The One Where I Make Unrealistic Resolutions

I love starting a new year. I love setting goals and making lists and thinking about how improved I could be by the end of a year if I really implemented some changes. I never actually do implement those changes. I never actually do improve. But maybe this is my year! Lol.

I've never participated in the #oneword trend that many of my friends have, but this year, I'm jumping on board. My one word isn't grow or rest or breathe or joy. My one word is discipline. So not fun, but so necessary. 

As I explained, I'm excellent at setting goals, but I'm atrocious at attaining them. I know what I need to do, but I'm not willing to put forth the work to do it. One thing I've always wanted to do is be a runner. But I've decided that I want to become a runner like they do on the movies. I want to get some cute workout clothes, lace up my Nikes, and go through a 30 second music montage of my progression from couch potato to trim and toned runner. 

Obviously, real life doesn't come with music montages. And growth takes more than 30 seconds. It takes discipline. 

It is becoming glaringly obvious to me that I need discipline in almost every area of my life. 

- Discipline to spend less time on the computer and/or my phone

- Discipline to drink less Dr Pepper

- Discipline to stop binge eating

- Discipline to get active and do something about my post-baby body instead of just whining about it

- Discipline to spend time reading the Bible and praying

- Discipline to go to bed at a reasonable hour

- Discipline to spend intentional, quality time with my kids

- Discipline to read more

- Discipline to keep my house clean and in order

So my major goal this year is to tell myself no. No, you can't have 4 cookies in one day. No, you don't need to check facebook "one more time." No, you are not going to spend Levi's nap time sitting on the couch watching Netflix. Sounds like fun, eh? But I'm so fed up with being lazy, selfish, and irritable. I feel like I was extremely stagnant last year in my spiritual growth. At church this morning, our pastor urged us to "stop worshiping the idol of self and draw closer to the light [Jesus]." 

So I've come up with some practical ideas to grow in discipline and maturity.

Every day (at least every weekday), I want to:

1. Do my devotions/pray

2. Read to Lena and Levi - Lucy reads at school and most nights before bed, but I've gotten so lax about reading to the little ones.

3. Read to myself. I want to use Goodreads this year to keep track of what I read and find ideas for new books. I'm going to attempt to order a couple books a week from the library and get back into the groove with reading. 

4. Do at least one household chore each day.

And at least a few times a week, I want to:

1. Do yoga - I need to start getting active, but I'm going to have to start slow or I'll give up. I loved the yoga class I took a few years ago, so I'm going to attempt doing it at home via YouTube. My core can use all the help it can get after being enormously pregnant 3 times. 

A few more things . . .

1. I'm going to start cutting back to one can of Dr Pepper a day.

2. When I'm done nursing in a couple months, I'm going to get serious about dieting and losing some weight. Maybe 21 Day Fix??

3. Learn how to listen to podcasts. I'm technologically inept and don't understand how podcasts work. Where do you get them from? Do you have to download them or can you just listen to them online? 

That's it! Easy peasy, right? ;-)