Happy New Year!

On this first day of 2015, I am feeling renewed optimism and hope. I believe in New Year's Resolutions. I know that most people don't keep them, and I am no exception. But if we never take the time to reflect and make goals, how can we ever expect to achieve them? In that spirit, here are mine: 1. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: I decided to look into The Daniel Plan from Rick Warren at The Saddleback Church. I've always liked his take on personal change inspired by faith and backed up by scripture and positive thinking. I am going to look for a church here in Portlandia that is offering it. As for the diet plan, I am certain of a few things: no meat, no dairy, no sugar or grains for me. Whole foods, organic, no gmo's. So basically, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds for sure. But I also want to enjoy some baked sweet potatoes, a little bit of beans, hummus with raw veggies, and other cooked foods. I will never abandon my juices, smoothies, and salads. I don't want to hurt animals, and I don't want to pay anyone else to hurt them for me. For exercise, I am going to step up my walking, and I got some nordic walking poles to try. Walking is the one thing I will do no matter the weather, no fancy equipment needed, and I can easily adjust it for when I feel ill, etc. I have been walking for exercise for years, never missing a day, and I credit it for maintaining my health even as I have lost and gained weight. I am going to keep a day count of how many days I have on track: 1 day! Better than no days. 2. SAVE MONEY: I need to buy a car this year, so this is a necessity, not a pipe dream. I intend to be super strict: I am not buying anything but food and gas! I mean this. No more eating out. (That can only help me with my health goals anyway.) I have already warned the kids that I am going into uber frugal mode. Basically, I buy a lot of crap that I don't need, and then I have bills. It clutters up my house and my closets. It is a poor use of environmental resources. If I truly need something, I will try to get it free or second hand. I will set a firm limit on gifts. My goal is to save $5000 by June. To make a game out of this, I am keeping a day count of how many days I have: 1 day. A good place to start! 3. WRITE: I am going to blog every day, or close to it. This is the year I write a book and a screenplay. I have the plots and characters in my head; now I just need to get them on paper. Days on track: 1 day 4. CLEAR OUT AND SELL MY PARENT'S CONDO: I can't believe I have not done this yet. Procrastination ends now. I am making this my job every weekend until this is done. I also have tons of paperwork I have not done that I desperately need to. Today I am going to make an assessment of all of what that entails and get started and make a plan. I am giving myself a deadline of my mom's birthday to get this done: January 29. 5. FLOSS: I dont't, and I need to. Note to self: Buy some dental floss! Just a quick moment of reflection on 2014: Last year, I achieved many of my dreams. I visited Europe and saw London, Paris, and Rome. That has been on my life list since I was a child. I bought my first house, all mine. I never even dreamed I would be able to do that. I keep my house clean and decluttered. I never thought I would conquer that. I pay my bills on time. These are all things that give me hope. Yes, I am a food addict. Yes, I am a compulsive shopper. I get overwhelmed and just procrastinate and hope it will all go away. But I can overcome these things. I can do hard things! With God all things are possible. Here's to doing the possible in 2015.