Every year I set a focus – that area of life I want to focus on and try to achieve something that goes with that focus. Some years I am successful – some years not so much.
In past years I have focused on Minurism – minimal consumerism – and was fairly successful in cutting down my spending. Last year was my Money year – and I was likewise successful in increasing the cash flow into the home both through working hard on increasing the amount of billable work I produced each month and in increasing the number of assignments that came my way by being diligent in meeting deadlines. Hawk Studio also took a big step forward by going back to Faire and carried us through some iffy times during the summer. But without the Minurism aspect being combined we still were not pulling ahead.
There was also a negative that came from focusing on work all year – I spent alot of time sitting behind my desk and that just was not good for my health. Both Chip and I knew it, so I promised that 2016 would be my Health year.
But as we got closer to 2016, I realized that I have to learn how to integrate it all. I need to learn to be healthy and still bring in the higher level of income because we still have to build a booth for Hawk and finish rehabbing the upstairs apartment and meet our monthly bills. We also have to reduce our non-necessary spending so we can do those things and get out of the debt that necessitates this level of work.
So I decided that I need to build on the prior years – to continue what I started when the focus was Money – and Minurism – and to add a new focus on Health to that mix.
But there was one more thing to add to that grouping – and that was Completion. I found that another negative of focusing on work was that I was drained at the end of my day and let too many other projects fall by the wayside – Chip did too. We have so many unfinished projects in the home and in the craft room and they need to be completed so we can let go of that feeling of being overwhelmed all the time. That means we need a more focused down-time.
So you may see a different direction with this blog as I try to do it all and to (hopefully) show you it can be done. I hope to show you projects we did using what we have rather than what we bought to support Minurism. I hope to get your support in making healthier choices in activities and food choices. (I may have to throw in some great recipes from some new cookbooks I got this year that are why I will never be able to be TOTALLY healthy but moderation in all things, right?) And I want to show you projects being finished!!
My family is coming on this trip with me – mainly because I don’t give them alot of choice in it. 🙂
So I have already started. I signed up for a yoga class that starts today. I am walking a mile in the mornings with a goal of running a 5k in August. Believe me when I say that this would be a big deal for me because my craft work and day job have always been pretty sedentary. As a result, it is going to take some time for me to get strong in my legs. I also went cold turkey for the last week on sugar to give me a jumpstart into the New Year. Okay, the family did not agree to go along with me on that, but their sugar consumption will start to go way down if I am the one (not) baking the sweets. I can say that I already saw a difference in how I feel just from that short a time.
I have also chosen the first knitting project for completion – a sweater for Chris that will also be his Xmas present – so that will go toward both Completion and Minurism. I will show you that in a later post.
So starts 2016. I have lots of goals – I will need LOTS of support and hopefully it will be an interesting year to blog about. So here we go.
Onward and Upward.
A Polish Granddaughter 
I can’t wait to read about it all! You actually really motivate me every time I read about what you’re doing. I too felt a desire to be more productive recently and was feeling really overwhelmed, so I finished a scarf I had started for mom years ago in time for Christmas, finished a book I had started about 6 months ago, and FINALLY organized and cleaned my bedroom and closet and upstairs hallway area and boy did that make me feel good! Now I need to start up my pesky blog again, as so much of what I’ve knitted has gone unblogged, and start eating healthier. I can’t cut out the sugar completely, but I must try to curb my sweet tooth a bit…an act made even harder to do by someone buying me an ice cream maker for Christmas…ahem. (By the way, the second batch came out perfect!) Love you sis! Keep writing and inspiring me!
Hah!! I have the same ice cream maker in my house. But it was easier than I thought to just let the boys and Chip finish off the Xmas cookies and for me to grab a carrot or a piece of cheese if I needed to snack – which I did not need to do alot. The 3:00 blood sugar drop just went away. And when I did have some sugar after that, I felt crappy almost immediately. I love to bake, so it won’t go away completely – but if I can cut it down I think it is going to make me feel better. I am tired of always feeling tired – and that really started to go away. Vash and I did our one mile walk today with Roxy – who was very excited to do a one mile walk with us. 😀 Note to self – wear a hat next time because I got a bit of an earache now. Now I will get some work done, go to a Yoga class at 5:30 and then home to knit Chris’s sweater while watching Sherlock!! Yaaaaaaay Sherlock!! Tomorrow is making granola (some honey and maple syrup) and blueberry muffins (minimal brown sugar – sweetness comes from the berries) for the boys for their breakfasts next week. I am also going to make them healthier breakfasts before school – no more boxed or overly sugared cereals. Breakfast burritos and egg sandwiches and yogurt with granola and fruit. And I want a short hike through the conservation area with the family too while we still have the weather for it. That is unless I can get them to help me with yardwork – that would be wonderful too. So yes, you need to get your blog going too and we will keep inspiring each other. Love you Sis.
Good for you! It’s going to be awesome. How’s the yoga class?
It was really good – it was a basic class and I was able to do all of the moves and the teacher was really patient and instructive and made you feel accepted whatever your level. It was a guided meditation to movement which made it so much easier to focus and push out the mental invasions that can come when just sitting and meditating. All in hopes of getting to that still pond in my mind. Yay!