Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2013 Wishes and Goals

Ah, so here I find myself, in stretchy pants and Ugg boots, on the couch, last minute, deciding what I want the next year to hold.  (How about more of this?  Ok.)

For the past two years I have made "The List" - a list of 50 things I wanted to achieve in the coming year, many of them specific and inconsequential   I liked making those lists, but let's be honest - I didn't quite cross too many of those off... And that was ok.  No goal is a good one if you actually meet it, right?

Well, this year, I'm paring down.  A little more realistic...

I'm a new person, these days.  A mom.  A stay at home mom.  Tony and I are parents, in new roles.  New life changes call for new goals...  I came up with a few.

1.  Be Happy
2.  Try Harder
3.  Read Read
4.  Get Hired
5.  Be Honest
6.  Get Fitter
7.  Be Creative
8.  Show Love

1.  Be Happy:  Maybe this deserves a post of its own, but I haven't always been the most happy recently.  It's undoubtedly related to getting used to being home and all of the responsibilities of being a mama - but I have a ridiculous amount to be happy about.  I get to spend each day with a smiling, happy, chubby little girl who makes me immeasurably joyful.  I have a husband who cooks dinner, gets the biggest baby smiles, and knows when to bring home dessert.  Discontent is something that is easily wallowed in - and I don't want to do that.  It's self-fulfilling and sly, often imagined.  I am blessed beyond belief and I want that to radiate out from me.

2.  Try Harder:  I'm kind of a crummy housewife.  I have one baby and get much less accomplished than moms with many.  This is not a self-pity kind of thing, but I know I could be doing more with my day than I am doing.  I could get more cleaned, I could get out more, I could fix my hair occasionally, I could get on all of those projects I've been meaning and meaning to do.  I keep coming up with all of these things I want to do - so I need to just do them.  Stop being lazy.  Stop making excuses.  And not to impress anyone or to live up to anyone's expectations - but for myself.

3.  Read Read:  True confession - When I was pregnant and in the thick of school - textbook reading and theory and discussion questions - I had fantasies of pushing my sleeping cherubic baby in her stroller through the aisles of the library, free to choose any book I wanted, perhaps leisurely reading one in one of the cushy chairs there.  Um, then I had a baby.  I have been slugging through the same book for the past three months.  And it's even a good one!  I have got to get back to reading - I feel like my brain is atrophying.  I've got the time, I need to use it.

4.  Get Hired:  I have been extremely lucky to have been able to spend this time home with Harper for (what will be) her first year of life.  Yet I am also excited to begin the process of getting a teaching job and putting that second degree to work!  I won't be looking for a teaching job until the new school year that will start in August, when Harper is 1, but the process needs to start now.  I have a resume to tune, applications to fill out, daycares to investigate - it's all quite exciting but daunting as well.  I want to be well-prepared.

5.  Be Honest:  This is not to say I'm dishonest, but I feel like often in life I sugarcoat or hide my true feelings or opinions to cater to my audience, in real life and online.  When I blog, when I share with friends, even what I express to Tony.  I want to be real.  Realer?  I want to blog more about real life.  I always feel like I have to have something impressive to write about, but really some of my favorite blogs don't necessarily always have a unique craft tutorial - it's their real life they are sharing - good and bad.  I'm going to do that.  And I miss writing.  I may not lead the most exciting life, but I can still write about it.  All of it.  And I can be open and honest in real life too.  I want to let go of inhibition and just open up.  This one is kind of a catchall.

6.  Get Fitter:  Ah, the usual.  What would a new year be without a fitness resolution?  I was lucky to only gain about 30 pounds with my pregnancy  and lose all of it within a month or so without trying.  Yet those same numbers on the scale sit a whoooole lot differently now.  And I wasn't exactly in shape pre-preg either.  I want to lose weight, but I want to be stronger too.  I will have a little mover here soon, and I don't want to be out of breath just trying to chase her.  No hard numbers here, just fitter.  More exercise, better eating, cleaner living.

7.    Be Creative:  I think I've lamented this here on this blog enough lately, so I won't belabor it.  But I want to find my creative mojo again.  Or at least paint the trim in our house.  Something! Anything!

8.  Show Love:  This circles back to #1.  I want my happiness to spread out to those around me.    I feel like I've become a pretty crummy friend.  I want to pick up the phone, make a call or send a text, make time to spend time.  And most importantly, there have been too many days when I let myself get into a funk and took it out on Tony.  He is the most forgiving, understanding, and kindhearted husband.  Luckily!  I owe it to him to show the love I feel too.  I want my family to be filled with love and I want to show love in everything I do, every day. 


I can't wait to see what 2013 holds for our little family!  Happy New Year to you!

3 comments:

  1. Great goals Claire! I feel like I know exactly what you're talking about with all of them! Good luck!

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  2. I love this list! You've got me thinking about how I want to approach my life in 2013. I think I might have to post about it soon!

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  3. These are wonderful, honest goals. I can't wait to see what your year will hold. With a start like this, it can only be wonderful.

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