Simplifying things

Happy New Year! Welcome 2010!

For my New Year's resolution last year, I resolved to trust more and worry less. By and large, I succeeded by leaps and bounds in this area. With the help of a good friend (DM), I brought my life back on track. I am working on "finding myself," and being authentic with my thoughts and actions. I am reading scripture on a daily basis now, and I find that my mindset is much more positive.

This year, my resolutions can be summed up with one word: SIMPLIFY. Generally speaking, I feel like my life is just too complicated. It is these complications that keep trying to pull me off course. To throw me back into anxiety and side-track me with human desires.

Last night, Patrick, Shannon and I sat around the kitchen table and made a list of our resolutions. Here are mine:

• Simplify eating / food choices
• Simplify spending
• Continue to simplify thought processes from worry, fear, and doubt...to faith and gratitude
• Be a better friend (keep in contact, and send notes & gifts)
• Exercise 5x per week

We all shared our goals and talked about steps to take toward each. As a family, we have been taking steps toward simplifying our lives since about November. We're paring down our belongings, and taking formal steps toward getting our finances in order. I feel like several (if not all) of my resolutions follow naturally along this path.

Next, Patrick had us turn our papers over, and divide them in half vertically. One one side, he asked us to write characteristics we see in ourselves (and are unhappy with) now, and then on the other side to write the characteristic we're striving for. Again, here are mine: (format: Now/Future)

• sidetracked / focused
• procrastinator / prepared
• worried...obsessive / faithful
• lazy...tired...weary / energetic...dutiful
• self focused / selfless (and acting on it!)

This was a great exercise. It was very easy at first, and then got hard. But I really had a good feeling envisioning the me I want to be. Doing this exercise really helped me to see the steps I need to take in order to get there.

I love that our family is taking these steps together.