“There is only one way to succeed at anything and that is to give everything.”
— Vince Lombardi, American Football Coach
PS Congrats to the Cowboys VICTORY last night!!
“There is only one way to succeed at anything and that is to give everything.”
— Vince Lombardi, American Football Coach
PS Congrats to the Cowboys VICTORY last night!!
Its freezing in Bridgeport, Connecticut!!! Snow covered the ground when I stepped out of St. Vincent’s this afternoon and I let out a low cave man like grumble. Since New Year’s Eve the snow has trickled down every day making it ever so clear to me that this will be an ugly cold winter, well pretty, in the sense that everything is covered in powdery white, but snow always throws a wrench in our day.
I’ve made it safe and sound after an early evening of chatter, laughs and good coffee with my friend and I’m ready to chow down on dinner and pop in the red box dvds, one after another….I was NOT kidding when I said I wanted to spend more time with me and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Before I bid you adieu, on a side note, I left my cell at home when I rushed out the house to go volunteer at the hospital and I forgot to let my mom and boyfriend know that I was stopping at my friends house when I got out. I came home to see 8 missed calls between the two of them and it makes me warm and fuzzy inside to know that I matter to someone enough to have them care where I am and that I’m safe. Never take for granted the people that love you and love them back just as hard, we don’t know what tomorrow brings so do it NOW! Be safe!
“Sometimes the best helping hand you can get is a good, firm push.”
— Joann Thomas
I’m sitting in my bedroom and do you know what I hear? The sounds of a gentle breeze coming from the heating vent and the melodic flickering of the candle that sits beside me, provide the perfect backdrop for this entry. While I am cherishing this partial moment of silence, I have to secretly admit that I miss the noise. I survived a week of screaming children, non stop fights, back talk, hugs, kisses, video game playing, shopping, eating, cooking and I can’t wait to do it again. Now of course these are all thoughts in retrospect as yesterday I was counting down the minutes until they were all gone, and now I find myself wondering what my resolutions should be for this year.
2010’s New Year Resolutions can officially start on Monday as this year’s list seems to be a long one…
Now the thing to remember about New Year’s Resolutions is that if you do not have a clear picture of what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it then all you’re doing is WISHFUL THINKING!
First, start off with one thing on the list with a clear concise picture in your head of how you want it to turn out. I’ll use my #3 on the list of shopping LESS for an example. Today is my second day of not shopping at all, so YAY me.
Next, take that goal and break it down. Like everything in life, our goals should be approached one day at a time, but with the picture of our transformation looming in the background. What happens with most of us every year is that we keep that goal in front of us, of how we’d like to be or what we’d like to do and day one goes by, we’re pumped up, its a new year, nothing can get in our way…and Point A of where you are now to Point B, where you want to be, seems like this outrageous quest. Day two rolls around, you still feel strong willed but where you are today in comparison to where you were yesterday seems like no progress at all. Day 7 strolls in and you’ve already waved the white flag in defeat. So take that big goal and break it down into smaller goals that will lead you to that final goal.
To make smaller goals you have to understand what your goal means. For me shopping less is to aim for spending less money on things I really DO NOT need. On top of the fact that I have debts to pay off still does not help my financial situation at ALL and with the current state of our nation and the jobs disappearing out there, its not at all wise for me to be spending my hard earned cash on whims. Although there are many pretty things out there to buy still, I have to direct my money more wisely. So this translates to MONEY! So my first small goal is to spend less money on things that are not a necessity for the next two months.
So instead of thinking of NO SHOPPING for the next year, I’ve broken it down to start with 60 days. Now with 363 days left its easy to see that you can become overwhelmed and give in to the voices that tell you to give up.
Lastly, reward yourself at each check point. To reward myself I will allow in my budget a small shopping trip with money I set aside. So once March rolls in I’ll be looking forward to picking up something pretty.
21 days forms a habit and is a perfect mile marker to access how you have done so far. You should be able to decide to keep steady on your path or make even smaller goals or reevaluate your final goal. On day 30 add another item to your list of things to tackle. Letting others know of your goals will keep you accountable and finding others with the same goal will keep you motivated, but remembering that TOMORROW IS A DO OVER is words to always remember on a day that does not go according to plan.
I’ll keep you updated on my goal of spending less this year and to remind myself of my reward I’ve created a count down on my blog to keep me going. Much luck to you in achieving all of your goals this year, may they all be resolved! Feel free to share your goals with me and any advice you might like to share with others 🙂
I love the “thought of the day”. I read them all day long on different sites and sometimes I find its exactly what I need to hear at the precise moment I’m reading it, almost like a fortune cookie.
Today’s thought of the day is so appropriate to start off the new year, how scary is this:
“A vision is a clearly-articulated, results-oriented picture of a future you intend to create. It is a dream with direction.”
— Jesse Stoner Zemel
Stop by everyday to take your daily dose of thoughts to ponder…
A special thanks to you for reading the blog. 🙂
Happy New Year’s! 2010 is finally here and I’ve managed to escape from my nieces and nephew for a few to write this. I worked last on the the 23rd and do not have to return until the 4th and silly me volunteered herself to watch her niece and nephew. While I love them dearly, i feel mentally and physically exhausted. I give props to all the full time parents out there who take care of their children all day. Its only been six-ish days and I feel like I’ve lost my mind and wish I would have gone on vacation with my friend to New Orleans. I take this week as a valued lesson that children don’t like to be told what to do anymore than adults do and to keep your sanity compromise is a MUST. I feel like I’m practicing law with all the negotiations I’ve done this week. I’m laughing as I write this, because I’m usually the first to say I’d never let my kids get away with half the stuff i see other parents do, and I quickly changed my thoughts on that. Sunday I’ll be able to sit down and write down some of my new year’s resolutions, as they do not leave until Saturday…I think I hear them coming…until tomorrow! In the meantime, let me know some of your strategies with dealing with children and keeping your sanity! I need a nap!
Until then,