My finished NYR list on 1-11-11

We have snow again here in GA, and yesterday was like a dream...I did absolutely nothing I had to do, and just played in the snow, watched a movie or two, read some...it was perfect! But now, with another day off (since several roads are still closed) I really do have to get down to business and use this time wisely and check some things off my to do list. Clean house, do some paperwork and filing, finish my NYR's list, and go sledding again!! (Yes, that is a MUST, here in GA you have to take full advantage of any and all snow fun opportunities you get!!)

Since Kevin is busy with work this morning (in a way I am sad that cell phones and internet still works during a snow day, because that means hubby still has to work!!) I thought I would get to my NYR list and make it official. A snow day seems like a perfect time to start anew. So here is my final list. I am thinking I will try to do a few at a time, I don't want to overwhelm myself and quit altogether, but I don't want to be too easy on myself either!!


1. learn better
2. live better
3. work better
4. love better
5. be better
6. eat better
7. play better
8. communicate better
9. worship better
10. organize better
11. relax better

Explanations for each of these resolutions:

1) learn better: I have always wanted to dig a little deeper into my Bible. I have done the "read thru the Bible in a year" program for awhile now, and I want to do more. I want to dig in and really examine things that I am reading, and reference people and places. I think part of the reason why Rome was my favorite stop from our trip to Europe in the Fall of 2009 was because I saw places where Peter, Paul and other early Christians had been. I felt like I was really taking a step back in time and visiting a different world. I want to do that with my Bible study program this year, I want to look up people and places when I read about them, and see where things happened. I would really love to visit some places as well, but that would be a huge surprise and blessing, not something that I really expect to do this year! I also want to be open to any and all learning experiences as I see them. Since I was homeschooled, I grew up that way, and I want to stay that way. I want to remember to take the time to make any new or interesting thing I see a learning experience. I want to be a constant student of life!

2) live better: This NYR is all about my inability to stick with an exercise program. I don't know why I hate physical exertion so much, I just do...but I don't want to be that girl anymore. (The one that hates to sweat!) I was a tomboy growing up, I enjoyed getting dirty, running, biking, hiking, etc. I want to remember the joy I used to find in these activities and try again. I want to live a long and healthy life, and I know that getting the proper amount of exercise is important! I want to be open to trying different things, until I find something (or many things) that I enjoy...and then my NYR is to actually stick with it! I want to make it a habit, instead of a chore!

3) work better: My parents raised us to do everything in life, as if we are doing it for God. Which means you should give it your all, and not just do it half-way. I feel like recently I have been distracted (by good things, but still they are a distraction if they are keeping me from what I should be doing) and not doing the thing I know I should, or at least not with my whole heart involved. I want anything and everything I do, to be done to the best of my ability. I don't want to add stress to my life, making every little thing as perfect as possible, I just mean that I will take on each and every project with joy and with my full attention. Then I will give it all I have, for the amount of time I can put aside for it. After that, I will need to just let it go and know that I have done my best.

4) love better: This one is for my husband completely. I was raised in a home full of love, and was taught to love everyone equally and with the kind of love that was shown to me by my Savior. So, of course I do want to continue to love everyone and share God's love with those around me...but this resolution is different. It is one my husband jokingly requested, but I feel like it should be a goal of mine. Since our wedding night, loving my husband has been something of a chore. Well, not loving him, but making love to him. About 2 years into our marriage, I was diagnosed with IC(PBS) and although my wonderful husband had been good to me even before then, after that time he has been even more supportive and wonderful. Sadly, you could probably count the number of times we were "together" during our first few years of marriage on your fingers and toes. It has gotten better over time, but I want it to continue to get better. After dealing with the IC issue for a few years, we decided it was time to think about adding another member to our family and started trying to get pregnant. After four years and many tries (and lots of money) we were left in exactly the same place we were at the beginning. A couple, however we have become closer through all of this, and therefore we are grateful for it. I am a strong believer in looking for the good in any situation. Now we are excited about our family growing in other ways. I love & appreciate my husband so much, and I want this to show in every way that it should. Especially since we are at the point in our lives when we are trying to become a family and not just a couple. This is when most men say their love lives go downhill...I want ours to improve. To show my wonderful husband how much I appreciate him and his support in all that we have been through.

5) be better: I am making this one an overall statement to continually try to improve myself in any and all aspects of my daily life. If I see myself doing something I am not sure why/saying something I know I shouldn't/not doing something I probably should, I want to catch myself and change my ways. All those little things can stack up and I know I can become a better person (wife, daughter, friend, employee, neighbor, stranger) if I am consciously trying to improve.

6) eat better: This one mainly has to do with my life with IC. I have been on a very restricted diet ever since I found out what I had. My life improved immensely when I changed my diet, but I know that I haven't been as good as I should about trying to introduce things back into my diet since then. When I got to a good point, I didn't want to ruin it by eating something wrong. But I can't live life in fear, so I am wanting to be better about trying new foods this year, and also balancing what I eat. When I find something I actually like, I seem to go overboard. I want to be healthy and wise in my food choices.

7) play better: I am sure this one sounds weird as a resolution, but I only have so much free time a day and I want to spend it doing things I really want to do, rather than zoning out in front of the TV. After a long day at work, I just want to cook up some dinner, watch TV, and then go to bed. Then I am sad that I didn't use that time to work on some sewing or organizing, that I know needs done, and I really want to do. I want to make better choices with my play time this year!

8) communicate better: I love to talk, but this isn't really about that...I want to be a better all around communicator. I want to listen better, and respond to emails better. Last year, I found myself overwhelmed at times, then I would forget who I had or had not spoken to, emailed, etc. I don't want that to happen again. I want to be sure that I take the time to communicate as I should and to really listen to who I am talking to, so that I am able to keep up with everything properly. I guess this really goes with my #10 NYR which is to organize better.

9) worship better: I put this one on here because I really do want to find a home church this year. I grew up being the daughter of a pastor turned missionary. So we always had a "home" in a church or home group of some sort my entire childhood. I loved learning Bible verses and cute little songs in Sunday School and VBS. As I got older, and especially once I got married, I just stopped going to church. Work and life got in the way of finding a new church base in our new home. I know the importance of meeting with fellow believers, to help encourage you in your walk and I especially miss the praise and worship time, since I grew up in a family that loves to sing. I really want to get back into the search this year, and be consistent in the search until we find a place.

10) organize better: As I mentioned in #8, being organized, in all aspects of my life, is important to me. I already try to do this, I just want to improve this, so that I hopefully don't miss something important because I wasn't organized! This goes for all aspects of my life; personal & professional! Now that my love of Wedding Coordinating is turning into something that is bringing in an income, I want to be sure that I am keeping as organized as possible, so that I don't miss out on an opportunity, or stress myself out!!

11) relax better: This is similar to the play better resolution, except this one is all about taking 15-30 minutes to do something for me that is relaxing. Paint my nails, put on makeup...just because, write a letter/email to a friend. Something that I can do to tune out of the busy-ness of life and just relax for a few minutes.

Well, there it is. Now that is is actually written down I guess that means I need to get around to it!