A New Year... A New Me!

I know, I know! It is so typical and expected... but for real (this time!):

A New Year - A New Me! I mean it... I am determined to set goals and FOLLOW THROUGH... I will set steps to achieve so that I am not overwhelmed by the enormity of what I am setting out to do!

This week has been crazy - a good start to a New Year! My dd went back to school on Thursday and I have my sister and Mom and a friend over - we had a super yummy Mediterranean Pizza and a chick flick and thoroughly enjoyed our free day! On Friday I had lunch with a girlfriend and enjoyed a quiet afternoon... Saturday was spent picking up a new 'friend' (you'll read about her below) and then watching the Seahawks game of course... by Saturday afternoon, we realized that my hubby did not in fact pull a muscle earlier in the day, but was having symptoms of a kidney stone. He had one about 4 years ago and while this is on the other side - he is certain it is the same thing! Praise God it is MUCH less painful... nothing excruciating this time... he is at work today - sore and still waiting to pass it... but able to function (and by 'function' I mean... sorry Darcie... it's sort of like that whole "That's what she said" deal... it just seems to work way more often than you would think!? LOL!) Anyway - he is drinking (under protest) Olive Oil with a Concentrated Lemon Juice chaser followed by LOTs of water! This is supposed to really help shrink/dissolve kidney and gall bladder stones and help them to pass faster! I am praying it will be all over by tonight and he will heal from the tenderness quickly! Sunday was a full day of church and family and friends and more church somehow?! Today was my first day feeling like things are back on track and headed for a regular routine again! Kaye is back at school... Dave is at work... I am home on the computer, doing laundry and dishes, and planning the weeks' meals, etc! All my normal Monday stuff! aaaah... I love a good routine! I thrive on it... and find comfort in the steadiness of a well planned routine! Of course - I am also learning to be open and let God interrupt my plans if He has something else in mind! Big of me, I know! LOL!

So - with that said... I am now going to 'put out there' a few of my goals for this new year!

Personally:

I am getting back on track with an exercise routine... believe it or not - even with the last three years of adding regular (2-3X's a week) exercise - I have 'maintained' the same pant size for the last 12 years. 12 years?! Nice... it hasn't mattered if I worked out - or not... things may have shifted a bit here or there - but basically - I have been wearing the same size clothing since my dd was born! Yeah... over 12 years ago?! Crazy?! A lot of what blocked my losing weight in all honesty was deep and spiritual. Over the past 3 years, as I mentioned, I have been consistent at walking or lifting weights or doing aerobic workouts 2 or 3 times a week... and it really had become a habit... I missed it if I let myself get too busy... however, even after 3 years... this winter came and I had stopped going to the gym way back in the Spring - and was walking at a local park 3-5 times a week instead... but - aahh - Old Man Winter! He knocked me off my game and I was actually making it less and less in October and November...but by last December - I was done. I tried to do a DVD or something a couple of times... but it just didn't stick! I love walking... and I know that I need to change some OTHER habits as well... but in just one month 'off' - I noticed how stiff I was and how quickly I felt things shifting and saw how easy it would be to go back to my non-active lifestyle!? Scary!?!! So - my new resolve is to get back to a workout routine - and take control over my own body... my own eating habits and push through to SEE results!!!? Enough already! Enough of being held down and held back... this is my year of overcoming these issues that have kept the weight on! To be honest, it has sort of been my comfort zone... my protection... but in the end - it has done nothing for me! I am ready!

So - this past week... I did my research and hunted and found a new friend! This is my new buddy... Her name is Millie!

Isn't she pretty!? I love her!!! She will help me reach my goals! I had so much fun putting together a new Exercise Playlist on my MP3 player and rockin' out for about an hour this morning!!! Oh yeah... I feel the burn, Baby!

I also changed my hair... I have gone to the Dark Side... (well - dark for me!?) Apparently, the older I get, the darker my hair is... I no longer have the OPTION of coloring my hair as I have plenty of stubborn whiteness that wants to be the center of attention - but I got tired of coloring my hair so often!? My hope is that now that I have gone darker - I can go a bit longer in between colors?! We'll see!? I have never been this dark... which - I know - is not necessarily DARK... but for me... it is a big change!

Professionally:

My goal this year is to increase my Etsy store, continue to gain new clients, and really as much as it sounds like a bad business goal - I want to protect my time to scrapbook for the love of the art and for my family. I have not had too many seasons where I have been so busy that I have lost sight of this - but I know that it can happen - and while I want to be successful in this industry - my goal is not to get noticed or published or famous... my goal is to create art for myself, my family & friends, and my clients that will stir up a sense of connectedness and memory... I resolve to not forget that this business I run is not all about me!

I have also set a goal to get two books ready to be shopped around. I have at least one written but not in any particular format and I need to do a lot of editing. I have one thought out but feel I am to do the illustrations as well - and that is stretching me! For the last two years, I have set aside at least one day a week to write... so I have plenty of material to work with - I just need to focus... make an outline and begin editing! The hard part for me is that I love to write - and the thought of editing and formatting is not nearly as attractive as putting new words on paper for me! However, if I do not begin now to try to find order in it all - it will never get any easier - and it will never get done! So ...once a week I will work on cleaning up what I have already and organizing it. I will need to work one day a week to learn more about the book/publishing business as well...

Spiritually:

My Goals for this year spiritually is to simply seek after Him in more honesty and allow Him to flow through me in more power... I want to fulfill all the plans that He has set out for me this year... and that will mean LISTENING more intently and following through - knowing that it is Christ in me that helps me to accomplish whatever is asked of me! Oh yeah... and I think it would be so cool to lay hands on the sick, and see the Lord resurrect someone this year! That's a good goal!

I got this little e-mail last night and I think it sums up this post quite nicely:

"Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

This year I resolve to live ON PURPOSE each day...

Live your Destiny!

Scrap On!
~Karrilee~