Happy New Year!

I sort of have mixed feelings on the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. I find the “All or Nothing”-ness of them a bit off-putting. However, I do think that the start of a new year is a great time to take stock of your life, and think about the things you would like to change or improve. I have a few of these, myself… not absolute “resolutions” exactly, but small changes I would like to work on implementing in my daily life. I prefer to think of them as “intentions” rather than “resolutions.” I know that some days I will make greater progress toward my goals than others, and sometimes I may even slide backward a bit. But that’s OK! The important thing is that I will do my best to live my life in a way that is good for me and good for my family, consciously and intentionally. Here is my list of Intentions for this year:

1. Keep on Keepin’ on.  Over the last several years, we’ve been working toward the goals we talk about in this Blog… living Simply, frugally, naturally and intentionally. My main intention is to continue on this path.

2. Move More. I have a tendency to exercise quite sporadically. I get on kicks where I’m moving my body on a regular basis, then I get on some long lazy stretches where I don’t. It is my intention to be more consistent, and move my body in some way, everyday… whether it’s yoga, a little hike, a long walk or a quick jog on the treadmill.

3. Try the vegan thing, again. I have been vegetarian since my teens (20-some-odd years ago now!) but a vegan lifestyle is something I’ve struggled with maintaining on any kind of long-term basis. I have tried a few times over the years, with varying degrees of success, but somehow I end up back in the world of butter, cheese and eggs. The older I get, the more convinced I am that dairy, in particular, is not so healthy for us, so I really would like to try to eliminate these things from my family’s diet. We already eat many vegan meals each week, so we are on the path… however, it is hard for us to go “all the way” as we are required to have dairy and eggs in the house because of our daycare business. Also, my family really does love their butter, cheese and eggs! It is my intention to prepare as many vegan meals as possible for my family, and to make vegan choices daily for myself.

4. Get out of debt, and start a savings. This has been an intention of mine for several years running, and I have yet to achieve it. Sometimes life throws you circumstances that you can’t really control. But I refuse to be beaten down by this, and I will never give up on the idea of one day achieving financial stability, if not security. I keep this intention in mind always, and continue to live as frugally as possible in hopes that every little bit will help us to one day achieve this goal.

5. Work at achieving a better balance between work and family life. I have posted about my anxieties on this issue before, and it’s something I still struggle with everyday. My intention is face each of the daily challenges I meet with patience, focus and love. I intend to continue to work at prioritizing my time so that I can be Present for my children and my partner.

So there you have it…my list of Intentions for the coming year. I look forward to seeing what 2013 has in store for us. I know we will be facing our share of challenges, but I also know that we will have more than our share of Blessings, too.

May you all be Blessed with Health, Happiness and Prosperity in the New Year!