Making 2014 Count

I'm really excited to be getting involved with this awesome blog project that I learned about over at Little Baby Garvin. It's all about how we are going to make 2014 count for us, and the goals and changes that we hope to achieve in the new year. As a sociologist, you'd think that I would be totally over writing anything involving a prompt, but I'm actually really excited to have a direction to guide my post for the new year. So, here it goes!

Goals and changes in 2014:

I'm hoping to learn how to take it slow this next year and stop always thinking about tomorrow, next month and next year when I should be focusing on now. I'll literally be sitting down, full at the end of a meal, and think to myself "I wonder what we're having for dinner". I'm obsessed with stressing about what is to come. The funny part is, that ever since I met my wonderful husband even when things get chaotic and off course, they always seem to work out for us. So, why am I always so concerned with stressing over things? It's time I learn to just live for each minute, as cheesy as that may sound. 

On that note, my workouts and my diet (meaning what I eat, not a temporary plan to lead to weight change, etc...) will revolve around what I need that day and I will focus more on eating and working out to feel good about myself. I know that I feel best after a good workout and a clean meal. Will an indulgence kill me? Will I lose everything if I skip a workout? Nope. However, I will not allow my shoulder to keep me down. My impending surgery had me sitting out too often over the last few weeks and it is time that I get back to focusing on what feels good instead of thinking about swimsuit season!

I also hope to spend more time with friends. Vic and I created a bad habit of bunkering down in the house for weekends of movie marathons, which I love, don't get me wrong! But, I also love having my Rife family over for game night and running with girls. That's why we're having poker night next weekend!

My word(s):

I couldn't come up with just one word to focus on, so I went with two that work together for me. Vic is constantly telling me to relax. It usually has the same effect as telling a woman that she is being crazy. It's like "oh you think I'm crazy? I'll show you crazy!" Well, I get way un-relaxed when you say relax. I'm basically a professional stresser. I could gold medal in stressing if it was in the Olympics. It's time to just breathe and relax. Like I said above, everything has seemed to workout for us, not always any where near how we planned, but I have a beautiful, happy life so what is there to stress about? 

That brings me to my next word: Savor. I want to savor the moment. This weekend, flying with my boys, I thought about this post and what I wanted to write about while I had my hands full of a sleepy, teething, gorgeous seven month old boy. I want to learn to get better at relaxing and being able to savor those cuddles. Savor Saturday mornings with Vic before the baby and the pups need our attention. Savor the sunshine, the sweat after a good workout and the taste of a great, home cooked meal. I need to stop thinking of so much of my life as work and just enjoy what I do on a day to day basis. Once I thought of this idea on the plane, it was amazing how I relaxed, my heart rate and breathing slowed and I went from being anxious about my crying baby on the plane and he and I both drifted off to sleep for the next two hours. Nothing makes me love being a Mom more than sweet, baby snuggles. 

I will make 2014 count by:

Slowing down. I run around the house and work like a crazy person, like it's all a WOD for time and I'm going to lose if I don't move faster. It's silly really. I need to sit down and let the carpet be full of dog hair and the dishes be dirty and not think about the carpet and the dishes, and just enjoy my day more. Ryker will only be an infant for so long. Vic will only have the schedule he does at ODU for so long. The funny part is that I manage to stress about learning to not stress, so I will breathe my way through my silly thoughts and cuddle my boys and the pups more often. Cuddling is always the answer. If things are really nuts and I'm too wound up to cuddle, a run always helps, too!

I also really hope that I can continue logging our journey via this blog. When Ryker first got here, I fell off the wagon big time. I really enjoy the outlet, and even Vic says that I seem more excited on a day to day basis when I'm working on it. I hope one day to figure out a way to save all my posts so that I can have this forever, I'm sure one day when I'm 80 I'll get a good laugh at looking back on our life as newlyweds and new parents!

Well, thanks for reading about my hopes for 2014, maybe it will help you think about how you can make the most of the new year!