While we said hello to February two weeks ago, many of you asked me to share my monthly life list after watching February's Inside My Planner.
What is a Life List?
As I plan my month, I create a "Life List" alongside my To-Do List to ensure there are some fun celebrations on my list alongside the mundane to-dos like getting my carpets cleaned and taking Sunday in for her annual physical.
The idea is not to cross each item off every year, but to keep a recurring list of reasons to celebrate. For my type awesome readers, this is not another to-do list. ;)
If you'd like to download my image, right click and hit Save Image. It's a PNG (vector), so it will render beautifully in any size. (I use a standard 4x6.) And of course, it's pinnable for your Pinterest needs.
As with January's Life List, I'll share one of my favorite February traditions:
To get a head start on spring cleaning, I gather my girlfriends together for a Spring Swap. The last Saturday of February, we scour our homes and bring anything we're not using to the swap: books, clothes, silverware, wine glasses, shoes, bags...if someone else may enjoy it, we bring it! We try on clothes, drink coffee, catch up, and find some new favorite things. After the swap, all the items that don't find new homes are donated to Goodwill.
What's on your February Life List?
I hope my list of little celebrations gives you some ideas for your own monthly life lists and they remind us both to celebrate each day.
Early January is one of my favorite times of the year because it gives us an opportunity to dream and plan for a new year of living. Last year, I accomplished all of my resolutions (except exercising every day, that wasn't a S.M.A.R.T goal) and I'm fired up to set new goals for 2015!
Resolutions are about creating habits that build the futures we want to live.
How am I going to live in 2015, so that I walk into 2016 happier, healthier, and more attune to God's work in my life?
As you can see from the graphic, I create a resolution for each area of my life: spiritual, creative, physical, professional, mental, financial, giving. Why? Joyce Meyer put it so well in my devotional for 2015 Hearing from God Each Morning:
God designed us with bodies, souls (minds, wills, and emotions), and spirits, and He expects us to take care of all these areas. Exercising our bodies and caring for our souls takes time and effort. Our minds need to grow and be renewed daily. To stay balanced and healthy, we must take time to take care of our entire being. We say we don't have time to seek God, but the truth is that we make time for what's most important to us.
I love the reminder that we make time for what's most important to us. Growing up, when I complained about busyness my mom would say, "people make time for what's most important." I need this reminder now as much as I did twenty years ago.
As we look at how we spend our time, what does it say is most important? What changes to we need to make so that our values align with our schedules?
If you'd like to make resolutions that cover each area of your lives, here are some questions to consider:
What habits can I develop to become spiritually stronger? Physically healthier? Professionally advanced? Mentally sharper? Financially stable? Live generously?
(If you're a wife and/or a mother, I'd add a line for those roles as well.)
S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
As you're answering these questions, remember it's essential that the answers are S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, and Time Bound.
As an example, let's take the resolution to get in shape. "Get in shape" isn't specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, or time bound, but let's make it SMART!
Specific - What does getting in shape mean? Eating healthier? Working out? Losing weight? Feeling better?
Measurable - How will you know you're succeeding? By the number of times you got to the gym per week? How can you track your progress week over week?
Assignable - Can you reach this goal? Do you need buy-in from a partner?
Realistic - Is this goal attainable?
Time Bound - Can you accomplish this goal in a year's time? If the answer is no, you may want to think about curating a Life List to hold your big dreams. As an example, I can't get my MBA next year, but I can take the GMAT and apply to grad school.
For more on resolutions and how I'm staying organized and accountable with my life planner, there's a video!
For a chance to win a $100 gift card to the Erin Condren shop, leave a comment below! Giveaway will remain open through 1/09.
How we are going to live in 2015 to walk into 2016 transformed?
I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made.
But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.
Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.
I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.
If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet!
Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. (Philipians 3: 12-16, MSG)
Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn.
My day job is out of control. I had six meetings this weekend. Who has meetings on weekends?! I do. That's the IT world, "it's like a rocket, you just hold on as long as you can" (Thanks to my friend Dan for that analogy). After three cups of coffee, I'm having one of those mornings where I put a dryer sheet in the washing machine, pink lip liner on my eyes, and I used Keratese shampoo as body wash because I haven't had time to stop by Ulta, but we'll save how to be a hot mess for another post.
Let's talk winter decor.
Yesterday after church (after my first meeting, but before my second), I filmed the Winter Edition of the Denver Apartment Update. This video is winter-inspired decor and some ideas to update your home decor through the seasons, including 7 ways to update your home each under $10.
You can watch here or below, if you're so inclined.
Disclaimer: This video contains unicorns!
Don't have 15 minutes for a video? Here's the cliff notes:
7 Ways to Update Your Home Each Season Under $10
Fresh flowers
Colored taper candles
Scented candles
Salt & Pepper shakers
Swapping photos for seasonal memories
Displaying books with seasonal colors
Apothecary jars filled with seasonally-colored cupcake papers
The one thing getting me through this ten day work week? The promise of Portland on Friday. Work hard, play hard.
Thanks for starting your week with me, hope it's a great one.
