Keeping your New Year’s Resolution

It’s January 20.

Do you know where your New Year’s Resolution is?

I’ve gotten some questions lately about how to keep a new year’s resolution—I did the slow cooking thing, blogged about it every day, and then last year posted daily (except on weekends) on this site.

How did I do that?

I just did. Failure was NOT AN OPTION.

I think many people go into a new idea, venture, or resolution half-heartedly and just don’t fully take the measures needed to succeed.

and that’s okay for (a great) many. They just don’t really care.

But if it’s not for you? DON’T DO IT. Don’t be a quitter. Decide to be different, decide to be better, decide to succeed.

You can absolutely exercise everyday if you choose to do so. You can absolutely lose 180 pounds with a common sense approach. You can certainly quit smoking, stop drinking, choose kind words over anger, and resolve once and for all to keep a simplified and tidy home.

Just decide.

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Thank you for your emails and comments wondering where I was—I’m here! Last week I was in New York, and am just now beginning to dig out of the email pile. The new book is doing well, and my days are (this week) filled with various interviews and requests for recipes/images regarding those interviews.

I’m going to do a local news show on Friday, which will be fun.

I’ve started some webTV episodes and hope to continue to post throughout the year. I’ve got two main focuses right now:

Real Moms Making Real Money (at home, in their pajamas) And How You Can, Too!

Gluten Free TV

the first two are up right now, if you’d like to take a look.

Creating a (non-cheesy) Vision Board

Happy New Year!

The beginning of the year is made for day dreamers. What will you DO with yourself this year? Will this be the year you finally get organized? Lose weight? Start exercising daily?

Will this be the year that you move to your dream house? Land the dream job? Find a husband? Get a guinea pig (or two) to love lots and lots for two weeks and then forget all about it (them) and leave mom to clean the cage?

It’s up to you.

No really. It is.

The kids and I made vision boards over the weekend while Adam played with his new iPad. He says he doesn’t need to make a vision board because he already has all he needs/wants in life. I could read this two ways: he’s either fulfilled with me and the girls, or he’s fulfilled with the iPad.

hmm.

I first heard of making Vision Boards because of the book and video, The Secret. Before watching the video, I was already  big goal setter, but liked the visual aspect of putting a vision board “out there.”

To the Universe.

did I lose you?

I know. It sounds terribly hokey, and I think believing that The Universe is going to respond with sunshine and roses just for “putting it out there” is far-fetched and naive,  but I do it anyway.

Here’s why:

1) Writing your goals down forces you to focus on what you really want. You want more money? Great. How are you going to get (attract) this money? Maybe the sign advertising for extra nighttime help at Kohls is a sign (HA! a sign sign. didn’t even plan that one…) from The Universe.

or maybe it’s a coincidence. IT DOESN’T MATTER. What matters is what you DO with this sign (sign!).

2 ) Some people are naturally more visually oriented than others. Flipping through magazine pages is relaxing, and when you’re relaxed and your guard is down, your mind can wander to images that jump out at you. Fancy platform heels and a skintight dress? Maybe this means that deep down you want to either step up your look this  year, or lose weight. Or both.

it’s okay.

Dream Big.

3) It’s fun. Art time is fun time. Let yourself have fun—there’s no need for perfection, and there certainly is no right or wrong way to make a vision board. You can hang a bulletin board over your desk, put words of wisdom on the bathroom mirror, cover your refrigerator with inspirational photos—it’s your choice.

My Vision Board is on the back of my bathroom door. We don’t have a home office, and  I don’t want to explain what this or that means to visitors/family, so I keep it to myself. This is up to you. My friend Kim has a party with some of her close friends and they make their boards together—do whatever is right for you.

But remember: don’t put the stuff up that you think other people want you to. This is for you, and you only. It’s okay to feel greedy, narcissistic, and ridiculous.

you’re in good company.

edited to add 1/25/11: There’s a  new software that’s downloadable and FREE! for making computerized vision boards. I love this idea—you can find any image (online, or from your own stash) to incorporate. Fun!

Also, Lauren emailed to tell me her great idea. She took a digital picture of her vision board and then uses it as the wallpaper on her phone and computer, so she’s constantly reminded of the things she’s working on/trying to attract. Fantastic!

related links:

How to make a vision board–Christine Kane

Host a vision board party–Corporate Mom Drop Outs

Life GPS–Scott Eblin (also a free teleseminar link for Jan 13)

Mapping out Personal Goals (internal link)

What on Earth is Personal Development Anyway? (internal link)

362nd day of 2010

362

I have a new book out today. I tested all the recipes and wrote this book before the baby was mobile. It was a challenge, but I knew that if I waited until she was moving around, I’d never get it done. There were days when I had 8 crockpots going at a time, and when they were finished, I’d hand out the food and fill em’ up again.

it was kind of nutty.

and wonderful.

absolutely wonderful. The baby turns 1 January 6, and she is all over the place. If she’s awake, she doesn’t hold still—toddling from room to room. Santa surprised her with a pink wooden toy kitchen. Today she spent a good hour banging pots on the fake range, “cooking” Kix cereal and shoving the soggy round balls into my mouth, one at a time.

I am so lucky to have this time with my children, and with this new little one. My heart breaks when I think about what would have happened if I hadn’t stumbled upon the idea of starting a crockpot blog.

she might not be here.

and that’s not okay.

Thank you. Thank you so much for finding me, supporting me, supporting my family, and for being my friend.

and thank you for loving your crockpot (almost) as much as I do.

Today:

daily 7

rework your personal goals. if you haven’t completed them, it’s okay. Most people over-estimate what they can do in 1 year, but under-estimate what they can do in 5. Tweak. Rewrite. It’s all good.

call a good friend and listen more than speak

the last week of the year.

361

Congratulations!

It’s the end of the line. You’ve done it.

This is a week of recovery—-for the next 5 days (4, if you’re entertaining for New Year’s Eve like we are), just put things away and get back on track.

Find a space for everything. If you’ve run out of space, PROM again. If you are planning on moving, or planning on adding on, that’s great. But unless you’re packing up tomorrow or breaking ground, you’ve got to embrace your current space and living arrangements. Make it work.

You can do it.

It’ll be okay.

Today:

recover

meal plan

daily 7

Tuesday, the 355th day of the year

355

Last night was Winter Equinox. And a full Lunar Eclipse.

woah.

The girls and I crammed a million things into our day yesterday—-but it was worth it. We did end up at Michael’s, and while I was prepared for the worst, it was actually a fun visit. We wandered the aisles, and picked up lots of craft supplies on clearance.

I’m learning how to Skype. I feel like such a dork that I’ve never done it before this past weekend, and so I spent a ton of time playing around with it yesterday. I set the kids up on the desktop and I was on the laptop. There was a lot of shouting and squealing—it was great.

Today:

ten days left in this year. make them count. it’s now or never to start your 2010 exercise regimen…

daily 7

take a nap

I’ve got $100 up for grabs at Totally Together Reviews

BlogHer needs more entries on this laptop giveaway

monday!

354

Good morning!

I am late with this today’s post—I completely forgot to write it last night! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Ours was quite productive—filled with PROMing, errands, visits, and laughter.

Today:

kids are off school— can today be a jammy day?

finish all wrapping

candy making/baking

keep up with the Daily 7, especially the laundry so it doesn’t get out of control

drink extra water, try to limit the sweets if you can

have a great day!

friday–the end of line is near

351

I loved reading your emails and comments yesterday on my technology rant. Thank you for being the very best people in the whole entire world.

Let’s start a compound! I’m not sold on living where we’re living forever… I’d move in a heartbeat if my neighborhood had all of you in it.

Today:

daily 7

finish all wrapping

begin candy/fudge making

day 349: be thankful for modern dentistry

349

Well, all of my anxiety and all-around babyness was for nothing. I was fine. I AM fine. I didn’t even need nitrous oxide, I just used the noise-blocking headphones and cranked up some early 90s muzak.

I am such a dork.

Today:

daily 7

plan a meeting with your spouse. Yes, a meeting. Make sure you’re on the same page with end-of-the-year planning, budgeting, and all that good stuff. Talk about the future—there are only a few weeks to make good on the rest of your personal goals and any items left on the punch list.

Consider planning monthly or even weekly check-ins with each other. While date nights are lovely, they aren’t always practical for many busy families.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic’s Notebook, 1966

tuesday: run errands

348

Today is the day I finally see the dentist to get those root canals taken care of. Grandpa John is going to sit with the baby, and I need to STOP being a baby and just get this over with.

I ended both of those sentences with a preposition.

I’m anal enough to notice, but not anal enough to correct the mistakes.

in case you were wondering…

I’m tripping out over the power of the Internet. Yesterday  I posted on the crockpot blog that my friend Diane’s son has recently been diagnosed with Lyme’s disease and is stockpiling information on how to best treat the condition. I’m just blown away from the response. There really ARE good people out there (just not at the post office)!

today:

run errands

daily 7

care deeply and give freely.

monday all over again

347

Doesn’t it feel like we just had a Monday? What’s on the agenda for this week? School parties? Sing-a-longs? Pageants?

write everything down—every last detail.

you can do it.

Today:

daily 7

weekend recovery

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