Don't Let Another Year Pass You By...And a Giveaway!

Today marks the end of another year.  It sounds so cliche, but the older I get the faster the years seem to turn.  Can you believe it was already fifteen years ago we were preparing to celebrate the millennium with such great anticipation?  I certainly cannot.

Time can be so hard to manage.  Our generation is stuck in the rat race.  We are pulled in so many directions, distracted by modern conveniences, over-scheduled, and living in excess.  Unfortunately, we are passing this lifestyle on to the next generation and if we don't make a conscious effort to slow down and bit and simplify, our children will more than likely live at a speed even faster than ours, if that's even possible.

Perhaps you're a little bit confused:  here I have declared 2015 "The Year to Get It Done," yet I am talking about slowing down and simplifying.  Let me explain.

Each day I find myself wishing I would get this or that done around the house.  Instead of making the decision to work on it, I tend to put many of these tasks off.  Little things, like cleaning out the pantry or catching up on the kids' photos, add up to what feels like an insurmountable amount.  If I rid myself of distraction and designate some time each day to tackle these projects, not only would they get done, but it would be so fulfilling to turn the "I wish" to "I did."

Let's look at another angle.  We have many great ideas to spice up our family time.  By carefully managing our time both during the day and week, our weekends and evenings will be freed up to either resume or start back up some family traditions.  We used to play a game every night with our older two kids before they went to bed.  Once we expanded our family, that tradition sadly went away.  While it may not be realistic to play a game each night before bed, we certainly could slow down and designate one night a week as family game night.

While it may be The Year to Get It Done, that does not mean adding more to our overly-filled schedules.  Instead, we need to evaluate our lives.  We should choose to spend our time engaging in activities that bring us joy and fulfillment and let go of those that don't.  We need to find what motivates us.  We need to consider all of those projects, ideas, and goals we have put off until the right time comes along and make 2015 the right time.

Let's band together and let go of complacency.  Let's make 2015 The Year We Get It Done!

To start the year off right, one lucky reader will win a copy of one of the inspirational books I love:  Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider.  Here is how you can qualify to win:  "Like" my Facebook page and share it with your friends.  Leave a comment below stating one goal you'd like to achieve this year.  For an extra entry, sign up via email to follow my blog.  The contest will end at 7:00 P.M. CST.  The winner will be announced January 2nd! *This contest is now closed!

It is my hope we can create a positive, supportive online community.  When life gets in the way, we'll be here to pick each other up.  I hope you'll join us!

 


    












   

Find Your People

Are you getting excited yet?  I am!  Thoughts, ideas, and goals are being written in my little yellow notebook each day.  My husband and I are thoughtfully considering the why behind the goals we have set and now it's time for the final step:  being held accountable.

By nature, I am a competitive person.  I look forward to a challenge and do my best to follow through and achieve what I've set out to do.  I am much more successful, though, if I share my goal with at least one other person.

The summer after I had my fourth child I decided to try the Couch to 5K program to not only lose the baby weight, but to challenge myself as well.  My husband was my person.  He encouraged me to keep at it and I happily reported my progress after each run.  For someone who found a mile to be a feat, I was very proud when I finally ran that 5K with ease.  Without him, I may not have been as successful.

In preparation for "The Year to Get It Done," I am not only enlisting some of my family and friends to hold me accountable, but an online community as well.  I hope you will join me and share some of your goals and progress on my Facebook page.  Each week I plan to do a little check-in to see how everyone is doing.  A little encouragement can go a long way!

We'll officially be off and running on January 1st!  To kick the year off, I'll be holding a two-day contest and concluding with a giveaway!  Make sure you check back in for the announcement tomorrow, as the contest will only run through 7 P.M. CST Thursday night!

Until then, be thinking about who your people will be.

My first 2 mile race-a family affair!

Financial Prep Work

Finances.  How many of you have set goals in this area?  Each year we have good intentions of monitoring our money and spending a little more wisely, but when push comes to shove, we probably don't spend or save our money as wisely as we could.  2015 is shaping up to be the year we finally devise some concrete goals, set our benchmarks, and follow through.

Managing finances is probably one of the most unique journeys a person or couple encounters. Everyone's situation is different and there is certainly no one-size-fits-all method to achieving your financial goals.  There are excellent references out there from Dave Ramsey to Suze Orman, but ultimately you need to thoughtfully consider their advice and programs and create a plan both you and your spouse feel comfortable with.

In preparation for The Year to Get It Done, my husband and I have had many discussions about our current financial situation and the goals we would like to achieve.  We've sifted through all of our accounts, recorded our assets and debts, and devised a plan we feel comfortable with.

We will follow Dave Ramsey's baby steps, but with a little modification.  For example, step one is to create a $1000 emergency fund.  Psychologically it is to help you pay off debt faster and then return to saving because, let's face it, $1000 in the bank doesn't go far.  It provides a sense of urgency.

For us, though, the $1000 is a little too uncomfortable for our family of 6.  This is the way we have chosen to address Dave's first three steps:  have a 3-month emergency savings, pay off our debt (other than our home), and return to saving for a 6-month emergency fund.

One of my favorite sayings is, "To each his own."

In the area of finance, I find this to be particularly truthful.  Each person's current financial situation not only reflects choices made in the past, but also present-day decisions.  For some, poor choices in the past may still follow them today.  For others, present-day decisions may be dragging them down or, if they're lucky, raising them up.  

How we spend and save our money is all personal preference.  Setting goals is imperative to financial freedom.  Per one of my inspirational authors, Tsh Oxenreider, figuring out the why behind the goals is even more important.  I suppose this holds true to any goal we set.

Take the time to thoughtfully consider what motivates you and have your spouse do the same.   Determine how achieving each financial goal will positively impact your family's life.  How will these achievements lead you one step closer to fulfilling not only your dreams, but your life's purpose?

Once you have done this, set the plan in motion.  While there are bound to be bumps in the road, if we have a clear understanding of what drives us and the why behind the goals we've set, we are bound to overcome the obstacles and keep moving forward until we are successful.

Getting Organized

I am a visual person.  I work best with a list and a clear outline of what needs to be done.  Perhaps this is why I struggle at times with the cleaning and organization of our home.  When it comes to the mundane, routine household tasks I keep up fairly well.  Looking at the larger picture, though, I would rate myself average at best.

I have good intentions.  I find myself making mental notes about tasks I'd like to complete around the house, but either get started and find myself sidetracked or I never start at all.  As part of the year to get sh*t done, I'm going to do my best to combat this problem.

Today I sat down with a blank canvas and began to map out all of my mental notes into a nice little chart.  My list spans from tasks I want to complete daily all the way to annual projects.

To ensure this is visible and reusable, I plan to place it inside an 8x10 frame and hang it in a spot I'll be sure to see it multiple times a day.  I'll place a washable marker nearby and cross items off once they're completed.  Some will get erased daily, others will stay for awhile.

It is my hope this will help us keep up with maintaining our house and keeping it a bit more organized.  Notice I said a bit.  We have four young children and know our house will never be

immaculate, nor do we want it to be.  An overall sense of organization, though, will be a much-welcomed change.

Finding the Inspiration

Christmas has come and gone and the New Year is right around the corner!  In order to be off and running when the calendar changes, I want to ensure I have some of my favorite motivational reading material pulled from the bookshelf and placed on my night stand.  Over the past few years I've read many wonderful, inspiring books which I wholeheartedly believe have lead me to this point.

To begin this journey, I will be dusting off and cracking open these six books:    

1.  Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

     -If you're looking to purge, organize, and thoroughly clean your home, this is the book for you!

2.  The Best Yes by Lisa TerKeurst

     -Having some trouble with over-committing and time management?  Be sure to check this one out.

3.  Rhinestone Jesus by Kristen Welch

     -An inspiring story about struggle, surrender, and finding your purpose.  She also has a great blog!

4.  Seven by Jen Hatmaker

     -We live in a world of excess.  Her family's year-long journey is intriguing and entertaining.

5.  Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

     -May be my all-time favorite.  This one is a must in my eyes.  

6.  Notes From a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider

     -If you're looking to live a simpler life and sifting through the noise, this is a great choice.

If you have some extra Christmas cash, I highly recommend buying some of the above-mentioned books.  Each of our journeys to get sh*t done will be unique.  Don't add anything to your reading list that doesn't feel like it fits within your goals.  Time is precious.  Use it wisely! 

The Declaration

This year I hit the magical number:  35.  Some theorize this is the age people start to feel an urgency to pave a solid path to walk on.  Many find it is a time to contemplate this very important question: what do I want to accomplish in this life?  If you've hit this age,  you may find yourself in a similar place.  The carefree years of our twenties are behind us.  We've had our share of fun, made plenty of mistakes, worked our first "real" job, and perhaps gotten married and started a family.  We've transitioned into our thirties and now found ourselves smack dab between thirty and that "f" word. You know.  Forty.

I am not sure if it's the number or my current season of life, but I have been struck with the desire to stop making excuses, mismanaging my time, and putting things off until the timing is right.  The truth is, the timing will probably never be any better than it is now.  All of those nagging little "to-do's," dreams, and goals need not be put on hold anymore.  I have dubbed 2015 as, "The Year to Get It Done"...and I have every intention of doing just that.

You might be thinking this sounds like a lofty declaration.  You may also be wondering what the heck I'm talking about.  What is it I want to get done?  I have been taking the month of December to carefully consider my goals and dreams and jotting them down in a notebook.  Thus far I've come up with several categories which encompass nearly every facet of my life:  finance, business, home organization, home projects, health and exercise, traveling, family time, relationships, faith, and service.  Within each category I have written my ideas and goals.  It's been very therapeutic.  I have strategically placed it on my nightstand and some nights when my mind is racing, I take the time to write down my thoughts before drifting off to sleep.

Naturally this journey includes my husband as well, so amping up the communication is a huge component.  We've spent some time discussing where we currently are and where we'd like to be in many of these areas.  In order to fulfill our goals and make some of our dreams come true, we're going to have to be on the same page.  This year will be a wonderful opportunity to grow as a couple and strengthen our relationship.

The bright yellow notebook has become the blueprint for the year ahead.  Items will be crossed off, new ideas added, and a whole lot of notes will be taken in the process.  There is no set schedule.  I have no plan for focusing on one particular area each month nor have I devised any systematic way to tackle my goals.  Instead, I am looking forward to committing to the journey and letting it unfold as it may. While there is a need to set some short and long-term goals in some areas (like finance and travel), the majority of the other areas are open to flexibility and growing as a person, wife, mother, and friend.  

Are you tired of putting things off?  Have a bucket list you'd like to tackle?  Then join in the journey. Follow along on Facebook or sign up for email updates and keep yourself on track to make it a fun and successful year.  Grab a notebook, jot down your thoughts and goals in the areas you find important, and see where you end up a year from now.  2015 is right around the corner and it is, after all, the year to get it done.