HELLO 2012!!!

I absolutely LOVE this time of year…starting over w/a clean slate to achieve certain personal goals that we set for ourselves. One of the 12 goals that I’ve set for myself this year is to dust off the ole blog & be more regular at posting. Please forgive me for allowing SO MUCH time to lapse since posting last. SO much has been going on since I started this blog a few years ago that sadly it has not fallen where I wanted it to, initially, on my priority list. Well…that all changes now, for NOW is the time to develop new habits & break the old ones that just aren’t working for us…I mean me. I can just hear Dr. Phil now – “How’s that been working out for ya?”  “Well, not so well, Dr. Phil & that’s why I’m here. I’m ready for a change.” So, I’ve set 12 GOALS for myself for this brand new year. (To me resolutions are like pie-crust promises that you make to yourself. They’re too easily broken. Then you get all down and depressed or beat yourself up b/c you fell off the bandwagon. Then you just give up totally and go back to the old way of life only to complain about it again at the end of the year and start a vicious cycle all over again the next New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Think about it. We’ve all been there. Ok, stepping down off the soapbox now.)
Each month I intend, (not plan,) to commit to making those changes (baby stepping my way 15 mins. at a time) by focusing on one goal per month. This month’s goal is to be better & more consistent at blogging and facebook posting. (Yeah, I had to throw facebook on there- just go with it.) Here is the list of my 12 Goals for 2012:

1.       Be better & more consistent at blogging and facebook.

2.       Be a better daughter of the Heavenly Father.

3.       Be better at praying more & delving into HIS word …also known as the ULTIMATE Instruction Manual for Life.

4.       Be a better wife to my husband.

5.       Be a better mother to my children (& the dog.  After all, he’s like a child and a member of the family too-just an OUTSIDE member. J)

6.       Be a better Christian woman.

7.       Completely declutter & organize the house-preparing for sale. Get back to FLYing!

8.       Shed the baby weight once & for all—be healthier.

9.       Be better w/finances & have 50% of our TOTAL debt completely paid OFF by 12.31.12.

10.   Be better at managing my time so I can do what I WANT to do & not just what I HAVE to do such as hobbies, reading, learning new things & whatever else I discover that tickles my fancy.  Anybody seen my scrapbooking supplies????

11.   Be better at thinking of & reaching out to others more, i.e. distant family & friends.

12.   Be THE better ME that I can BE!

Why focus on goal #1 this month instead of goals #2 & #3, which OBVIOUSLY are WAY more important & should come ABOVE all else? Well, in my current state of mind, I’m thinking that seeing it all out there, here in words on the site (b/c I have a tendency to misplace paper) it will help me to not only remember but stay focused. Then again I could just be fooling myself, so we’ll see how it goes. Every year Ali Edwards puts out a challenge to sum up how you would like to describe your life in just one word for what you want for the upcoming year. Can you tell what my word could possibly be for this year?? I’ll give you a hint: it starts with a “B” and ends in “etter”. J

So, there you have it. Not really “resolutions” b/c I won’t be beating myself up nor feeling guilty should I fail at achieving success w/any of them. Those are just some areas of my life that I feel are things that could use some improving in order for me to be a better ME.

Now here part where you play in. Yes, you! You didn’t think I was going to leave you to just read & not participate, now did you? What fun would be in that? What I ask of all of YOU who are reading this is for accountability. (This is where facebook comes in.) I’m asking for your help & prayers in holding me accountable at what I’ve set for myself in order to keep me focused & on track. I intend (there’s that word again) to post any & all updates on FB. Short updates w/few sentences al beit, but updates nonetheless.  If more than 3 days go by without a FB post from me w/a new blog post link—hubs, 3 kiddos & a dog, remember—then PLEASE, by all means, feel free to post on my wall to find out where I’m at, what’s going on, or if I’m still alive in all of the crazy madness of this thing called life.  With YOUR help & prayers, goal #1 should be very EASILY achievable & hopefully auto-pilot habitual.

Will YOU help me to be a BETTER me in 2012???