2014 Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2014 is here! I won't lie and say I saw it come in because I was in bed at 9:45 (I tried to last later honestly I did) and slept right through the entry of it - but that doesn't mean I will sleep through the rest of the year!

I know that making resolutions are very cliche and I really am not one to make resolutions but I am VERY pro goals. I love making new goals, reaching them, changing them as I go along and everything in between. I also love fresh starts, and there are two times a year that tend to be "fresh starts", September and New Years.

It is also the beginning of the first quarter of the year and I am a numbers person and like things to be even so the first of each quarter is also a good time to look at things and set some goals as well as monthly goals.

I do have a few goals that I will share with you:

1. Sean and I will be consumer debt free by the end of this year, possibly sooner, but our goal date is December 31, 2014. 

2. Get back to my goal weight.

3. Rank advance with my company.

I also have two more goals that are private and I don't care to share them on here (as much as I love you all)! 

Goals are great and all but if you don't break them down into a plan and small steps you will NEVER reach them. I have broken down each of my goals and made a list of what I need to do to reach them. I will continue to assess these goals on a monthly basis and change the plan as need be. I think the first of the month is a good time to do so. I have put this in my calendar so that I will remember to reassess them.

I also plan on watching this video often as it is a great reminder to reach for something greater: Motivation Video. 

I have also decided that I need to give up pop, for a few reasons. 

1. I don't want Rylee drinking it and don't feel that it is fair to drink it in front of her when she isn't allowed to have it.

2. There is nothing and I mean NOTHING good for you in pop - both regular and diet pop are FULL of chemicals and sugar and garbage your body does not need. 

I don't drink pop often, mostly when we go to a restaurant, but I was planning on giving it up anyways so I figured I might as well pick today to be day 1. When I am craving something with carbonation I will drink our energe drink which tastes similar to pop but is GOOD FOR ME.

I hope you make some goals to better your life in any way and more importantly make a step by step plan exactly how you will reach them.

Happy New Year again everyone. 

Let's drop the T's

I’m back! I’m sorry for the temporary LOA but I have returned!

I’ve been spending a lot of me time lately and doing lots of thinking, and reflecting. I’ve been working on making small but positive changes in my life, both at home and at work, you and happen to have caught me on a good day!

I want to share with you something that I’ve been working on lately, and that is dropping the T’s. Okay, so what does that mean? Let’s turn can’t into can, won’t into will, shouldn’t into should and so forth. So much of our lives are spent thinking about the things we “can’t, won’t shouldn’t” do. For example, I can’t accomplish this goal, I won’t make it, I shouldn’t try. So, let’s drop the T’s and move forward.

Now you’re asking…what does that look like? Well, I’m not an expert by any means, but here is what I have come up with (I will do 1 example of the few plans that I have come up with for myself and then you can fill your own goals and make your own plan!)

My plan

What do I want to accomplish? Getting back to my goal weight

Why this is important to me? So that I can live a healthy life, fit back into my clothing, so getting older isn’t as hard on my body, to be able to be an example and to show to everyone that it can be done a healthy way!

How am I going to do this? I am going to make a commitment to myself to loose 1 pound, one day at a time and not look at how much I have to loose total.

I will make my weekly meal plan, and stick to it.

I will get to the gym at least twice a week to start, and build up again from there.

I will see my trainer at least once a week, preferably twice.

I will treat myself once a day, or a minimum of every other day.

I will track everything I eat.

Now it might look like I have put a lot down for how am I going to do this, and yes I started it all at once, but for me these are small changes that I can make to sustain my weight loss/maintenance long term – which is very important to me.

I have made some other goals in terms of finances, my emotional/mental health, and house work. I used a plan for each one and made sure that I started out SMALL. I did not throw out everything in my kitchen and promise never to eat junk food again, because let’s be honest, I’d fail after a few days. I did however look at the small steps that I could take that would get me there. It might take longer than I want, but I will get there. I have also been sending a list of everything I eat to my mom, it will help to keep me accountable.

On a different topic, I have some very exciting things coming up in my near future!

Next weekend: something huge is happening (I can’t post more details right now since it is a surprise for someone, but the wait will be worth it).

May: Going to Chicago with my parents and husband for the long weekend. We are going to a business conference, but it will still be exciting. Plus it’s the same weekend as our two year anniversary!

July: I am going to BC again to see my family <3. This time my parents will be there at the same time as me so it will be extra exciting.

August: Camping!

September: Women’s retreat

Food for thought: When you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything you want

My Birthday and my 25-before-25 list

Well, today is the day! Not only is it my 24^th birthday, it’s also the start of my 25 before 25 list. Essentially I picked 25 things that I want to complete before I turn ¼ of a century old. Some of the list is complied of ideas I got from other peoples lists and some of these are unique to me. Some are simple, some are more challenging, but I have 365 days to complete them and of course write about them to share with you! I’ve been working on compiling the list for a while now (just over a month) and I’m really excited to complete it.

1. Throw a fancy dinner party

2. Get a grown up bed set

3. Try one new recipe a month

4. Spend one whole day doing nothing

5. Do something spontaneous

6. Lay in the grass and watch the stars

7. Eat a decadent dessert and be in control

8. Reconnect with an old camp friend

9. Buy $100 grocery gift card and leave it with the cashier for someone

10. Donate blood

11. Go fishing

12. Find out my credit score

13. Pick a movie series and watch them back to back

14. Go garage sailing

15. Start a retirement savings plan

16. This one is personal ;)

17. Get my belly button pierced

18. Not use my credit card for one month

19. Start, and finish editing my wedding video

20. Play in the rain

21. Go berry picking

22. Get in the car and drive with no destination planned

23. Not buy house cleaner for one year (with the exception of dish soap)

24. Pay off 100% of our debt

25. Get back to my goal weight

Today Sean made me pancakes for breakfast at my request:

That’s peanut butter and raspberry jam on them, with. They were so good! Then for lunch I had a salad, and Sean came to meet me because he has to work tonight.

After work I am going to get my hair cut, rent a movie, and then my sister is coming over for quesedillas and a home spa night (because going to a real spa is just not in the budget!).  I am quite looking forward to it!

I plan on ending the evening with a cup of tea, a mint smoothie (my favourite chocolate ever that I bought on the weekend to have on my birthday) and snuggles with my little Levi <3.