Three Words for 2015

Ah!! We are in the first week of 2015 which means y’all should expect a verbose message from me including all my grand plans for the year. Alas, I haven’t had any time to sit down and create a strategic plan for 2015. Instead, life happened.

Which in turn became the plan in itself.

Last year I was introduced to the concept of “three words” that guide the 365 days. Last year I choose TEACH, INSPIRE, and EXPERIENCE. I created my own weekly calendar last year (NERD ALERT!), which included these words on each page. I tried to mark down examples of when these things happened.

In addition to this, I created my 2014 strategic plan. I’m still deciding if I’m going to give y’all a recap of how I did. In case I never get around to it, here are the highlights – I did a decent job focusing on Malorie for her first two months, I read a ton of books, and Randy and I managed to still get in plenty of date nights and a vacation in addition to learning how to be parents. Oh, and I hit my pre-pregnancy weight for about 20 minutes one day in October. Go team.

Over the last three weeks I’ve tried to find time to review the past year and think about what I want to take away from 2015. But then we had the holidays, Mal got sick, I got sick, Noah got sick, and I couldn’t figure out how to keep a part-time job from encompassing brain power at all hours of the day. See also: there are so many factors that are uncontrollable for the next year, there is no way I can make concrete goals.

Instead, this year I’m challenging myself (and man, is it a challenge!) to just focus on three new words and let the rest of the year fall as it may. I’ll probably throw in a few month-long challenges to make sure I don’t spend too much time on the couch, but I’m ready to just ride the waves and see what happens. (Or, err… that’s the resolution – be OK without a plan. I’m itchy already and we’re only six days in!!)

So what are the three words for 2015?

Purpose

The first half of last year was cast under a fog of new motherhood and the physical recovery from pregnancy and delivery. The last quarter was lost to the learning curve of being a mom who worked away from home. Between the two, so much time was lost dinking around on Facebook, staring off into space, or thinking about one project while supposedly working on another.

In short, I learned I stink at multi-tasking. This year, I want to give my actions PURPOSE. If I’m writing a blog post, I’m writing the post, not periodically looking at Twitter and my work email. If I’m creating a recipe for work, then there is no reason to look at the gluten-free cookbooks. If I’m hanging out with Eggroll, I’m not also mentally compiling my grocery list nor beating myself up for not being at the gym at that time. You get the idea.

I believe there is a PURPOSE to Sunday afternoon naps and periodic evenings on the couch binge-watching TV and eating pizza straight from the box. I just need to make sure I’m taking as much away from these moments of relaxation as I do the moments of work and not be disappointed in myself up for focusing on either.

This category could also be titled “just do it.” As we can see from my 2014 plans above, I spend way too much time thinking and not enough doing. This will be The Year of Do.

Beauty

Newsflash – pregnancy and newborns really do a number on your will to put on real pants and/or make-up. Given that 2014 was the year I decided that leggings in fact could be pants, we know it was not a good year for my looks. Woof.

When I started at Angelic, I looked in my closet and realized I’ve only worn yoga pants for a whole year. This job doesn’t require much beyond jeans and closed-toe shoes and yet I had to hunt for outfits that looked nice. And I never, ever, ever wore my hair in any style fancier than a ponytail. Eck.

I ended the year by chopping off most of my hair (I still owe you a good picture, but today is a bad hair day, nobody takes pictures of me and I rarely do selfies…), cleaning out my closet, and buying a few new staples. I even cleaned up my pajama and underwear drawers. I will never be a supermodel and I will probably be seen at the grocery store in workout clothes and a sweaty face more often than not, but a little effort towards one’s BEAUTY goes a long way.

The bad days will also be an opportunity to focus on BEAUTY. Eggroll got sick last week which meant that Randy and I couldn’t go on a date. Once I got over my initial disappointment, I realized we had an opportunity to all three hang out together. That is more positive than negative, for sure!

Health

After a trip to a Walmart Market this weekend, I realized I really am healthier than the average bear when it comes to complete lifestyle. I eat decent. I try holistic options before medicine when it comes to my colds and minor aches and pains. I recycle, compost, and use essential oil all-natural cleaning products. But you know what? You put a chocolate product in front of me, I don’t care if its a fine truffle made of fair-trade cocoa beans hand-grown by pigmy Brazillian orphans or a box of Skinny Cow half caramel/half plastic ice cream sandwiches that are more chemical than dairy; I’m going to eat it.

Yes, I’ve got a problem.

So this year, when faced with a restaurant menu, a dinner option, or a chocolate product, I’m going to think about HEALTH. My mental health might be improved by a fine piece of flourless chocolate cake lovingly produced by a friend, but we know that I’m going to beat myself up almost instantly upon finishing another bag of Reese’s Pieces. There is no HEALTH in the machine-made candies, nor is there PURPOSE. And unless its PMS time and I’ve just cried my way through a cotton commercial, there isn’t even any BEAUTY. Put ’em down and walk away, Maggie.

HEALTH also includes small improvements we can all stand to do. Maybe that means purchasing a quarter cow straight from a farmer, running a 10k distance, or taking one afternoon in spring to go to Cedarburg and have Maggie Time. Who knows.

That’s a lot of words to describe three words and I’m still not even sure if I got my point across. Maybe 2015 needs to be The Year of Concise Language in addition to The Year of Do.

What are your plans for 2015?