Brand New Year, Brand New Me

It's that time of year again, when thoughts turn to the changes we would like to make in our lives and ourselves. I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, which are as easily broken as they are made, but I am a big fan of goal-setting. One of the areas I particularly want to address in the coming year is Me. I have changes I want to make in both my physical appearance and overall health.

1. Weight
Some of my excess baggage has got to go and what's left needs to be less jiggly. My new exercise plan starts Monday.

I am not good as putting my life on hold to follow a diet. Therefore, I am invoking diet days. When it's easy and nothing conflicts, I will eat broiled chicken and salad and other healthy stuff. On other days, I will watch portions and try to make better choices, so eating better becomes less of a diet and more of my normal life.

More fruits and veggies, less sugary stuff. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not going to give up cookies and chocolate, but I could eat less of both, enjoy what I do eat more, and eat healthier stuff in between.

2. Healthy habits
Why is it so hard to do the things we know we ought to do? I am so bad about remembering to take my vitamins. That needs to change. The vitamins are being put in a more obvious location so I'll see them.

I also know I need to drink less sweet tea and soda pop and more water and green tea with lemon. I'm going to start off drinking green tea and water. If I have consumed my daily quota of water and 3-4 cups of green tea (doing one month on and one month off), only then will I have something else like sweet tea or soda. With few exceptions. :)

Skin care products are of no benefit if you don't actually use them. The hit-or-miss use of moisturizer isn't cutting it. It's time to establish a routine and stick with it.

3. Appearance
I have too much of that "let-herself-go" look about me. I've been weeding out my wardrobe some, but it's time to get serious. I need to have a handful of go-to outfits to put on when I'm leaving the house. I have a couple of basic items that need to be added as well.

The layer underneath is important too, and not just to dh. The stretched out underwear and bras aren't pulling their weight. It's time to call in the replacements.

I also need to weed out my makeup. Some of it is ready for the girls' play makeup bag. I need to figure out the gaps and fill them and then streamline my routine.

I think a round of teeth-whitening is in order.

Something will be done with the hair. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do with it, but it seems to just be hanging there most of the time. A good cut and a styling product or two probably wouldn't hurt.

4. Accountability
This is the hardest one for me. I'm hanging it all out here on my blog so all of you can hold me accountable. I plan to post updates periodically and let you all know how I'm doing, but if you don't see anything for a while, feel free to ask. I need all the help I can get.

So how about you? What are you doing to improve your well-being and/or appearance in 2011?

Stocking Up For the New Year

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was a bit chaotic, but turned out nice anyway. Now my thoughts are turned to the new year on the horizon. I've been thinking about things I can do to streamline my life. That got me thinking about the tools and supplies I use and need to have on hand.

After the pre-holiday cleaning frenzy, I'm sure some of my cleaning supplies need replaced. I know the baking supplies took a heavy hit as well. But the supplies I'm most thinking about are the ones that aid in relationships. This is an area I really want to work on this coming year.

Doesn't it make you feel good when you get a card in the mail in celebration of your birthday or anniversary? I love getting cards, but am terrible at sending them out. I'll remember the occasion and then have to wait to go to the store and get a card. Then I have to actually take the time to sit down and write in it and address the envelope. When that's accomplished I discover all my stamps have been used and now I have to wait until I have time to go to the post office. Three weeks later when I think of it again, it's embarrassingly late and doesn't get sent at all.

Baby and wedding gifts are almost that bad. If I finally manage to get a gift, then I wont have the right card or the right size bag or will be out of tissue paper. I've learned not to buy newborn sized clothes, because by the time I get the gift to them, they probably won't fit.

So, I'm thinking about the supplies of relationship. My shopping list includes birthday cards, anniversary and wedding cards, new baby cards, and a handful of assorted congratulatory, sympathy and get-well cards. I'm buying a roll of stamps and hiding them in my desk. I'm buying a small assortment of gift bags and tissue. All this, except the stamps, is going into a container in my office where I can find the supplies I need when I need them.

What are you working on in 2011? How are you fixed for relationship supplies?