setting goals for 2012

New Years resolutions aren't exactly fun for me. I hate that half way through the first month of the new year I don't fulfill my resolutions or worse yet, I fail at them completely, like say extreme diets for example. A few years ago I decided that instead of making resolutions, I would set goals for myself. I even think that the word goal has a much more positive and productive sound to it than resolution.

After giving it a bit of thought I have come up with my list of 2012 goals for myself. Some of them are practical and specific, while others are somewhat more general and well rounded.

Goals for 2012

• Practice good self care. Go to sleep at a decent time. Exercise daily (in the form of walking mostly and maybe some yoga), eat healthily, and to make time for the things that make me happy- being creative, finding alone time, keeping in touch with friends.
• Clean out the basement. This is a practical one. Winslow will be finishing off the basement this winter and I am going to purge a ton of old and unwanted stuff that I have been holding onto for years. It's going to be donated, recycled or turfed and it's gonna feel good. In the end, I will have a functional art/craft space.
• Stick to a budget. This means being realistic in what we can and can't afford. Weekly meal plans will help in this. We also plan on using cash only.
• Put my marriage at the forefront. Winslow and I have a pretty happy marriage I would say (I'm pretty sure he'd agree too), but that doesn't mean that our relationship can take care of itself. I want to make it a priority to tell and show Winslow just how much he means to me. I want to invest in the person who I share my life with and make sure that our relationship stays strong. So 2o12 will be all about the date nights, even if they mostly take place at home. Creativity will be key!
• Continue to work on being a good parent. Practice patience with Noah (and myself) and to be the kind of parent that Noah needs and deserves. To be creative, to take time for him, to put the computer away and give him undivided attention. More books, more art, more games, more fort building, more make believe, more adventures!

And so that is it my friends. I hope to come back to this list often so that I keep it fresh in my mind. And how about you? Any goals or resolutions to be made?

May many wondering things come your way in 2012.

xox