What does stripping down in 2014 mean? Well it means simplifying my life and the lives of my family and making it better.
1. Decrease the amount of time we are plugged in. This one has been extended from both 2012 and 2013, as we did a terrible job of it. We seem to always grab for our phones the moment we wake up and always "reading" something. I would always pick it up when I walk past it on the counter and look at email, news, Facebook, Pinterest........etc. The kids also spend far too much time in front of the TV and on their iPhones. We are going to limit to 1.5 hours a day and they have to earn those extra movie nights and shows. That means more family time playing games, running around outside, activities.....etc.
2. My kids are spoiled brats. I didn't realize the extent until I came home from the store with 2 cute Christmas cups for them. I gave it to Gwen and she says "it's just a cup". The look on her face and the tone of her voice saddened me. I am constantly buying them things on a whim and it is rare that I say no in the grocery store if they want something. I learned that I love and like to be loved through gifts and I am passing that on to my children through gifts, sweets.....etc. It all ends in
3. Continue eating healthy and exercising, as a family. We are going to decrease the amount of junk in our lives and increase the amount of fruits/vegetables. Gwen will continue her swimming class and will pick up cheer (in place of gymnastics). Leo will start swimming classes and soccer once he turns 3. Gwen also wants to do a race with me, so I will search for those children's races where we would run around a mile together. We will bike places, go for hikes, and be active together. One of my favorite parts of training for the Boilermaker in 2013 was whenever I put on my sneakers the kids would ask "going for a run?" They know being active is a lifestyle!!
4. Get our finances under control. We are very lucky that we have jobs where we are successful. The problem is, we spend.........and spend.........and spend. Starting on January 1st, I am on a spending freeze for all unnecessary items (clothes, shoes, purses....etc). I am going to do mint.com and find out our problem areas and focus on setting a budget that makes us spend less and save more. We have 1 child's daycare being cut in half in August, and I want to make sure the money goes for good........not evil!!
I do have a couple personal goals which are going to be extremely tough to achieve, but I am confident that I can succeed:
1. I watched this amazing video of a super model who is considered plus sized. She was called a fat pig. I was shocked as she was stunning! It didn't phase her as she loved herself and her body. She said that the more she would tell herself that the easier it got to believe. I need to do this. I feel as though my friends and I just sit around and bash how we look. I would do this too to fit in. I work so hard to stay in shape that I need to mentally get behind the fact that I am a 35 year old mother of 2 and need to love what my body looks like and where it has taken me so far in life. I will continue running races (half marathon maybe) to help me see the light as well as try new things (spin, Pilates...etc) to see how far I can push it is as well. I never want Gwen to hear me say negative things about how I look. She has awesome self esteem now and I don't want to be the one to change it.
2. I am going to decrease the amount that I yell at my kids. I feel like a crazy person half the time yelling like a lunatic. There has to be a better way to discipline them and I know I will find it!
3. I am going to work on not gossiping as much. I always have been terrible at it and I know it is not a good thing.
Here's to a wonderful and prosperous 2014!
Cheers!!
