I, like many others, love setting goals. Or rather, I love planning, and goal-setting is just another way to make plans. Forget the bass; really, it's all about the organization. "Give me organization, or give me ice cream to help me cope with the chaos!" That's the saying, right?
Anyhow. I, like many others, also have a hard time following through on my elaborate and extensive goal-setting. Usually because once I start thinking of the things I want to do/change/improve/learn, I think of all the things and the list becomes overwhelming, and then one or both of the children start crying and I just skip straight to the ice cream.
So I intensely admire the people who made and posted their New Year's goals, and I intensely want to be that put-together someday. But this year, I recognized that trying to add in more stuff to my life would be futile and frustrating. I am just barely keeping up with the rhythm we've got going, so rather than adding an extra step here or there, I am focusing on improving my dance skills right where I am. (Too much metaphor?) To that end, I made only two officials "goals" for 2015:
1) Be more present with my kids. Originally, I wanted to spend at least twenty minutes of one-on-one time with each of my girls every day. But between all the getting sick and fluctuating nap schedules, this actually got kind of tricky. So instead of setting a specific timed goal, I just make sure that I connect with my kids every day. Some days, that means that all three of us are playing and laughing and being present together. Other days, that means coloring with Georgie while Rosie naps and snuggling with Rosie before bed. Some days are filled with lots of good moments, and on other days, we (read: I) struggle. I think this might be par for the parenting little kids course, so I am just going to keep at it. I also started keeping a journal solely about the girls, which is helping me focus on the moments of connection. I keep it in the main part of our apartment so anytime Georgie says something funny or brilliant or Rosie does something new, I can jot it down right then and there. It's both sweet and fun, and I definitely recommend this.
2) Make healthier choices. When it comes to setting health goals, there are many many ways I can improve my fitness: losing weight, eating right, drinking water, exercising, getting enough sleep, taking mental health breaks, etc. etc. etc. I tend to feel like I have to do it all or it's wasted effort, which does not motivate me. So this "goal" is just to start taking steps. Scaling back on the ice cream, for example. Noticing what, when, and how much I'm eating. Making it easier to keep track of how much water I drink. I'd love some dedicated exercise time, but I haven't figured out how to make that fit with our routine yet, so for now, I take the girls for walks when the weather is good. I am also trying to make time for myself everyday to preserve my mental and emotional health, and that is still a work in progress. Though blogging is a small step in that direction. (Too bad it comes at the cost of going to bed on time. Baby steps...?)
Easy peasy, right? Almost? Maybe? I guess the truly nice thing about these goals is that every day is a chance to achieve them. Every day I can start over and try again without keeping score. And sometimes, as a mom (and as a human being), that is my mantra. It has to be, really, because otherwise what I feel are my "failures" will haunt me forever. So this is what I tell myself: Every minute is an opportunity to be better, to make a better choice, to be a more patient person, to respond with love instead of frustration or anger. And my hope is that all those better minutes will start to add up to a better person. So I guess that my 2015 goals are as grandiose as I usually make them, after all. They just leave room for some human-ly error along the way. And, of course, for ice cream.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Favorite Things 2, or, Thank goodness January is over
Who else was ready to be done with January like, three weeks ago? I'm soooo over January. After surviving all the crazy of December, we got caught up in the communal sicknesses getting passed around Provo. First Rosie got a nasty cold, then Georgie got the flu (I hope it's a long time before I get to clean up that much poop/throw up again), then I got the flu, then Rosie got an echo of the flu. I ended up getting zero sleep for about two weeks. Meantime, Tim had to interrupt a new semester and work schedule to take days off to take care of us all. It was the worst.
Thankfully, the end of the month got progressively better (Rosie sleeps through the night!) and last week was back to normal with the pleasant addition of daily walks in our new double stroller, thanks to the abnormally warm weather.
And in the spirit of back to normal, I am trying to clear out the blog drafts that I've accumulated over the last three months. And so I present the 2nd edition of Favorite Things, also known as The Gift List:
1. The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name. For her 2nd birthday, Georgie got a personalized book called The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name. Initially we were more excited about it than she was (love love the illustrations!), but it has since become a favorite of hers. Her very favorite part is shouting "GEORGIANA!" at the end of the book when the little girl finds her name again. If you're looking for a fun, personalized gift for a little one, check it out: lostmy.name
2. BabyLit. Probably everyone knows about the BabyLit books, but in case I can be the bringer of fun thing, BabyLit books are classics from literature adapted into board books for babies. Not only are they clever and beautiful, they are actually a great way to introduce kids to these classics. One of my favorite things in the world is to heard Georgie "read" Jabberwocky at bedtime. They are expensive, in my opinion, but our collection is growing all the same: babylit.com
3. Carry On, Warrior. Another Christmas present, one I was really hoping to get. This book is by Glennon Melton, whose blog I started following about six months ago. Her writing is a mix of inspirational, parenting, self-help, and hysterical. I came away feeling so much more secure about being who I really am. She's hilarious and very real and inspiring, and I recommend this book to everyone. Even though a lot of what she writes is specifically for women and moms, I read chunks of her book aloud to Tim and he loved it too, so really, everyone.
4. Walking with the Women of the New Testament. Another Christmas present and another book by a blogger I follow. Heather Farrell writes the Women in the Scriptures blog and I love her insights, so it's no surprise I love her book. It has made me feel so connected to the women of the New Testament, and the historical and cultural information is completely fascinating. I actually haven't finished it yet because I read just a few stories at a time and then digest it all. Lovely, lovely book.
6. Annie Henrie art. One of the companies I work for it Altus Fine Art, which produces inspirational and LDS art. Through working with them, I became familiar with Annie Henrie's work and I love it! I love the texture and warmth of her style, and I got the painting above, which now hangs where I can see it every day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
