2016 Goals

Well, folks... I've done it again. I set some pretty high standards for myself for the next 365 days. But I love working hard and I love to strive for excellence. And so, here I go with a year trying to improve who I am. When January rolls around each year, I am bogged down with sweets. My head is foggy from all the family gatherings in which I am navigating the different personality types. My nights are filled with catering events. Having a January in my life is refreshing and this year is no different. My goals for the year 2016 are:

• Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables a day. I have very little problem eating healthy when I put my mind to it. However, my downfall is usually when the two weeks between healthy eating challenges of which I am always taking part. Rather than try to avoid sugar for a year (which I tried last year and made it to April) I wanted a positive goal. Avoid= stay away. DON'T. Eat= go towards, DO. My fridge is stocked and I'm ready to eat!
• Exercise daily. I love exercise. I HATE starting exercise. Once I buckle down and actually move my body, I love it. The anxiety of getting there is awful. I have noticed that when I don't take a day off, my weeks go better. What's helping me to keep this goal is my definition of exercise. Yes, I will do videos. Yes, I will go running. Yes, I have signed up to join a gym. Yes, walking to our mailbox will count as exercise. Our mailbox is a quarter mile away. My goal is to move. To move a lot. It is to lead an active life again. I lost almost 100 pounds before I had Vivy. I want her to know the mother Kate got know very well. I want Vivy to meet the mom that hikes nearly every day and plays tag. That girl is so full of energy that I tend to think we'd get along.
• Pray and Read Scriptures daily. This is something that has become a daily habit already. In fact, I a surprised at how I've been able to keep up with this. When I was in church as a teenager and we were asked to pray or read daily, I thought that this was just an ideal that was a lofty, unattainable goal. I honestly thought that no one ever did these things EVERY day. Well, my life has changed. What I thought was impossible has become my life. I don't mean this in a boastful way. I am more grateful for this blessing than is easy to express. and the reason I have put this as one of my goals this year is because I don't want to this important habit to go by the wayside while I'm trying hard to accomplish the other goals I have set. I aimed high this year so I need all the help that comes from a daily habit of communing with the Lord.
• Clean out one drawer or shelf a day. I have read 'The life changing magic of tidying up' multiple times now. It makes me want NOTHING in my home, save my family. I want to live in an empty box with the people I love and enjoy the simplicity of life. The method stated in this book requires chunks of time I do not have. There is a toddler living in my house that would have a heyday if I chose to organize a whole pile of ALL my clothes at once. Although I am 100% behind the method set forth in this book, it is so all encompassing that I kept putting off beginning the project. I have no issue throwing things away. I am sadly unsentimental about stuff- to the point that I think it might be a disorder- so getting rid of things is not my issue. My daughter, she's the issue. In fact, as I type she is playing in a puddle of water in the middle of the kitchen floor. No joke. Which leads me to my next goal...
•  Blog daily. At all costs. I have never regretted setting aside time each day to document my life. I write it for me. What used to be a way to communicate with other stay at home moms has become an outlet for me. I don't really care about comments or who reads this. I have not chosen to write to appease an outside source. I am writing because it makes me happy. I am writing because I love to look back and reflect on what I've accomplished. Or screwed up on. I like to see what I still think is funny. I blog selfishly and invite all to read!
• Read and Study the Sunday School lesson each week. I cannot tell you how many times a year I have to keep talking myself into attending Sunday School. I fell uncomfortable in there. I feel like I am surrounded by people who all know more than I do. It becomes a discussion between returned missionaries that I feel I'm imposing upon. I am not stupid. I have a testimony of the gospel. But Sunday School is just plain hard for me to enjoy. This year, I will try my best to enjoy. If I don't, come December, meet me in the mother's lounge.
• Do my visiting teaching monthly. I suck at visiting teaching. Harsh words, harsh truth. I do not have a testimony of visiting teaching. This is why- I hate it when people tell me what to do. I have joined book clubs more than I can count. I love reading. I love talking about books I have read. I love eating food that I did not cook. I love dressing up and getting away from my children. I hate book club. I HATE being told what I have to read. And then there's visiting teaching. I love visiting people. I love serving others. I love dressing up and getting away from my children. I hate being told who I have to be friends with. It feels fake to me. Possibly because I (not trying to sound boastful) visit people all the time. I bring meals to people or stop by to chat. In all of these cases it has started with a prayer to find others to serve. I suppose I do already do visiting teaching, but they're never on my list. I know it sounds horrible, but visiting teaching is something I absolutely dread.

Lots of goals. High expectations. I love the opportunity I am given each new year to examine my life and strive to improve. I like myself better when I try hard. I'm with me all day- might as well like the company.