So, the being perfect resolution… I’ve already failed. I left a pile of laundry on my bed last night and just pushed it off onto the chest at the end of the bed, allowing the clean clothes to sit and fester and wrinkle themselves all night. Oh, and I ate some chocolate that’s not allowed in the ubiquitous new years diet. And had a soda. It was mostly diet, but not all, and diet’s not that good anyway, so why not just drink water? Oh yeah, for the caffiene that I’ve also sworn off, that’s why. And I wasted time roaming the internet today and being entirely unproductive. So… back to square one. I’m not perfect. Besides, perfect is boring, right? Right.
(This post is too long, so I’m breaking it up with the Christmas card that ended up being a New Years card that I sent out. If you didn’t get one in the mail, here it is:) 
Besides the impossible goal of being perfect, I do have a few other goals. The last few years, I haven’t bothered to make New Years resolutions. I figured that if I wasn’t already doing something, I wasn’t likely to start just because of a date on the calendar. But this year feels different. I think it’s because after a couple months of craziness and work, I got a nice break. It felt like a pause button on life. No school, no commitments, nothing on the calendar after weeks of being jam-packed. And once the kids are back in school, I’m sure it will be back to crazy. So I want to be ready.
I’ve made a 3-month goal in each of these categories: Work, Money, Love, Personal, Spiritual, Friends, Family. To keep myself accountable, I’ll share it here.
Work: I have lots of plans in the works, a new website, the workshop, a new logo if I get that brilliant flash of inspiration I’m waiting for. And I plan to read one book per month to help me with being a better business person. Right now I’m reading The Tipping Point. I’m not sure how that relates to my business, but it’s pretty interesting and it’s non-fiction and it was in the business section and a best-seller, so why not? 
Money: Spend less on eating out, eat lunch at home as much as possible. To do this, I bought stuff at the grocery store today that I actually like so I don’t have to eat PB&Js all the time. This should also help with the diet thing.
Love: REAL date night at least once a month.
Personal: floss my teeth every single day. I know, that should have been my habit since I was, like, 4, but it hasn’t been, and it’s never too late to start, right? And the working out and eating less thing that everyone else is planning is also on my list.
Spiritual: Pray. I plan to journal every day. I feel better when I dump stuff out of my head and onto paper.
Friends: Go to the park day and/or volleyball and get out from behind the computer once in a while.
Family: Take each of the kids on a “date” once a month with either me or Dave.
I tried to come up with a list of 101 things to accomplish in the next 1001 days, like I’ve seen a few people do, but I’m stuck at 45. I’ll keep working on that though.
Sorry for this exceedingly long and boring post. I’ll try not to do it again… at least today.
11 Comments
Got the card today and shared it with no less than 10 people. Loved it. My new years resolutions are to send out thank you cards and remember everyone’s birthday in my family, two things I’m horrible at. I would add losing weight but I thought I’d give myself goals I could possibly accomplish. I may add flossing, that was a good one. You’re so creative…
Love the card, Shannon. So cute!! You have just convinced me that I absolutely must have you take our picture for a Christmas card this year. I know that’s 363 days away, but … something for you to look forward to. ;o)
I have decided not to do the resolution thing. Or more appropriately I have not decided not to do it.
It seems like my goals are the same all the time, I just can seem to pick up the habit.
Hey Shannon,
I’m doing the 101 in 1001. Here’s my link. I haven’t updated in a while, but I’m still actually keeping up with my goals. They can be tiny, so don’t get caught up in only big things. http://phenomenal101.blogspot.com/
Wow, those are lofty goals… love the card, very colorful.
Where’d you get them printed? How much?
Maybe my resolution should be to be not so cheap.
I loved your post, Shannon. Great goals. I need to get mine down on paper too. Great card too. Sending you a flash of inspiration (although I feel you are a creative genius and you don’t need help from anyone in that dept.). (((inspiration)))
Your card is darling! Happy New Year & good luck with your goals!
Raimi
Love the photo with all the children running! It’s perfection!
I stumbled upon your blog! Your card is HILARIOUS!! Very clever!
You have such a good looking family Shannon. Matthew is quite a stud. I am soooo glad I found your blog! I was looking at some of my older scrapbook magazines and saw some of the original layouts you did (that made me fall into like with you) and you are JUST AMAZING! Now you have become this totally AMAZING photographer, what next POTUS?
Hey Shannon…I found your blog through Andrea’s and I adore your cute card. Your kids are entirely YOU and it is fun to see that you and Dave haven’t changed at all since the Rick’s days. Fun to see you (even if it is in cyber-space) again!
Adri (Croxford) Murdock