Resolutions, no. Word, Yes!

I have to say I wasn't ready for New Year this year I spent so much time making the lead-up to Christmas something exciting and memorable that I didn't really think past the 27th. I don't make resolutions but like many people I normally turn over a new leaf as the calendar turns to January. I make sure all my Christmas junk food has been scoffed so I can start the new year with my good health in focus, there are exercise and weight loss goals on the agenda and for the past three years I have chosen a 'word' for the year a la Ali Edwards as well. This year I just wasn't ready. I had narrowed my word list down (although the word I have settled on wasn't on the short list) but that's as far as I had got. And with the kids rooms and other stuff to do around the house I wasn't prepared to stop and look inward. As January went on I didn't feel like it- I was on holiday, I was away, I had other priorities, I had Will, and my new year hadn't really started. In fact it never really does till school goes back that's when I feel like it all starts back. So I waited till now. That's a good thing because I'm not sure I would have gone with the word I have chosen if I hadn't had time to grow comfy with it.

In 2008 My word was Focus (because I am always pulling myself in multiple directions with my mind racing off on tangents and side bars). In 2009 my word was Healthy and I set 9 goals in three different areas of my life. Now is as good a time as any to review those.

Part 1: Me

1. Eat Right. Some of the time, not always, not enough. Fail
2. Drink More. Yes I did. I drank more Fraps and more coke than ever before. Fail
3. Move Daily. Um nope. Fail

Part 2: Home

1. Organised and Tidy. Still working on it but YES! Pass
2. Clean(er). No change. Fail
3. Comforting. Improved 6.5/10 Pass.

Part 3: Money

1. Spend Wisely. Nope, but I do have a much better awareness of which dark holes swallow up our cash. Not a total Fail.
2. Repay Debt. Yes and No. We did put actions in place to speed up some dept repayment. But we also got more debt. So: Fail.
3. Save for the future. Wah-hahahahaha. Fail.

2 and a bit out of 9 sounds fairly crap but it's better than zero and I'm pretty sure we've had years like that.

So this year? My word is

'Brilliant'

And that's what I am going to be.

I learnt a new way of looking at my word recently I was ready a blog post which talked about choosing a being word rather than a doing word. The post suggested that if you practice being the thing you want to be then the things you want to have will come to you. Rather than the opposite i.e. if I Do things to be healthy then I will have a better body, a healthy bank account and a healthy home and I will be happy/content etc.

So I'm going to be brilliant and as a result of being brilliant I'll have some cool stuff and I'll be doing things that I want and need to do... I haven't explained it really well and I can't find the link right now so hopefully you get the idea... or perhaps you think it's a bunch a baloney. Anyway this way of thinking was what brought me to the word 'brilliant'. To be honest I thought it was a bit audacious- kind of cocky and arrogant. But it stayed with me, coming back into mind every so often to the point where is now feels comfy and pretty much worn in.

Brilliant. I am Brilliant. I'm going to have a Brilliant life from here on in. That is Brilliant.

I decided among other things that I would try and create one brilliant thing every month (more if I can) not just one of my standard scrapbook pages but something that I really put some time and effort into- where I pay attention to details, maybe try some new technique(s) and out-do myself.

I also chose a sub-word for our family...

'Thrive'

I think this is really appropriate considering the year ahead-

1. Kieran's last year at Primary School and a year in which he will take a trip with his rugby club to Japan for 10 days (with no family in sight).
2. Merenia's first year in home school.
3. Another year of important growing and learning for Will.
4. We will also have another small person in our midst a friend's baby, Jake, whom I hope will also thrive in our care.
5. It's time for Les and I to thrive as well. More than just survive and make it through.. really live well.

The ugly truth is that I weigh 104.2 kg and my blood pressure is 130/80 which are both MORE than when I ended my pregnancy with Will (and about twice as much as I should weigh). I've been to the Dr and got some instructions which I am going to gradually phase in and I've got some blood work done so I have a baseline and a way of seeing improvement other than the scales. Les weighs even more than me and he's ready to start losing it as well.

We're going to start small. For February;

• From today not a carbonated drink, nor alcohol will pass the front door of our home. Nor will Les and I partake out side of home. Les has already given up Fraps and I have severely cut back.
• Merenia and I are going to walk daily with the littlies along for the ride to get fresh air and observe the world.
• I'm going to look after my teeth a lot better.
• We're going to let Merenia ease into home school.
• And I'm going to turn off the computer during the day so I can really focus on the wee guys.

Feel free to keep me accountable.

♥