Resolutions… you know them, you hate them, or wait, maybe that’s just me. It’s like I set myself up for failure when I jot down this hefty list of “should/could/want to/etc” and for this past year, I decided to throw that idea out the door and focus on one word for 2015, which was to “simplify”. [you can read my post about that here]
A little bit of self reflection here and I will admit that I wasn’t able to fulfill everything I wanted to accomplish, but there were some positiveness that came from this new method. I still said “yes” to things I should’ve stayed away from, I definitely didn’t keep up with my mission to meal plan on a weekly basis, and shopping… oh goodness, I definitely didn’t shop less = way to go me.
Having said that, I was able to simplify some processes in the world of Sugar Bit, which made my business life a bit less chaotic… I finally got an account with Stamps.com, which allows me to schedule USPS pickups from my house AND print my own postal packaging, so that saved countless hours standing in line at the post office. I also tried to schedule my work balance a bit better, so that most of the time at night I was able to “turn it off” and have quality time with the girls and Jeff instead of spending time in my office trying to finish deadlines, invoices, etc. And I used my planner to hold myself accountable to scheduled events and trying not to overdo my daily to-dos.
Another win for us was joining a small group at church… we have found these couples to be an amazing support system and it definitely has gotten us into a more regular routine at church and has us engaged with families like ours. So excited to know them better and do more as a group this next year as well.
You win some, you lose some… it’s all about balance.
So, as we embark on a brand new year with a new chapter to write, I’ve decided to let go of the things I wasn’t able to accomplish last year and focus on a new word and a new motto for 2016, which will be my year to:
From Webster’s dictionary, to “prioritize” means “to arrange or do in order of priority” and this is essentially something that has been missing for quite some time in my life.
I’ve been making my list of things that are the top priorities for me, which include:
1. Family || This needs no explanation, as family comes first, and it always will in my book. I want to continue living by “quality over quantity” and being present, active, engaged, and patient with those I love most. I want to savor this season in our lives, and be sure I’m better about taking photos, keeping the colored drawings, and savoring each and every moment I have with my little ones and Jeff.
2. Faith || My faith has most definitely gotten stronger over the past few years, and I think part of that has to do with the fact that I want to be public about my love of God, and teach my children all He can do for them as well. I have a lot that I want to improve upon, like praying for specific things I need from Him, talking to God daily/not just when my head hits the pillow at night, and I want to continue reading scripture every morning, thanks to the handy dandy First 5 App.
3. Friends || The older you get, the more you realize who the true friends are, and I am thankful to have so many strong friendships that continue to grow each year… I want to prioritize and really spend time with those friends who make the effort to give to my life, and know that it is OK if some friendships fade. People change and I need to surround myself with people that help make me a better person, too.
4. Food || Let’s get back in the kitchen, shall we?? I’m at a point where I miss meal planning, I miss cooking dinner 3-4 nights a week, and I want to get back to working on what we stock in our pantry and fridge… we definitely need to cut back on the processed food and buy more fruits and veggies and get the girls sampling new foods to add to the lineup. Thankfully, Santa brought me this new grocery and meal planner to make this easier… after all, I am a list maker and staying organized keeps me sane.
5. Fitness || 2015 wasn’t the best year for me when it came to being diligent about my exercising routine and I put on a few pounds these past few months that I cannot wait to see come off. I’m already back with my trainer, strength training and increasing my workouts to at least 3 days per week, and I know heading to the gym is the best way for me to de-stress and calm my anxiety. So I will make sure I make this a top priority this year! Back to using my trusty FitBit daily, too. And I’m promising myself to drink at least 64 oz. of water each day, thanks to my handy dandy Swell water bottle.
6. Work || 2015 was a big year for Sugar Bit, as we were able to grow and increase our customer base and I hope to continue that trend for 2016 as well. In addition, I was able to start a gift registry, traveled to Memphis and Knoxville for trunk shows, went to market in both Dallas and Atlanta to find new brands to add to our collection, and was a merchant at Christmas Village, which was a blessing to meet so many of our wonderful friends face to face. Lots of exciting things coming up and I am excited to keep working on a career I love tremendously, which hopefully brings joy to others at the same time. I am finalizing our yearly business planning thanks to Lara Casey’s PowerSheets, which so many of you have raved about.
Looking for some helpful tools and tricks to get you motivated to make this your best year yet??
Check out these goodies I found: Filling the Time Jar, Sleep Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making, Top Small Business Tools, Four Reasons to Wake Up Before Your Kids, The 2016 Ultimate Reading Challenge, and What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise.
What does 2 0 1 6 look like for you? What are you wanting to conquer, make better, decrease, or work on??? Love hearing all your goals so please tell… maybe we can all help keep each other accountable!
I'm with you on so many of these things and have the Power Sheets for this year too! I have something that will make your life even easier! It's not free, but worth every penny business wise. Have you heard of ShipStation? Game changer! Makes shipping a breeze! Not sure if you're set up through shopify for your site, but it connects to the shop and imports orders for shipping. If you have any questions, let me know!
OK I am SO going to have to look into ShipStation đ thanks friend!!!
I just recently launched my own photography business and I think it's going to be a game changer this year. However with a little one at home and also working a full time job I'm going to have to be mindful of how I spend my time. Love your list and of course that family (as it should be) is right at the top!
WAY TO GO!!!!!!
These are all great goals! I love that you prioritized them in order of importance too… That way if you fall short on one it will hopefully be the least important and you can remind yourself of all the other priorities that you have accomplished!! Happy 2016!
YES… great way to think of it, too!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR đ
Love the idea of one word to represent the year!! I think you have great goals to prioritize your time. Happy new year friend!
thank you SO much!!! hoping to keep on track and hold myself accountable đ
I think we all need to prioritize what's most important! So often we say our family is the most but then let everything else take over. I'm definitely guilty of this and should definitely work putting Noah first before all the rest of the daily "chores". Could be the perfect excuse for me to put off housecleaning đ
AMEN TO THAT!!!
Such great goals! I need to prioritize too! It seems like we can get so caught up in the busy…..but if we prioritize and learn to say no, things would be so much better! Thanks for sharing my friend!
YES!!!!
So much YES in this post! I love the word you chose. That perfectly describes so much of what I want to do this year too! And I love your priorities and action plan for making them count. Love it!
I think we need to keep each other accountable and check in frequently!! OXOX
Prioritize is a great word and I wish you all the best sweet friend.
I am starting a new business but both my girls will be at school in the mornings – I plan to be intentional with my time (with family, work, faith and health/fitness)
x
Great word! And I love how you broke it out into different areas of your life. I can definitely use some prioritizing in my life! I work from home and often fill my days with fluff. I need to prioritize better so that when my boys get home I can put my full attention towards them!