2013 Resolutions/Goals

I’ve been a little under the weather this week, so I never got a chance to post my Resolutions and Goals for the new year.  For the past several years, I would often list something like exercise everyday, don’t eat donuts and go to church every Sunday as my resolutions for the year.  Well, let’s just say that by the middle of the year, most of the goals that created would often fall by wayside. I’ve finally realized that I need to set more realistic goals for myself if I hope to be successful.

So, this year, when I thought about my resolutions, I thought about it more as a process towards a goal. My New Year's resolution is to be a better me. As I look forward to 2013, I don't want to put too much pressure on myself or on the year as a whole.  However, I don’t want to wake up a year from now and feel as if nothing has changed in my life.  At this moment, I can't say exactly what changes I want to see, but I figure that I’ll be working on that throughout the year.  My main goal is to look back a year from now and be proud of the way that I spent my time and energy in 2013. 

I recently found an amazing infographic of Gandhi's Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World.  I thought that this list would serve as a perfect guide for me to becoming a better version of myself.  I plan to print this poster and post it in my home to remind me of my overall goal. 

(The graphic was created by Francesca a graphic design student at CalArts.

Download the poster here and print a copy for yourself)

Anyways, here are some other goals that I hope to accomplish this year in addition to my main goal above.  If I am able to complete just one of the steps to achieving my goal, I will indeed become a better me.  What are some of your resolutions for 2013?  I’d love to hear.  Let me know in the comments.

{one} Organize, declutter and simplify my life

{two} Improve my prayer life and use a devotional

{three} Reduce my running time by at least 2 minutes

{four} Save money and pay off 3 of my credit cards

{five} Go on an "adventure" with my BF each month

{six} Stop buying clothes and start recycling what I own

{seven} Travel more and visit at least 3 friends that live far away

{eight} Spend more time with my family

{nine} Take another photography classes

{ten} Blog more about my lifestyle and everything that I love

{eleven} Read at least one new book each month

{twelve} Continue to learn how to sew

{thirteen} Stick to healthier diet of fruits/vegetables and clean up my bad eating habits

Moody Style: Motivation

Hi everyone!  I hope that you all are having a great week so far.  I’ve been keeping busy with the new job and watching the Olympics.  I’ve been captivated by all of the Olympic athletes over the past four days and I’m astounded by their all of their achievements.  Every singe one of them has an amazing story that brought them to London and they are all highly motivated.  So, I started to think about my motivation and what keeps me going every day.  I’m sure that like most of you it’s sometimes hard to stay motivated every second of every day, but I’m going to share a few of my 5 simple tips that keep me going when I have a goal set in place. 

1. Set One Goal at a Time – I find that when I set too many goals at once, then I get overwhelmed. The end result is that I don’t focus on each goal with as much intensity as I should.  So, I set a limit and start small.

2. Find Inspiration and Post It – I know that it may sound silly, but creating an inspiration board for myself is a helpful reminder of what I want to achieve.  If I don’t have time to create a board then I at least write it down and post it on my fridge or on a mirror.  It’s good to have a daily reminder of the goal.

3. Share the Goal – I think that it’s important to let others know what you’re trying to achieve for two reasons - to help hold you accountable and also to gain support. When I trained for my half marathon earlier this year, my family and friends all knew what I was up against and they supported me 100% percent.  It’s a great feeling to have all of that support and love behind you when you accomplish the goal. 

4. Set a Date – It’s a simple step that often gets overlooked, but it’s a must.  Adding an end date to a calendar or creating a system to check on your progress will help build anticipation and add some finality to the goal.

5. Don’t Give Up – If you miss a day, a week or even a month, then readjust your plans and get motivated again.  There’s always an ebb and flow with just about everything that we do, so keep moving forward.

{Shirt: Anthropologie Draped Snail Tank;

Pants: Ann Taylor Loft Marisa Trouser Leg Pants;

Earrings: Anthropologie Small Change Earrings;

Ring: Banana Republic Turquoise Sunset;

Shoes: Gianni Bini Thong Sandals (old)}

What keeps you motivated? Do you have any tips that will keep you from falling into a slump? Have you been watching the Olympics?  Are you inspired by any particular athlete to try something new? Let me know in the comments!