New Year's Resolutions 2013

Just like everyone else, I have resolutions for the new year.  Some of them are the same ones I have had for years...and it seems to be a never ending cycle!  I have been doing a bit of research to find ways to keep my resolutions alive all year long...and hopefully, meet them in the next 364 days!

Here are my resolutions :))

1. Get my "stripper" body BACK!  I am 35 pounds heavier than I was the day I met my fiance....and that has got to change!  I have a gym membership, a diet plan...now I need to implement it.  (See below for how I plan to do just that!)

2. Finish my Bachelor's Degree finally!  This one should be pretty easy.  I owe my school 3000 dollars and only have 6 credits left to one of the many degrees I sought while in my undergrad.  I will paying that debt off with my tax return and enrolling in the last two classes for the summer semester!

3. Get a job or find a real way to work from home! (easier said than done these days....I need something that will bring in income without making my job as a mother harder).

4. Get better organized. (see below for ideas, plans, and tips!)

5. Decorate the house to reflect my taste and create a peaceful home.  (I have lived in this home for just under 2 years and I have never finished decorating it.  Since we will be here a quite a while longer...it's time it looked like our home).

6. Take the kids on a vacation!! (see below for details.)

7. Spend more quality time with my fiance. (see below for details).

8. Finish my project wish list!

Okay...so, I only have eight!  I used to make it a goal to have 10 but these days....if I can make more than one goal at time, I am moving in the right direction!  New Year's Resolutions as I have grown up have become something of a joke.  Everyone makes a resolution to loose weight and get organized....but then they never do.  Gym memberships go through the roof in Jan, and die out around April.  The same resolutions are put into place by the same people...year after year after year!  There was one year that I made a list of goals at the beginning of the year and was able to check off most of the goals I made (that 2010...a very good year for me :)).  My Facebook was lit up with comments about how horrible 2012 was and how 2013 was going to be "their year."  I saw the same people saying the same thing about 2011 and 2012.  The only way to make a difference in the year, is to get up off your bum and DO SOMETHING about it!  I know this all too well.

I have major life goals...things that can not be completed or fully enjoyed in a single 12 months.  To get to those goals, small goals must be made and met.  This is where New Year's Resolutions come in.  The beginning of the year is a great time to set small goals that are going to aid you in reaching your major goals (things like buying a house, getting financially sound, going on a expensive trip, or getting a better job).  When you sit down to make your resolution goals, keep this mind.  These resolutions should be small, attainable in a year and you should have accountability for them.

I have been working on getting my resolutions figured out for the last couple of months.  I have every intention on checking each and every one of them off!  The one I have spent the most time on is getting back into shape.  I bought a membership to Planet Fitness when they first opened in my area.  They were running a special and I totally took advantage of it!  Here is a link to their website to see if there is a gym in your area, Planet Fitness.  They have two membership options, $10 a month and $20 a month!  Super cheap!  There are downfalls (like no free weight bars and no daycare) but the pluses (like the price, unlimited tanning and massages on the $20 package) that outweigh those.  I love the place, it is fun, friendly and it has everything I need to do what I want to do.  The price makes the idea of having a membership more realistic (especially since I am broke all the time lately).  When looking for a gym, you need to keep in mind the monthly cost, can you keep up with that added bill (and yes, it is a bill); do the hours work for you, is it 24 hour or open when you would most likely want/need to go; and is a fun place to be, you have to like being there or you won't keep going!

Weight control does not happen in the gym alone.  It doesn't matter how much you work out if your diet doesn't reflects that of one that is proper for your goals as well.  There are several aids in this but most of them cost money and take up time that most people just can't find.  I found a FREE program that aids you in keeping track of what you eat and drink, as well as what you are doing with your exercise.  They have a website and an ap on both the Apple network and the Android network.  Here is their website to get more info, My Fitness Pal.  I love this ap, I have it on my phone and my iPad.  You can also add friends that are using the program.  It is a great way to get connected with your diet and friends that keep you motivated and accountable for what you are doing (or not doing).

To get into shape or loose weight, you have to be doing it for the right reasons.  You can't do it for your spouse or your mother or for society.  You must do it for yourself!  This is the most important thing!!  If you do not really care about how you look or feel....you will NEVER get it done.  I suggest figuring that out before you start a plan.  I also suggest that once you have, go to pinterest!  There are a ton of at home workouts that you can do so that when the gym is not realistic, you can do something whenever you need to.  I have an entire board of fitness ideas....some I have already tried....most I will actually use this year! :))  Feel free to follow my Fitness board if you need inspiration! My Fitness Board

Getting organized is HARD!  I don't care who you are...if you don't have money to buy supplies...it is flat out NOT GONNA HAPPEN!  So, with that in mind, I have researched and pinterested and researched numerous ways to get organization accomplished on little to no cash!  There is this one website that has tons of ideas...most of them cost quite a bit money...but it is a great place to get ideas.  It is called iHeartOrganizing.  This blog is the one that finally inspired me to blog myself! :))  Pinterest has tons of ideas too.  I have already accomplished some organizing points and I will get those up here for you to look at....inspiration is key to finding your own way to do things.  You have to own your organization to get it to work....having a willing family is also helpful (my biggest enemy right now!).  I am also going to post blogs and websites that have ideas on this point too....we all need whatever help we can get!  I also want to point out that one thing that helps me stay on track is a well organized planner!  I find it to be essential to being an organized person!  See my home agenda blogs for help with this (soon there will be a link HERE).

Saving money is easier said than done, especially when you income fluctuates and is completely unpredictable!  The last four months have been the most difficult for us and saving for a vacation is going to be a big part in our financial future.  Please see my "Money Smarts" blog post that I will writing next on ways to get this whole money thing figured out!  It really does deserve it's own place.

Spending more quality time with my fiance is going to be a challenge.  We are super busy raising kids who are all athletes and very successful at what they do.  With our youngest turning 4 this month, we will go from three active kids to four because she starts teeball this spring!!  As I plan our months out, we are going to make it a point to find one night that is all ours.  The goal by the end of the year is to do this twice a month!  To keep our relationship fresh and alive, we have to continue to date each other.  We have a new theatre that is literally a block from our home and it is very affordable.  It is my goal to go there as a couple as often as we can.  I will keep you updated as we find creative ways to get some alone time into our schedule!

Feel free to share your 2013 resolutions with me and perhaps we can help each other keep those goals.  Accountability is the biggest part of making and keeping your goals!