Signs, signs, everywhere signs

What the heck was my March resolution? Oh yeah.

Well, the timer thing didn't work, but, judging by the state of my home, I did spend considerably less time on the computer than I did in January and February.

And now, all of a sudden it's the middle of April and I haven't even thought about a resolution yet, much less work on it.

But, my baby boy is at my feet, playing with papers from my 'recycle bin' (a shoebox). Do you think that's a sign? I do.

Other signs...my inbox is overflowing, I have 5 other piles of paper, books and miscellaneous items that I spend a good bit of time searching through each week to find things. I have an unopened panini grill pan in the corner. A bag full of manicure items that was supposed to be a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law in 2006!

My favourite part of the room, though, is the trio of pictures we took before Baby Boy was born last spring. The framed pics are currently resting on the window sill, waiting to be hung in a place of honour.

My goal for April is to clean out and organize and decorate my office (yet again) and work on developing a system that truly works for me.

I'll post before and after pics at the end of the month.

Wish me luck.

A Return

I spent most of February trying to get some things done around the house and not play on my computer very much, but I feel as though I failed miserably. I keep so much of my daily information on my computer, I found it hard to shut it off during the day. Phone numbers, lists, banking, all of it tied to this little black machine.

So, I have revised my February resolution into a new one for March...instead of cutting myself off completely during the day, I will set a timer for 10 minutes at a time. However, I am only awarded this 10 minutes after doing 20 minutes of work around the house (also regulated by a timer).

I will also be returning to my weight loss efforts that I started back in September. I lost 10 pounds and then got derailed, and have almost gained all those pounds back. But I'm not just interested in losing weight. I am hoping to work on a lifestyle change that will include eating more healthily, being more aware of my portion sizes, and exercising more (sorely lacking in this department!) Now that the weather's getting better, part of that will include training for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

I am now off to visit some of my favourite places and catch up.

February Frost

Without even noticing, February has hit me like a tonne of bricks. Who knew January could feel so short? I realized this morning that I have not even thought about a resolution for February. Have you ever reached a point where you feel like your life is in such utter chaos you just want to shut down and let it take over? That you can't possibly have the time or ideas to even begin to pull yourself out of it?

As I look around my house, I think I've hit that point. Our decluttering efforts have come to a standstill as hubs works on the basement. Recent participation in an organic food co-op has brought even more boxes into the house, some of which are, a week later, still sitting by the back door. I can see them as I type. Yet, I seem to find the time to catch up on blogs, play computer games and surf the 'Net. Laziness? Denial? A bit of both I think.

So, for February, my goal is to check my e-mails and blogs at the end of the day after the boys are in bed. Then, the computer will be turned off (I usually just leave it on so I can quickly check something during the day). I don't like waiting for it to turn on and go through all its machinations just to check an e-mail.

My hope is that by doing this I am making time for the things that truly cause my eyebrow to twitch. Moving those boxes, organizing the food shelves in the basement, ironing, cleaning out the kitchen cabinets to make room for my new grill! And I know I need to start being ruthless when it comes to decluttering. I may need to call in some help on that one.

By the way, the water drinking is going fairly well. Never did get the water bottle, but I find that I can drink a good 2 or 3 glasses just while making dinner. Coupled with a glass at each meal, I'm doing well.

Happy New Year! January Resolution

Happy 2008 everyone. I hope this year brings you all much peace, happiness and new knowledge.

I don't ever remember making New Year's resolutions. I always thought 'why wait until the new year to better myself?' However, this year there is so much I want to accomplish, yet trying to do it all in one shot will be self-defeating and pointless. It's hard to bring new things into your life, especially without establishing a plan.

Many of my goals are health and wellness related. And in my opinion, life changes need to be done gradually and one at a time. After all, they are intended to be permanent. Doesn't it take something like 28 days to form a new habit? So, this year, I have decided to establish monthly resolutions (man, I'm having trouble typing that word today!)

How will I be held accountable? By making my goals and plans public and reporting on them. And, I hope I can inspire someone out there to start making healthy changes to their life as well. Journey along with me each month or create your own monthly goal.

My resolution for January is to drink 6-8 glasses of water daily. On Saturday I am going to purchase a pretty, eco-friendly, non-toxic water bottle (metal I suppose?), that I can carry around with me. This will serve as a reminder to drink, drink, drink, in a way that I can enjoy.

I think of my toddler walking around the house with his sippy cup full of water, constantly, almost without thought, drinking from it. He's probably the best-hydrated person I know. This will be my big, adult sippy cup.