Resolution Review: January

Now that January is already over(!) I thought I would review my goals for 2015 and write about what I want to continue to do or change in February.

More detailed information about each of goals can be read here. Now to review my progress (get ready, it's a little long):

Exercise at least once a week. This was a big fail. I did "8-minute abs" one time and that is it! I just never felt motivated in the evening to go to the gym. I was usually tired after a long day with Luke and felt like I would much rather be home hanging out with Phil. I could have done some more ab workouts I guess, but I usually just forgot.
Working out is hard for me. It has always been hard for me to stay motivated on my own. If I had a friend to go with me I know I would be much better, but its hard to find someone else who wants to do the same things and has the same schedule. The only time I feel like I was really dedicated was after Luke was born and I wanted to lose the baby weight. I walked every day and did ab and weight training every night and I loved it. But, after we moved to Utah, I got out of my routine, and then the weather starting cooling down, and now I never work out at all. I know I should, but its hard to find the time with the little guy.
With all that being said, I have decided to try to adjust/add to my goal and instead of focusing on traditional work outs, which I never maintain, I am going to try to walk more again because that is something that I actually enjoy and can do during the day with Luke instead of having to try to find time to go to the gym. That works out well because I am adding another goal to my list which is to drive less (see below).

Eat less sugar. This is a goal that I thought I would really struggle with from the start, but has actually gone much better than I expected. My plan was to slowly cut back on sugar by skipping sweets for two days a week, then up to three, then four, then five. Knowing that I wasn't cutting sugar out completely I think really helped. I chose to skip sugar on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I was able to stick to it without too much trouble. I did have cravings some nights, but just reminded myself, "I can have a sweet tomorrow" and then was able to forget about it. February will still be two days of no sweets and then in March I will go to three.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. First of all, thank goodness Sprouts moved in just down the street from us because that has really helped me to stick to this goal. I am the worst at eating enough fruit and veggies, and even though I cook dinner every night, I often forget a side dish. I was determined to be better so I started buying salad every week as well as all kinds of fruit and vegetables that I could snack on during the day.
I don't like eating salad. It's not that I don't like the taste, but I don't like how much work it is to add other veggies to it, and then to try to get those darn leaves on your fork. But, it really was the easiest way to get a serving of vegetables every night with dinner, plus Phil loves salad. And, surprisingly, after several weeks of eating it almost every night, I am starting to like it too.

Keep a one sentence journal. Fail. Big fail. I wrote in my journal one time. I'm not sure what I need to do to make this happen. I still want to do it, but I forgot a lot, and when I did remember I was kind of just too lazy to actually do it. I'll try again this month.

Write a novel in 30 days. Since this is just a one month goal, and I haven't chosen my month to accomplish it yet, I can't say much about it, except that I am still excited to make it happen, and still determining which month will be best. (I'm leaning toward March or June right now).

Drive less. As noted above, this is a new goal that I added in the middle of January. When Luke was smaller I used to divide up my errands and do one or two of them each day of the week, just to give me a reason to get out of the house. I didn't always like driving somewhere everyday, but it helped me from feeling crazy being inside with a baby all day long. Now that Luke is bigger, he can play more and doesn't need the same kind of attention (although he still needs a lot). He loves to go for walks, and go to the playground, and go to story time at the library.  I have decided to stop driving as much and to walk instead (if its reasonably possible to do so) so that Luke can enjoy some time outside and I can get a little exercise. The weather has been extremely nice for January in Utah and so we have been able to walk and play outside a lot more than I expected we would this time of year.
Not driving as much has also helped me to avoid impulse buys, save money on gas, and stop wasting time at stores that I don't really need to be at. I can spend more time doing things at home (like sewing!) and enjoying the times I do go out more.

Things that Made my Life Easier in 2014: A French Shopping List and a Capsule Wardrobe

I think overall, 2014 was a pretty good year. Phil graduated from school, got a good job, we moved into an apartment that we love, and Luke grew and grew. We feel really grateful and blessed to be in a good situation, even if everything isn't perfect (darn student loan debt).

Lately, I have been trying to find things to make our life more simple and enjoyable. I want to look back on these years and remember good times that we had, not just a busy or stressed-out life. So, I spent some time reflecting on things that I did in 2014 that made my life easier. I found that it had really been just simple, small changes that made a big difference. Here a few of them:

1. Creating a Capsule Wardrobe
2. Menu Planning
3. Using a Monthly Budget
4. Having a To-do List

Capsule Wardrobe:  First, of all, I had never heard this term until about September of this year, but apparently its "trending".  I have always loved clothes and fashion, but I have never had the money to buy everything I wanted so I have often felt frustrated with my closet, always thinking that if I could just buy a few more things I would be happier with my wardrobe (which of course I never was). In the spring of 2014, I stumbled upon the blog The Private Life of a Girl talking about the "French Wardrobe" which, according to her, means that the French don't have mountains and mountains of clothes, but rather a few basic pieces that they can wear often, and when they shop they only buy a few new pieces each season.  I really liked the idea of being more intentional about the things I buy rather than chasing a bunch of trends that I see on fashion bloggers. So, over the past year I have made a list of 5 things that I wanted for each new season and focused only on buying those pieces. I tried to make sure the pieces on my list were items that would mix well with pieces I already owned, as well as would be pieces that weren't too trendy so that I could use them for a long time, even as trends change.

This way of shopping has changed a lot for me. First, it has helped me avoid impulse buys.  I keep my shopping list on my phone, so whenever I was out browsing I could pull it up and remind myself of the pieces I really needed and wanted rather than getting distracted by some pretty thing that probably wouldn't have suited me in the long run anyway. Next, it made me appreciate the items I already had a lot more, and stop coveting what other people had. When you choose to buy less, and become more thoughtful about what you do buy, it changes your perspective. Instead of thinking, "if only I had more money to..." you choose to think (and therefore begin to feel), "I am choosing to limit my purchases and be content with what I have."

After making my seasonal lists over the course of the year, I discovered another great blog called un-fancy that focuses on keeping a "capsule wardrobe" for each season. Basically, a capsule wardrobe means that you choose to only have a certain number of items in your wardrobe for a certain number of months and you don't buy new clothes during that time. In the un-fancy blog, she has 37 items (shoes included!) that she wears for 3 months (spring, summer, fall, winter). I had already been trying to simplify my wardrobe so I really liked this approach and decided to give it a try.

I sorted through all of my things and got rid of anything that was old or that I didn't wear very much (I actually do this pretty frequently, so it wasn't a big ordeal). Then, I boxed up all the items that I didn't want to have in my fall wardrobe (mostly short sleeve shirts, shorts, capris and a few other items that I decided I didn't need currently hanging in my closet). I didn't quite get down to 37 pieces, but I was pretty close, and I wore only those items through October, November and December. Turns out, I didn't miss my other clothes at all and I enjoyed how having less items gave me the opportunity to be more creative. I found new ways to wear things that I had never tried before and I found that rather than feeling like I didn't have enough, I just really enjoyed my clothes and getting dressed each day.

At the beginning of January I pulled my boxes out, put away a few things from my Fall capsule and added some new things. Now I will only wear those things until the end of March. I will still continue to make my French shopping list, and buy the 5 new things I need for each season/capsule. This whole progression over the year has really helped me to be more content, which is something I not only want for myself, but want to teach our kids too. It seems silly that clothes and the way I buy and wear them would be a source of happiness, but they have been, and I can see how that change in perspective has influence other areas of my life as well. I'm looking forward to a new year of a simple, easy wardrobe.

Check back for more posts on things that made my life easier in 2014. 

Recommended Reading: The Happiness Project

I had been hearing a lot about The Happiness Project, online, from friends, from other bloggers, and I decided I would give it a read. I didn't really know anything about it when I got it from the library, but I loved it almost immediately.

The author, Gretchen Rubin, goes through a period of reflection, and decides that her life is just too good to not be happier than she is. She and her husband are both well-employed, she has two daughters, lives in a nice home in the city she loves, and has loving and supportive extended family and friends. 

She began to research happiness in hopes to determine whether or not a person such as herself, with a pretty average life and no extreme lifestyle changes (such as a terminal illness or loss of job), could make herself happier. She decided to spend one year--focusing on different aspects of her life (marriage, work, hobbies, etc.) each month--doing things that would make her happier, and tracking her progress along the way. With that, The Happiness Project was born. 

I loved this book for a lot of reasons. First, because Rubin makes use of charts and resolutions to implement changes in her life, and it of seems exactly like something I would do too. Next, because she is so real and down to earth. She doesn't pretend to make any major break throughs that don't take time and hard work (in other words, this is not a "just follow these 4 steps to a happier life" kind of book), and is honest about her weaknesses and shortcomings. Finally, I loved this book because it really inspired me. I am a pretty naturally happy person, and I have really a pretty good life. But there are still things I could do to be even happier, and more grateful, and more well-rounded, and this book made me want to do those things.

The Happiness Project made me want to look a little deeper inside myself and see where I could improve, but not in such an "I am making this change because I should" (which is a result of feeling guilty) kind of a way, but more in an "I am making this change because I really want to and I enjoy it" kind of a way. I also read it in December, which was perfect to gear me up for a new year and encouraged me to think of resolutions to make myself happier in 2015.

I would recommend this book to anyone, whether you want to use it as a jumping off point to make changes in your life, or just as a casual read that will make you smile. Do enjoy.

My Resolutions for 2015

It's no secret that I like to make goals. My type A personality gets a high off of list-making, and especially off of crossing things off of that list, so it should be no surprise that I get a little giddy with each new year. It's exciting to think about what I might be able to accomplish. A whole year ahead of me! What should I do with it?!

I just finished reading The Happiness Project, and I got a lot of ideas about how to approach my resolutions this year. I want to stretch, but I also want to be myself. I want to try things I have never tried, and also get better and doing things that I should already be doing. I want to be realistic about my life. I have a one year old. We live on a tight budget. There are some things that won't happen this year. But that's ok.

Here a my resolutions so far. I'm still working out some of the details, because I know that you can't just make a goal without having a plan to accomplish that goal, but for now I wanted to at least get them written down.

Exercise at least once a week. I know, I know, exercising once a week isn't going to get me into shape. But right now I don't exercise at all. I know that I'm not going to do it everyday, and its unlikely that I'll even do it every other day, but once a week? I can do that. I really enjoy walking, but its pretty cold these days, so if I don't get out for a walk with Luke I will go to our gym and run on the treadmill. If I don't get to the gym, I'll do some cardio/stretches/ab workouts inside. I'm trying to be realistic here, so as far as I'm concerned, any kind of working out is progress. Hopefully as I go along I can increase what I do.
Eat less sugar. I have a serious sweet tooth. I eat a lot of sugar. Every day. I know that I should cut back, but it's hard. I've tried to just plain stop eating sugar cold turkey, but that only lasted for about two days before I gave in and ate a whole bag of skittles. So, this time I'm going to try to, again, be more realistic. Here is my plan. During the month of January and February I will be allowed to eat sugar 5 out of 7 days of the week. Then, depending on how that goes, in March and April I will cut it down to 4 out of 7 days. Then down to 3, and then 2 days. I don't think I will cut it down more than that, because, I like sugar. I see no reason to get rid of it altogether, but cutting back will definitely be better for me.
Eat more fruit and vegetables. Along with eating too much sugar, I don't eat nearly enough fruit or vegetables. Its harder in the winter to find good fruit, and I don't love salad, but I know I need to make more of an effort. A new Sprouts is opening right by our house so I am hoping that I can find some better produce there that will help me stick to my goal.
Keep a one sentence journal. I used to write in a journal almost every day for years. Then I got married. I have tried on and off to start writing regularly again, but it never sticks. I got the idea for one sentence journal keeping from The Happiness Project, and I think it may work for me. Just sticking to one sentence takes off a lot of pressure to keep a record of everything, and instead reminds me to just write down the best thing of each day.  I read before I go to sleep almost every night, so I think I can sacrifice a few of those precious minutes to write one or two sentences.
Write a novel in 30 days. I have always wanted to write a novel. I have started bits and pieces here and there. I even tried NaNoWriMo a couple of years ago, but November was just too busy of a month to finish. I've decided I will try a less busy month, like March or June, but most importantly I am just going to focus on writing, not on publishing. Whenever I sit down to write something, I always just want to edit it before I get very far, and I always think about whether or not anyone would every read it. This time, that won't matter. I don't care if my novel is good, I just care about trying and finishing. 

That's all for now! Wish me luck as start this new year!

Reflections and a Happy New Year

I had the opportunity to travel with Phil and Luke to New Mexico to visit my family for Christmas. Luke and I flew down on Dec 16, Phil came later on the 23 and we all came back on Jan 3. While there, I took a break from my blog and my Etsy shop. I checked my email only occasionally and didn't spend any time reading the news or other blogs (something I usually do every morning). I only browsed Pinterest here and there and checked Facebook very little. In every sense of the word, I had a real vacation.

I found that I didn't really miss those things, and while I know that I will continue to use them in the future, it was satisfying to see that I could go without them and still enjoy my time with plenty to do. 

Christmas was lovely, as it always is. Luke really didn't know what was going on, but he was in a great mood and loved tearing up the wrapping paper. It was exciting to start really thinking about our own Christmas traditions, now that Luke is getting bigger (last Christmas he was only a month old and we didn't even buy him gifts). We have decided to implement the "four gift rule" and it was fun to start that for the first time. 

New Years is also one of my favorite times. I love making goals (no surprise there, considering my addiction to list making and organization), and New Years is always an exciting time for me to evaluate my life and think about what I can do to make it more productive and fulfilling in the coming months.
I'm looking forward to continue to use this blog to share my resolutions and projects. I hope that 2015 will be a year of happiness and growth, a year spent with family and friends, a year learning more about myself and my purpose. Here's to a great 2015!