Changing my One Little Word.

One of the things I've learned in years of public goal-setting is that one of the BIGGEST and BEST secrets of setting achievable goals (after being realistic, which is key) is to be TOTALLY 100% FORGIVING with yourself.

So, you worked out zero times out of your three-day goal this week? You haven't kept up on your paperwork and now your inbox is piled high with bills, coupons, and Huggies Rewards points you have to enter??? (Why am I so obsessed with entering these??) OH. And you failed to edge up the word-count of your novel on vacation even though you promised yourself that you would pretty faithfully and devoutly with an honest intent?

Okay.

Well that's too bad but its no reason to get out the hairshirt and schedule yourself a public flogging, you know?

So in the middle of my year of   n o u r i s h   I am, with no guilt whatsoever(!), abandoning that ship wholeheartedly and changing my one little word!

Looking back, I can see that it just wasn't the right fit--at least not the way I was using it. I don't have the time and energy to pile on a hundred more things for myself to do in all those minuscule categories. Seriously. Some of it I will do anyway because it's just the way I'm angling my/our life/lives--like how we're eating less processed foods, so I'm making all our bread now--but for the most part I've realized that I need to be taking pressure off, not adding new things to stress about.

I think Gracie starting elementary school really kicked me in the face (weird metaphor) and made me recognize that if I don't pare down the responsibilities I have (and the ones I accept, and the ones I place on myself) and streamline, I will not be able to comfortably make time for the things that matter--like hanging out with my almost-6-year-old in those few precious hours between the end of school and the dinner/bedtime rush.

And also, I just kind of looked at the trajectory of my life--all filled up with these stupid things I was spending time doing inefficiently or on my own or because I felt guilted into it--and realized that if I didn't make things simpler and more straightforward, I couldn't have any more kids. I simply would not have been able to keep up. And while we're not rushing towards more babies at this point, I do at least want to feel like I have the option to add another little one without self-destructing.

So my new word is:

s i m p l i f y

It has meant a lot of wonderful, wonderful change around here that has left me breathing and sleeping easier. Things like a new way of budgeting that is actually working (almost 6 months with no lapses, meltdowns, or insane pent-up splurges), an ongoing purge of our whole house (I've gotten rid of a walk-in closetful of clothes, and boxes and bags full of kitchen stuff--I actually have EMPTY CUPBOARDS in my kitchen. Like, several of them!), uninstalling facebook from my iPad, and lots of streamlining of our routine and how I organize and deal with paperwork, and increasing the kids' involvement in taking care of themselves, their relationships with each other, and the home we all share.

It has been a lot of work up front, but I feel like things are coming together piece by piece. Sure I'll fall off the wagon sometimes, but whatever. It's a process. Right now I'm just happy that my kitchen counters are staying cleaner than ever before and my budget is no longer giving me stomach aches. Kind of feels like an age of miracles. Yay 2014. :)