2015 New Years Resolutions

A strange thing happened last year.  I really started believing in the power of writing goals or desires of the heart down.  I have been doing it for years, so obviously I believed that there was merit in doing it.  Last year, I unexpectedly became a huge fan.

In the months following my divorce, I wrote a list of goals or desires that I wanted to happen in five years.  The list included 2 things that I didn't really know how to work on, so I didn't do anything about them. To be blunt, I hoped I could get the loans on my townhouse and vehicle in my name only (not with my ex).  I was working part-time and was making the payments all by myself often without child support, but I was sure I couldn't qualify for the loan by myself.  After writing it down, I went about life and didn't think about it again.

Last December, the transmission on my car went out.  I had just paid it off, but the title was in both of our names.  I pouted a few days, but then went to Car Max and got a cheaper used car, which I did qualify for ALL BY MYSELF.  I still didn't think about my goal until a month later, when I got a call from my mortgage company.  They told me that the government has a program to help people refinance.  I told them that I had gotten divorced and wasn't making very much money.  I didn't know if I could qualify.  They told me that I should try, so I went for it.  A few months later, the townhouse was only in my name.  I did nothing to seek those things out, but within 5 years they came to pass.  Coincidence?  Maybe...but I believe writing them sparked it all.

Now it is 2015, and I definitely want to document my resolutions.

1.  juice

I am going to juice more often (3 to 5 times a week).  Maybe even do a 3 day juice fast every month or two.  I love juicing, but I have gotten out of the habit.  Every time I need a little motivation, I am going to watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead - 1 or 2 (http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/).  Love those documentaries!

2. de-clutter my house 

For my entire life, I have never lived the the same house for long.  I have always moved with-in a year or two.  I have never had to spring clean or purge the junk that tends to accumulate.  My de-cluttering was basically about throwing stuff out that isn't worth moving.  I have now lived in this house for 3 1/2 years.  It completely surprises me that we could have so much extra stuff when I am very thrifty.  My goal is to figure out how to de-clutter when the goal isn't moving.  

3. pay off credit cards

Now that I am working full-time and life has started getting financially easier, I plan to reduce my debts and save more.  That is pretty straight forward.

4. lift others

I can't even count how many people have gone out of their way to help me through these last few years.  I am often shocked and humbled by their generosity and kindness.  I want to do help others the way they've helped me.  I started donating blood on a regular basis.  It happened because I felt like I didn't have anything to give, but I am healthy and realized that is one thing I could do.  I want to keep looking for ways to spread kindness.

5. teach essential oil classes

I have learned so much and there are quite a few people calling me and approaching me to ask questions.  People are really starting to take an interest in essential oils.  Our blog, Essential Health Solutions, is blowing up.  In a little over 2 months, it has had over 2,000 hits and it is picking up more readers all the time.  I see more and more people turning to essential oils.  My local grocery store has more than doubled their shelf space for essential oils and those brands aren't even safe to take internally or use topically. I see more and more people getting excited and wanting to learn more.


I think that is a pretty good list.  I would like to think that sharing it makes me more accountable.  I have a few other more personal things listed in a notebook.  I guess those are more dreams/wishes.  For some reason, I feel like sharing those kinds of things that I have less control over will jinx them like a birthday wish.

Cheers to you all!  Happy New Year and may life take you where you need and want to go!

Happy New Year & Goodbye Shopping!

It is that time of year again, when many people make resolutions. I always like to spend at least a few moments to review the previous year, think about the upcoming year, and re-set my priorities. This year, I don’t have much to rehash, but I am looking forward to possible big changes this summer.

I am planning to move back to my house in Texas. Now, I wish I knew how or if it will all work out, but that is my plan. My tenant’s lease ends on July 31st. I would really like to get Lexi enrolled in kindergarten there, which starts the middle of August. My dream/ideal situation is for my company to put me back on full-time in September. I can enroll Jordan in the same place that Lexi was going before we left. He would start right after Labor Day. Sounds like a great plan, but I know life often takes us in different directions. I still really want this one though.

While my company is doing ok, the economy in Florida has been suffering. There are not a lot of contracts out there. I am desperately praying we win one so that they don’t have to worry as much about agreeing to the full-time. My other option is to look for a job, but I am hoping I don’t have to go that route.

In order to make this transition easier, I realize that I am going to need money. Most situations in life are easier with money, right? Knowing that, I have decided that it is time to become an extreme penny pincher. I have never been very good at it, but I am certainly going to try.

So, here is to a New Year of penny pinching for the greater good!

New Years Resolutions

I like making New Years Resolutions. Last year, I decided just to make a goal to survive the year because I knew that the divorce needed to happen. Guess what - I made it through! Yeah amazing. :) This year, I'll go back to the traditional resolutions. Here they are:

1. Eat Healthier: less sugar, white flour, and sodas
2. Tone Up: my mom got us a membership to the YMCA. I can drop the kids off in the daycare & work out.
3. Try Online Dating: I have been thinking that it would be nice to go on a date or two, but I really don't go anywhere to meet guys. I am going to try some of the free online sites and see what happens.

If anyone has advice, especially about the third one, please share. I don't know very much about it.

Just Surviving

This year, I am not making any resolutions. I make a few every year even if they are just silly things. I don't feel like I can do it this year though. I can't even go into what is stressing me out or much about all the other factors that just add to that. I'll just say that life is difficult and somehow I have to find the way to make some major changes. I think it is appropriate to say that 2009 is about surviving. It is about living life in the moment and cherishing the wonderful blessings I do have. It is also about being strong and knowing I can plow through it.

I am sure that I am not the only one trying to get through this year. Economic issues have put a lot of people in survival mode. Lets hope we can all get through whatever it is we are battling with as soon as possible. How is that for a resolution?

Working on Being Healthier & Happier

I am coming to the end of my first week of eating healthier and exercising. My goal is to exercise (long fast walk or exercise video) at least 4 times a week & I have done that this week. I am not even counting the calories burned by breast feeding & the million trips up and down our stairs every day. Those are just bonus calories. Actually, I am not really counting calories or restricting the quantity at this point. I am just making better choices.

Like most women, I want to lose weight. How much? We don't have a scale, so I can't say. I do know how much I weighed right before giving birth & I'll find out how much I lost when I go to the doctor for the 6 week post check-up. I also know what weight makes me feel like looking in the mirror rather than avoiding it.

To kick start my motivation, I got my non-maternity clothes out of the attic (I put them in there when we moved here instead of unpacking them). Now, everything old seems new again. By going through the clothes, I realized two things:

1- The pickins are slim. Apparently, I bought one pair of jeans right after I had Lexi (they are a little big on me), but must have worn workout clothes or been mostly naked for the sizes during maternity leave.

2- I am going to have to do some shopping when I get down to the size of most of my clothes because they are almost all summerish or businessish (9 years of living & working in Miami). Fortunately, shopping is another motivator for me.

This morning, I received an e-mail from a close friend that I have known for 20 years (yes, back in good old Jr High). She started a blog called Not So Skinny Me. Apparently, she is also on a quest to get back her girlish figure. BTW, I still think of her as a hottie, since we had many years of ballet & dance classes together. I know there are a lot of girls out there in our situation. Perhaps, we can all work to motivate each other. Check out her blog & join in with motivational comments.

Hoping for an Uneventful Year

I am behind on the whole ending last year and looking forward to the coming year post, but life has been hectic lately.

Looking back, 2006 was quite a crazy year. In January, I was very pregnant until the 26th. Then it was all about Lexi and (insanely) trying to work full time at home while on maternity leave. February was about adjusting to the new baby, visiting my MIL in the hospital, and Steve losing his job. March was more of the same stresses, but my husband had a temporary job. April was about fixing up the house and Steve landing a great job. My sister, Paige, came in May to be our nanny and I went back to work. We put our house up for sale in June and later that month my MIL passed away, which sent Steve into a crazy funk throughout July. At the end of July, we went to Tallahassee to see my family. Paige left for California and Lexi started daycare in August. We got a contract on our house in September and had to find a place to live. October was all about moving and enjoying our new life on the beach. In November, we had a wonderful trip to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with Steve's relatives. December brought Christmas parties and a trip to California to spend Christmas with my family.

Fortunately, the last 2 months were quite nice. I am hoping that momentum swings into 2007. There are a few things I would like to happen this year that are mostly out of my hands. I will be doing what I can and keeping my fingers crossed. As far as my resolutions, my work started an incentive program for weight loss. It is mainly to motivate those who really need it, but I signed up because there is a reward (gift certificate) for accomplishing the goal and I'd like to shed 10 lbs anyway. That is basically my only resolution. This year, I am keeping it simple because that is what I want out of life.