Making 2014 Count

I sure love this kid and her enthusiasm for smiling!

New Years and the subsequent resolutions focus a lot on what we are going to do for the next 365 days, and I happily posted some goals I have made for myself and my family here. But as I sit here, past my bedtime on the first Monday (and first full week back at work in sooo long) I realize that there are some things I need to stop doing in 2014. I want to make this year count, not just in what I do but also in what I stop doing. So, if I may, here are some anti-resolutions to make 2014 count and be the awesome year that I plan on it being.

I'm going to stop the martyrdom that ends up in never allowing myself (or Matty) the things that we need. We follow a pretty strict budget and all I want is to buy a house, but a hundred bucks isn't going to put us in our dream house as fast as it will put a new pair of running shoes on my feet that haven't seen a new pair in about a thousand miles. I have this absurd habit of never getting myself anything and while it's a pretty good idea in theory to keep from overindulging, it's a pretty awful trait when I desperately need a new lip liner and my lizard skin is begging for a facial. We both work hard for our money and while our fun money is limited, I shouldn't feel like I can't ever have anything for myself just because we have certain goals we are working towards. This is the year that Mama will treat herself, even just a little.

I know I've said it before but I'm going to stop with the damn alarm clock. Seriously, that thing is the bane of my existence. I need to hop out of bed instead of wasting an hour of not quite sleep and not quite being awake that would be better spent if I was actually out of bed. Either that, or I set my alarm for later and deal with it, but really I would love to start getting up and having some productive time in the mornings again.

I have to stop ignoring my anxiety and start proactively doing something about it again. Sometimes I fall into a false sense of security because I have been living with anxiety for so long and able to handle it so well that I forget I am not always in control of it. It ebbs and flows and this is the time of year when it tends to get pretty bad: the decompression after the holidays, super cold weather (which makes my regular running routine a lot less awesome) and that tight period between Christmas and tax return season. Related to my first anti-resolution, I need to remember to make myself a priority so that I can be the best mama, wife, friend, employee and woman I can possible be without that awful anxiety monster on my back. I have to stop ignoring the things that I don't want to give time to and remember the benefit of taking care of myself all the time. not just when it is convenient.

And one last thing.

I give up on kale. Seriously. I've made the chips and put it in soups and I see it on menus of places I like to eat but I'm over trying to like it. It's fine and I know it's great for you, but other things are better and a lot more delicious, so I'm done trying.

It's all about balance, am I right? :)

Thanks to Casey over at The Wiegands and all the other bloggers who are participating in #making2014 count!