Happy New Year! We are back after an awesome Christmas break. How was your holiday? It was so nice to be away and soak in some sun in California. Having a break from our regular, somewhat crazy routine, was just what we needed. But I am ready and re-energized today to get back at it.
I am NOT a fan of New Year’s resolutions…I think that setting wild, unrealistic goals is just setting yourself up for failure. But I do think that the New Year is a great time to reevaluate and look at your life. I’ve been thinking of a few things that I would like to work on this next year to live life more intentionally. I can use “busy” as an excuse to just get all the things done that I need to but miss out on some key things and let stuff go that I maybe shouldn’t.
So, here are three things that I am going to focus on this year to live more intentionally….
1. Live with Less. We have been living in our home for 13 years and I am getting ready for a big purge. Anything that hasn’t been worn or used for the last year needs to go, minus sentimental things. I feel better when I live in a less cluttered, more organized environment. It just feels better. I started the purge in my closet as I was unpacking…I have a few more drawers to hit and then my next project is the kitchen. I also want to buy less. Think about it…how many pairs of jeans do you really wear? I think I have about 4 in rotation, so why do I have so many more pairs in my closet? I’m going to try practicing this….if I buy something new, I will have to get rid of something. Just stopping and thinking about that will curb impulse buying (even if it is on an amazing sale!). I also want to be more intentional about the gifts that I buy people…no point just buying stuff.
2. Healthy Habits. I have pretty much tried every diet in the book…crash dieting since I was 17. That has caused me to develop some pretty poor habits. A friend said to me not to make a crazy goal of cutting out sugar for a year. Hey I’ve gone without sugar for a long time, but then you give in to that craving, eat a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and it opens the floodgates. So my thinking this year is healthy eating and moderation. Eat healthy most of the time, but have treats here and there. Eat when I’m hungry and don’t when I’m not (here’s a concept!). And keep active! I’m not a hard core gym workout person, but I’m doing Pilates and barre classes in January and if I can add in some walks and body weight workouts, I think I’ll be good. The key for me is to schedule it in and just do it and move more than I did last year.
3. Listen More. I love to talk…and I’m opinionated, which can sometimes get me into trouble. I read this verse the other day, “…let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (James 1:19). Often I find myself in a conversation where I can’t wait to say my bit. That’s not listening very well. And sometimes in contentious situations, nothing should be said at the moment. Time can bring perspective. When you listen, you can really learn a lot about the other person. I think that being a good listener is something that has to be learned and practiced.
I hope that in no way do I sound preachy here. These are just a few things that I personally want to work on. What are you tuning-up in the next year to live more intentionally? I would love to hear! Let’s encourage each other along the way…let’s do this 2016!
