Monday, December 31, 2007

The perfect time

My friend Shell and blogger friend Jen have posted some thought about the New Year and resolutions.

I have been thinking about those same things. I have decided that I am in a great place to make some big changes. Right now, we are staying in a hotel, and for me it is the perfect time to start formulating some goals and making up a schedule. I find that when I'm in my home, I feel overwhelmed with all that needs to get done, and taking the time to write things down or to make a plan just seems to take way too much time. I just need to get to work and start doing what needs to be done!! But now I'm in a place where I really have very little that needs to be done. I have the time to write out a schedule, a list of things I want to accomplish, and the time to mentally and emotionally prepare for making these changes.

Some of the things that I want to accomplish are:

Daily scripture study
Daily exercising
Schedule of chores and a specific time to do them each day
Schedule of my day with the kids and what we do when
Reading regularly from my parenting book and my porcupine book

These may seem simple and easy for some of you. I find them incredibly difficult to consistently accomplish. I find that I have a hard time focusing on one project at a time. And that I'm being pulled in so many directions at once that I have a hard time prioritizing my time. I'm sure most of you can relate to these feelings. I just really really struggle with them. On my mission, I did very well under the very tight schedule that we had. I was always tired, but find me a missionary that isn't tired!! I think if I try to model my own personal schedule around what I used to do on my mission, then I might have a chance at succeeding. And I will need to figure out what my reward to myself will be. And stick to it!!! The hardest part for me to do is to stick to it!!! That is part of my mental preparation is to get myself to a place where I'm motivated to stick to it, not because of my reward, but because I want to and I want to be a better person. And I think I would have done this no matter what time of year I was stuck in a hotel. It just always seems to be at Christmas and New Years. (we were in a hotel last year at this time too)

What have you found that works for you to keep you motivated? Do you find that you are able to accomplish most of the things you set out to do in a timely fashion? (that's another part of my problem, other than reading and typing fast I take forever to do other things) If you have wisdom, please share. And are any of you going to be making some major changes this year?

Some other things I want to do are:

Stop buying things on sale because they are on sale
Learn to love playing with my kids
Practice what I read out of my parenting book and my porcupine book
Really work on my spirituality

Whatever progress I make, no matter how small, will be great. I also believe there is a season for all things, and I feel that if I don't take advantage of this time I have now, I may not get such a perfect time to make these changes. Happy New Year everyone!!! Gros Bisous a tous!!

2 comments:

Jennifer @ Fruit of My Hands said...

You have set some great goals! I went through and listed some goals that DH & I had penciled in a notebook over Thanksgiving. I printed them up, but now I want to sit down and really decide how I'm going to make them happen. I think we have a good start and are pointed in the right direction, but I want to be working a little more aggressively on them than just meandering in the general direction.

I love to play with my kids, but for some reason its an effort to get myself started. I decided to take 3 times a day when I make a concentrated effort to just be with the kids doing what they want. It has made a huge difference and now it doesn't seem so awkward.

Emily S. said...

great goals! If only I had the energy today to even THINK of the future. 2008 started not-so-easy. Oh well. Tomorrow will be better. Maybe then I'll come back, re-read this, and get motivated.