I randomly had the urge to make
some new goals last month. I wrote down
the things I wanted to do or change, and set them aside, thinking they’d make
great New Year’s Goals. But then, as
life happened, I just wanted to start working on them already. So I did.
These are the goals I’ve been focusing on recently.
Simplifying my life. I haven’t altogether given up on minimalism,
but it may take a few years to get there (like, after my kids are out of the
house?!), so in the meantime, I’m working on simplifying every area of my
life. Physically, I’m still working on
throwing things out and organizing my house, which has included getting rid of
my couches and moving a futon downstairs, putting pictures up, buying curtains
(which may have turned out to be a mistake!), and hauling bags and bags of things
to the local thrift shop. The boys now
have 14 tops and 8 or so bottoms, and I’m pretty sure my laundry room gave a
standing ovation. I even went through my
books! -This must mean I’m serious. Also in the name of simplifying, I have given
up Facebook, and I’m working on my other vices.
(I don’t want my children to think being glued to your phone is a.
normal, or b. desirable.) We went
through toys, and are back down to balls, cars, blocks, and a couple of dolls. The baby toys are stowed upstairs for the
moment. I’m considering getting rid of
many, many other things (all the arts and crafts supplies, things that haven’t
been used in 6 months, and things that get left out instead of put away). But I’m meeting with serious opposition from
my husband. So I have temporarily
settled for confiscating possessions left out in the evening and letting the
children do extra chores to get them back.
Blessings from this simplifying are already evident- the children are
displaying an increased level of creativity.
They’ve been playing with blocks every day, using them as houses,
cities, and roads for their cars (in much the same way I used to play with
dolls and blocks).
Getting to bed early. I’ve gotten more serious about this one. I’ve been in bed by 10:30 4 or 5 nights out
of 7 recently. And yes, I’m proud of
that. That’s a really hard one for
me! But I keep thinking of all the
blessings associated with keeping that commandment, and remind myself that I do
want them, so I have to “go and do”!
Since instituting the above two
goals I’ve had more time, and it’s been more effective time as well. With all my new-found time I’ve worked on a
few other goals that had been on the back burner. I’m reading to my children more, reading for
myself more, practicing the piano, exercising every (almost) day, and studying
Chinese again. The first four are
reasons I wanted to simplify my life in the first place. The last one, of course, is a gift to my
husband, and I have to continually remind myself of the benefits of learning
Chinese. However, on the uber-cute side,
my 22 month old can speak Chinese, in complete sentences.
Oh, and the side benefit to
reading for myself more is that I’m learning cool things. I’ve been reading gospel-themed books, articles
I have meant to read for a while, with the occasional TED talk thrown in.
Exciting events are thrown in
too, just to keep life a little off-balance.
Xander figured out scissors also cut hair, and used this newfound power
on himself and his baby brother. I
suppose it was bound to happen. At least
they are boys and I can just buzz their hair.
Demetri gets to go to the temple for the first time today! (I’m still coming to grips with the fact that
he’s that old.) And my baby, talking in
full sentences- that’s new too. And
unsettling. But short of duct taping his
mouth, what can I do?
And these do count right? I don't have to make more goals on January 1st? Maybe I'll just review these ones and make sure I'm still on-task :).
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