My Goals for 2013

I don't do resolutions.  Resolutions just seem bound to fail.  I will do goals instead.  I've already kinda mentioned them before...but I think I have a better picture of my goals now.   Yes, it would seem that health and fitness tops my list...but quite honestly, outside of Stella and Shawn, that is what makes me happy.  It is my stress relief since I no longer smoke and rarely drink these days.  It makes me feel better about myself and, apparently over the course of the last several months, I have become an inspiration to others....so health and fitness has earned it's spot at the top of my list!

Health & Fitness

Running.  I want to finally be able to run.  I'm not going to hold my breath on this one, since I have had unsuccessful tries in the past, but I'm hoping this time I can success!

I want to continue to improve upon my strength and tone and definition.  It's slow going, and I haven't always been the most dedicated...but I'm working on it.

I want to make a better effort eating.  Eliminating the bad.  I am already avoiding that most of the time anyway...but I need to be better about cooking and eating and making better choices for myself and my family.

With my goals...particularly my fitness goals, it is going to be a bit more difficult to dedicate the time I want to be able to in the gym as my husband is ready to take his triathlon training to the next level and...well...I am putting that as a priority over my gym time.  Even so, I have made some purchases that will hopefully enable me to do a little more at home:

I plan to take what I've learned from the kettlebell classes and work with that at home and have found some websites and instruction that should further help.  And the thicker exercise mat to replace the yoga mats I was used to.

I also bought this journal:

Quite honestly, I am not sure how much good it is going to do me, but perhaps a bit better than trying to track my workouts on My Fitness Pal, I guess.  As a bonus, my husband passed down his old heart rate monitor watch since I bought him a Garmin 910xt for Christmas.  Now I just need to figure this out.

I'm waiting on my new shoes - they should arrive Thursday - and of course I will share when I do get them.

Organization

I am quite possibly one of the most disorganized people I know.  That's not a good thing, not something to brag about...but it has a lot of truth to it.  At work, at home...I am just a disorganized mess...and it hurts!  It hurts my job performance, it stresses me out, it can make living with me miserable at times (just as my husband)...it just sucks.  I haven't found any tools yet that are going to help with this...but I am leaning towards lists, lists and more lists.  Work and home.  Create a filing system that works for me - work and home.  Get rid of what I no longer use.  Last weekend, I went through my clothes and bagged up A LOT.  Some will go to a resale shop (clothes I bought within the last year and wore very few times before they go too big), some to Goodwill, and some just to one of those clothing bins.  I have a bag of pants and jeans that I have offered a few people, but if no takers that will also be divided between resale and Goodwill.

Finances

I was able to knock out some of the smaller debts with my year end bonus...but I am aiming to put a large dent in the bigger debts...including and especially the student loan.  I do really want to get one more degree...but I want the debt for what I have already earned gone before pursuing that! I have also started a savings account for Stella, started once again saving for retirement (like that will ever actually happen) and just rebuilding a decent savings account.  The last several years were rough...quitting a job, being laid off from another, wedding, child, etc.  The past year...even with Stella...things have finally started turning around and hoping to stay on this path.