Priorities, Not Resolutions

Welcome, year 2011! I love the freshness of a new year. Although, September seems like a good time for Resolutions since it's the new start of a school year - but as we know, January it is. I used to like making a list of resolutions - mainly because I like - no, love - making lists. (My mom has a list I made of things to bring to camp in the third grade, written on the back of one of her recipe cards). I also like introspective thinking, trying to analzye myself and figure out why I do the things I do and how can I change bad habits, blah blah blah.

Instead of making resolutions, I'm changing my thinking to Living my Priorities.

A couple of months ago I was talking to my sister-in-law about how I really have to prioritize my days now. Pre-child, I could run a million errands in a day, grocery shop, exercise, do laundry - in general takin' care of business. Nowadays, I have to look at my day's To-Do List and decide what absolutely HAS to be done today. Especially with errands, because it's hard on E to get in and out of his carseat and into different shopping carts constantly. Have to work around nap and eating times - and not to mention, we have to have time just to PLAY, walk to the park, that kind of thing. I've often found myself frustrated when I realize I am not able to "get it all done" or get as much done in a day as I would like - but then have to remind myself, what are my priorities? Mop the floor, return that item to Target, clean the tub, read books to Eli - which have to be done NOW and which can wait?

I then started taking this thought about priorities a step further. When I started really thinking about what should be priorities in my current stage of life, I realized I was guiltily adding things on that should have been FIRST to come to mind. Thinking about my health is a prime example. I hate the health issues that I have - embarrassed by them, which is silly, but there you have it - so I tend to let my health sit on the back burner while I take care of my family, my house, my dogs - my blog - avoiding the areas that REALLY need attention.

If my health should be listed as a top priority, then am I making decisions in my life that support that?

I've decided that is how I want to view my priorities this year - a constant asking of myself, "is this choice you're making right now in line with or supporting your top priorties?"

I'm a classic multi-tasker, always juggling a million balls, have several projects either in progress or waiting to be started/finished - so I tend to lose focus. I've discovered I have a pretty consistent pattern of being inconsistent.

So this year, I am setting my priorites. I'm thinking it will probably be like 4 or 5 to focus on - not too many to get me overwhelmed. I will post them somewhere I can see them daily, because I'm real visual like that - out of sight, out of mind easily for this one! And I will ask myself this question everyday until it becomes second nature - are you living your priorties? Is this decision you're making about X going to support that?

Thanks for taking the time to read this entry sans pictures. And, thank you for reading last year's blog posts! I have loved blogging and have grown a lot this year through this blog, and reading other's blogs!

Many good wishes for everyone this year - I pray for a year filled with laughter, and LIVING PRIORITIES!