Friday, January 02, 2009

Do you make New Years Resolutions?

Last year I had a couple of new years resolutions.

My first was to cut back on our spending. I decided that cooking ahead once a month and having meals prepared was a good way to do this. It was successful and looking at our budget from 2008 and comparing it to 2007 I have made my goal.

I also wanted to get serious with running a budget and knowing exactly how much money we have spent and how much we have left each pay. I was also successful at this and we are much better off finacially than we were at the end of 2007.

My other goal was to declutter a room a month. I started with decluttering the children's clothes. I did this to a degree but not fully and no main room has been started. I think when I make a resolution like this I have in the back of my mind that I will be able to do it later and it just never gets done.

So my commitment this year is to stick with this. I have written out a list and assigned a main room a month to decluttering. I have also bought a note book. In the notebook I have written a couple of goals for the year and things I want to change. I am going to write in this book each night and reflect on what I did to meet these goals. I am hoping by writing down what I have done or neglected to do that I can motivate myself to do something now rather than wait till tomorrow.

What are your new year resolutions?

Therese

18 comments:

Unknown said...

Good goals! We started the new year with the new budget! It is going to take baby steps, but we can do it! Love the notebook idea!

Therese said...

Thanks Therese. I hope I keep up the writing though.

Adrienne said...

I think I'll just follow yours from last year.

I also need to work on my time scheduling making sure their is prayer time (haven't been so good lately and it shows), AND, to get off the excess weight that has snuck up and attached itself to me, while I was sleeping, I'm sure! LOL

Therese said...

Adrienne,

I have put the fly lady book by my bed to read again so that I can be inspired to declutter a bit more. I think she inspired the purging of the clothes. Looking back it was a good thing to get done. I only did it for the younger three though. I really need to work on getting it done for all our children.

Therese

Anonymous said...

Wishing you and your family a New Year filled with His Spirit and Blessings!

~Mrs.Cuddles

Sarah - Kala said...

I'll be doing the room by room in hyper mode due to our move in April/May. I need to move house in order to move my junk out to the dump or give it away. :-)

Good goals and I wish you the best. My one true desire/goal will post tomorrow.

Blessings,
Sarah

Therese said...

Thanks Mrs. Cuddles.

Sarah,

I hate moving. We have moved a total of 4 times (which isn't many probably compared to you) and when we got to this house, I said to Steve I want to live here till I die.

Many prayers for you as you prepare to move.

Therese

Michelle said...

I have one goal this year: a balanced life: spiritually, financially, physically(fitness) and with relationships.

I did a major decluttering and reorganizing this year but it is something I'll need to remain vigilant about.

ukok said...

Oh Therese, i see we have so much in common! Thanks so much for sharing the link about the clock poem/prayer.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!

Herd Momma said...

You have fun with that little notebook of yours. Last year my biggest resolution was to loose weight. I did. I lost 35lbs. Some has been creeping back but, Tom and I both plan to get with it starting next week.
I guess my Spiritual Life is big on my list. If I can work on this and get it back in gear properly I have a feeling alot of other things will fall in place.
Thanks for the motivation. Enjoy your notebook. I've already told you how budgets and me don't get along well. Maybe we'll work on that too.
xoxo
Amy

paramedicgirl said...

I haven't made any New Year's resolutions for years, though my goal is the same each and every year. What I most desire is eternal salvation. I keep it uppermost on my mind every day. It is the steepest hill I have ever climbed.

Tania said...

I am still working on my resolutions for this year.

I have made a list but keep adding to it. A budget and sticking to it all year is on top of the list.

Staying organised is also there.

I should put the list on my blog so it is there to remind me, should I get distracted!

In 1991 I gave up smoking after making it my resolution that year. On the 16th January 1991 I stopped cold turkey and have not looked back. I was determined and I achieved. Now I need that same determination to carry through some of my new wishes.

Tania

Therese said...

Tania,

I gave up smoking for the last time in December 2008. I started in December while the children were still in school because I knew I needed to do it while I was still busy. If I tried to do it in January I probably wouldn't have followed through. The first 4 days were the hardest and then I was home.

Tania said...

That's great to hear Therese, it is a hard journey and I wish you the very best of luck.

It was my three little girls that made me give it up when they started learning at school how bad it was for health and they didn't want mummy to die. I was a single parent at the time and it became way too expensive at $3.50 a packet.

Tania

Therese said...

When I gave up they were nearly $10.00 a a pack.

A Bit of the Blarney said...

NNo resolutions, just one simple goal at a time. Right now I'm determined to finish a counted x-stitch I started 2 yrs ago! Then on to the next goal. too many cause me to become distracted and quit. Cathy

Michele said...

i tend to set goals throughout the year rather than make a resolution. for me, it works great:) i think with limited health, that setting small goals that i can accomplish easily works great for me:) i used to err ahem, make a resolution to stop smoking, but that didn't happen.... <--- shame on me! it will one day!
but, one thing at a time. :) that's about what i can handle! :) i agree with PMG, that eternal salvation is what occupies my mind:) that is always a goal worth striving for for any of us! we do strive for it! praise God! :)

Adrienne said...

Another great book is Peter Walsh's "It's All Too Much"

It says a lot more about the whys of de-cluttering rather than the how's. I got it at the library and finally just bought a copy for myself when I need pumping up...

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