Resolutions vs. Goals – Doing Less

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Today I enjoyed my last day of unemployment / stay-cation by playing golf, getting a massage, and running a few errands. I’m now packed up for the first day of work tomorrow.

The last few days have helped me take a deep breath, and here are a few of my thoughts.

A couple of weeks ago my Weight Watchers leader commented to me that the reason I might be stalled (since January) in my weight removal journal was because I was doing too much. The last quarter has been filled up with a lot of things, not the least of which has been significant job changes.

I’d like to report this instantly solved all my problems and I jumped back on track, but I’m rarely like that. Today as I putted the last whole, I got to thinking about my new year’s resolutions.

It’s an extensive list. Two pages in Word.

And frankly, I’ve got off track.

So here’s a refined list. And I’ve added some priorities to help me remove some items.

1. Remain employed

2. Continue to work on my lifestyle improvement project

  • Go to Weight Watchers meetings regularly
  •  Eat breakfast
  • Pack and eat my lunch
  • Have a healthy dinner
  • Participate in walking challenges (particularly with the dog) / golf
  • When I loose enough weight, explore riding lessons

3. Painting

  • Have a regular painting night
  • Enter both WSO shows
  • Do both Open Studios of Beavercreek shows
  • Do the CC Artist Exhibition show
  • Enter OSA Shows (particularly the June rose show)
  • Enter the Equine Art Show (Emerald Downs in July)
  • Submit to the AAEA Show (June deadline)

4. Money

  • Get credit card debt back to $0
  • Build savings (including property tax money)
  • Live on a budget every month

I’m going to call these my priorities and goals. Now, there are other things that I’d like to get done or have happen, but I’m going to remove them from this list. I may still do them; in fact, there are several that I will continue working toward. But I’m got to state that I’m going to push them to the side and try to focus on the four items above.

If possible, these are the other things I’d like to see happen this year.

  • Go camping
  • Go to Chinese Garden
  • Go to Japanese Garden
  • Go to the Oregon Zoo
  • Go to the Portland Art Museum
  • See 150 species of birds and keep track
  • Goodreads 2015 Reading Challenge: 100 books
  • Do a better job keeping up with weeding
  • Finish painting window surrounds
  • Go on a yarn diet
  • Learn continental knitting
  • Process (clean, card, & spin) my fleece
  • Continue volunteering at SEO
  • No new pets this year