Attributing Football: First Goals of the New Year

I'm not really a football fan. I sometimes watch OSU football games with Hubby, but only if I'm feeling really awake or don't think I'll feel bad about myself if I nap. Mostly when he talks about it, I say, "Uh huh, uh huh," and sometimes throw in an "interesting," until I get caught because he asks me a question. Sometimes he laughs at this and sometimes he gets mad. I can't say I blame him. . . it's just not my thing. For the last week while my dad's been visiting, they have watched innumerable games. I couldn't begin to count. But that's not my point.

My point is, understand right away that I'm no football expert, so you must take this next analogy loosely and with a grain of salt.

But I'm loosely taking a page from football in terms of my goals for this next year. That is, I'm breaking them down into smaller chucks (like 10 yards) and I'm giving myself a few chances to get there, and I'm allowing for life--that is, punting as necessary.

This year, I'd like to focus on 4 things:

1. Exercising more (I feel stuffed and stiff. I want to feel light and lean and energized.)

2. Preparing meals that I can eat that taste good and leave me feeling healthy & light, not guilty and stuffed

3. Being creative--writing short stories for this book idea I have, writing a kid's book and "illustrating" it for my granddaughters, taking photos, learning to use PhotoShop Elements, reading more, and starting to "garden" (I guess that last one could also fit into #1 & #2.)

4. Being more intimate with Hubby--not just the physical aspects like sex and cuddling, though those are definitely high on the list, but also sharing time through exercise, reading, maybe writing?, and trying to help each other past each of our addictive obstacles that keep us from being able to comfort each other and move forward

Another goal I have that I'd like to weave in less formally is to become more mindful of spending money. I'm worried about the economy. I've been laid off before; our house is expensive; Hubby's not going to work forever; my 401K is looking concave. Things to consider here are. . . dun, dun, dun, dun, Starbucks and less dramatically, becoming a library user. I'm sure more ideas on this will come to me. . .

So my plan is to set some biweekly goals for myself specific to the above 4 items. At the end of the 2nd week, I have the option of tweaking a strategy or tactic, stretching it to the next level, or replacing it entirely.

So many things happened to me last year that I did not anticipate (couldn't have anticipated--like taking on a huge new project in Feb.; my dad needing 5 bypasses in March and taking off work to be with him for a week and worrying for 3 months as he had so many downs before ups; and breaking my wrist in June; and my cousin discovering testicular cancer in July and then having a stroke within weeks; and my aunt being killed in a car accident in Sept.; and my niece's boyfriend dying soon after; and being sick for the last month of the year) that I want to be a bit more agile in my game play--with a time to adapt but keep the focus on a happy healthy me. I want to be able to adapt for the unexpected and for busy times at work and still feel like I'm accomplishing my goal of loving myself more.

So for the next 2 weeks, my goals are to:

EXERCISE
1. Walk both days this coming weekend with hubby and at least one day the following weekend
2. Walk at least 2 weekday mornings with hubby before work (get flashlights)
3. Meet with trainer to discuss the schedule for the year (am considering asking her for a strength training plan to do on my own twice a week and only meeting with her every other week--but in her new space--that makes me have to leave my office)
Bonus goal: try the new band exercise CD Hubby gave me for X-mas

EATING
1. Plan a menu for the week so I can shop accordingly
2. Write down my menus on this blog
3. Don't eat anything that will likely lead to me needing/wanting to take a Tums afterwards

CREATIVE
1. Finish tightening edits on my story The Winter Mom Sold Don Quixote
2. Read a few short stories each week

HUBBY BONDING
1. Watch a NetFlix video together at least one weekend night and one weekday night (right now we have 2 discs of The Duchess of Duke Street)
2. Pick back up on reading The Seven Pillars of Wisdom together--pick a night
3. Do the walking thing as stated above
4. Look at puppy web sites together and discuss tactics for reading our puppy books
5. Pick 2 nights to go to bed together early (pre CPAP!)