The new year is just barely upon us - I'm sure most of the party-goers are still partying, and the bars are far from closing - but I am awake, and wanted to get this down.
in 2013 I'm not going to do all-or-nothing resolutions. Instead, I'm going to set some goals each month, and see what happens. I'm starting January off with a bang by attempting four different things.
#1 - Pantry Challenge: eat only what's currently in my house for the month of January.
Why I'm doing this: I just spent too much money at the grocery, and my pantry is already overflowing. In my quest for canned veggies for a bento lunch last week, I pulled out too many expired cans of food that I vaguely knew I had but never quite managed to use. this is ridiculous and embarrassing and wasteful.
What I expect will happen: it'll go great the first week or two. Then I'll have to get creative. I'm going to run out of veggies for sure. I will have to make a LOT of stuff from scratch. I will probably whine and complain. my friends may question my motives/sanity when I turn down their offers to eat lunch out. (purchasing kat fud and litter is the only exception)
What I hope to get out of this: a cleaned-out pantry; some new recipes; a solid go at meal planning and planning ahead; some extra money to throw at bills and/or my February food challenge. maybe a cute bento or two.
Scoring: one point per day, 31 possible.
Extra Credit: try a couple new recipes and post them here.
What I expect will happen: I'll whine. I'll bargain. I'll make excuses. I'll suck it up and go, and wonder why I put it off so long. I might even have fun.
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#2 - Body Practice: Move my body for at least 20 minutes ten (10) times in January. that's roughly twice a week.
Why I'm doing this: I have a Y membership that i haven't used in too many months; I committed to doing Hanne's Body Practice. because I feel better when I'm moving my body.
What I expect will happen: I'll whine. I'll bargain. I'll make excuses. I'll suck it up and go, and wonder why I put it off so long. I might even have fun.
What I hope to get out of this: increased energy from the exercise. improved mood from the exercise and being around other people. less guilt over the wasted money every month. the desire to go more frequently and try other things. "Fat Jeans" that are way too big.
Extra Credit: one extra point if I try something new at the Y
Scoring: one point per day. goal is 10, but could be higher
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#3 - Use it or Lose it: 30 minutes of active decluttering three (3) times per week. That means setting the time, flylady-style, and actually dividing and conquering, not just staring at the piles and berating myself for being a slob.
Why I'm doing this: the Hoarding gene is strong in this one. Decluttering you must, or else a backhoe you will need.
What I expect will happen: It'll suck; I'll probably whine. I'll get a wild hair and throw a TON of stuff away.
What I hope to get out of this: less stuff; things where they belong; a healthy start to reclaiming my studio and doing the creative things that bring me joy.
Extra Credit: make at least one Goodwill run.
Scoring: one point per 30-minute session. minimum goal 15 points, but could be a LOT higher.
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#4 - Financial challenge: come up with a savings goal for the month; figure out a workable budget; set some short/mid/long-range financial goals.
Why I'm doing this: because my car and I are not getting any younger, and my toys are getting more expensive.
What I expect will happen: I'll come up with what sounds like a reasonable savings goal/plan. shit will hit the fan, and I'll be scraping by paycheck-to-paycheck. or i might get lucky and see that I am actually capable of saving money.
What I hope to get out of this: a realistic budget to work with; a rainy-day fund and the emergency living expenses that everyone says you should have.
Scoring: one point for each paycheck that I can meet my goal, out of 5 possible. Still need to figure this one out better.
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I'll check in periodically and let y'all know how I'm doing. Feel free to make bets as to how well I'll do (or how miserably I'll fail), or cheer me on. should it be "closest to the pin" or "Price is Right" scoring? What are you doing in 2013 that you need encouragement to stick to?
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