2012 Priorities

I am a fairly goal oriented person. I like to set my mind to do something, accomplish it, and tick it off my list. I found a good article here (linked through Karen’s site) that is helpful. I like things that I can look back on and feel good about accomplishing. My MBA, trip to NYC, Boston, and running a 10km are a few. So was ensuring that Fynn was baptized last year and that we made sure Sophie received piano lessons. It was not an easy year, but very rewarding.

So, here are my goals for each priority:

Family
1. Read to Fynn daily. Somehow this has gotten lost and he has fallen into the habit of wanting the TV on at night. Not a great habit at all.
2. Have a family walk or bike ride (when weather is warmer) once a week.
3. Do more art with Sophie. I bought her some pastels today for kids. I think she will really like them.
4. Volunteer once before the end of the school year at Sophie’s school. That doesn’t seem like much, but it is hard for me to get away from the office. I have read that parents who are involved with their kids schools have kids that do better in school.
5. Set weekly date nights with Vic. This is a priority and something we both committed to over the Christmas break.

Health
1. Exercise everyday. Even if it is just a walk. That is okay!
2. Find a trainer so I can add basic weight-training and strength exercises weekly
3. Drink at least two glasses of water a day. I know that is really low, but better than what I am doing now.
4. Get minimum 7hours of sleep every night and 8 on the weekends
5. Only 1-2 lattes per week (I am allowed a Tim’s each workday however)

Work
I have some work goals that I am working on formulating still, so I won’t post here.

Create/Art/Photography
1. Complete one scrapbook layout a month. I have really not done much scrapbooking since Fynn turned 1. Just some birthdays and milestones. I would like to do more of the everyday. A creative release is good for the soul.
2. Learn how to take some photos with my new micro lens . Enrol in a Shutter Sisters class.

Travel
1. Travel has become an important area of focus for Vic and I over the past few years. We are now officially “middle aged” and we are much more aware that we need to make opportunities for travel to happen rather than putting them off.
2. A trip for Vic and I to Amsterdam. We have started researching.
3. A fun family trip with my extended family to Disneyland in the fall.
4. A spring break trip to Vancouver Island.
5. A trip to Barkerville in the summer with our friends Bryan and Patti. The kids will love it.

Reading
1. Read a book every two weeks. Continue to request / order books from the library to ensure I am reading what I want and not leaving my selections to chance.

Learning
1. Take one class non work related locally. Don’t know what about yet.

Community (This is a particularly hard one for me.)
1. Continue to go out for breakfast on Fridays with Vic, Bryan and Patti
2. Make a coffee date with Kim (1 per quarter)
3. Leave comments on blogs I read once a week

Home
1. Work on (work in progress) making the front study/piano/sitting room homier. Art work, a carpet/rug
2. Locate and purchase a carpet/rug for our bedroom
3. Art for kids play area

Thoughts to Cultivate
Over Christmas, I created a major focus area on something I am going to improve on. Something that I will likely need to come back to again and again this coming year since it is my Achilles heel.
1. Let go of worry and rumination This is definitely the biggest issue for me. I used to be a big worrier. Now I would say that has flipped to rumination. I am always thinking back to bad events or things that did not go well, digging into the painful memory and making it worse. I have taken out a great book and am reading it now. It has already made a difference in how I think. I want to be very mindful about my triggers for rumination.
2. Slow down and be aware I tend to be an over-achiever which is great but because I am so task-oriented and accomplishment-focused, I often rush through things. I am focused on the end and I don’t enjoy the journey. I don’t slow down. I don’t take my time, explore, learn, as much as I could. So my plan this year is to slow down considerably. Take my time reading and thinking. If some things don’t get done, that’s ok. Since my word for this year is acceptance, this is something I plan to pay extra-attention to. I need to reduce the pressure on myself and ask for help more often. This is usually related to chores related to the kids.
3. Do not yell This one is self-explanatory. I literally feel sick when other people yell. Especially at my kids. I hate it in myself when I yell. It is mostly at Sophie and Fynn. This is a non negotiable. It will not happen.
4. Be patient. This one goes along with 2 and 3. I need to practice more patience. I don’t need to rush through everything. Fynn and Sophie are only 4 and 7. They are good, sweet children. They deserve my patience. So does my husband. And me, too, I deserve being patient with myself. I am patient with my coworkers, but I can’t seem to muster up the patience when I get home each night.
5. Embrace joy I want to seek joy. I want to quit worrying and ruminating and embrace life and joy and bring forth good things in my life. Joy, fun, laughter.
And there we are. I am sure more will come up. But these are some of what’s on my mind.
Here’s to hoping 2012 is great for all of us!