usually ends up falling asleep on the couch while I’m sitting in front of the computer. Ugh! We do try to have Date Nights a few times a month, but we do the same thing all the time—dinner and a movie. I want to not only take more time for us, I want to change up the Date Night activities and break out of our comfort zone a little. Maybe take a class together, something out of the ordinary.

Fun: In our house, we’ve gotten so wrapped up in the stupid little things we do out of habit or because we’re bored, and they eat away at time that could be spent doing something a lot more fun. I’m grabbing some of that time back and finding things for us to do together as a family that will get us out of the house, away from the TV and computer, and out enjoying real life.

What are you focusing on this year? Tell me in the comments!