Not to be confused with new year resolutions (bit late for those) , I took a long hard look at myself and the life I lived in 2017 and I've set myself a pretty big list of goals to achieve in 2018. I wanted to share them here so it makes me feel more accountable and so I can track them as the year goes on.

2018 is a huge year for us as a family because E started prep - I know, PREP! And this means we are going to have more to juggle, more to organise so I really want to be the best possible mum I can this year and get the most out of the journey ahead for us all.

Stay tuned, its a long one:


Personal

Pray more and worry less - I don't want to waste minutes and hours on things that may never happen so I'm going let go of the outcomes I can't control and not waste my time.

Say yes and be slow to anger - I notice when we are all rushing and so busy and especially during the last part of the year when we are all tired out, I'm quick to shoot things down because they just seem too hard or like too much effort  or I snap instead of pausing to gain patience. Is it really the end of the world if we leave the washing on Saturday's to go to the beach instead or if the boys stay up an extra 5 minutes for a dance party?

Less phone/social media time - one I'm sure we all relate to. My phone time got especially excessive in Oct/Nov when the Queensland election campaign was called. In fairness, it was my job to be on and available 24/7 but once it was over, I found it hard to break the habit and put my phone down. This year I'm going to save as much of the screen time as possible till when the boys are sleeping and only allow myself a short time at night without encroaching on time to catch-up with S.

Beauty time - I rarely spent anytime in 2017 painting my nails or having mini spa sessions with face masks and treatments. This year instead of spending time on my phone, I'm going to spend time on me and my skin - I'm not getting any younger so its probably a good idea.

Reading - I love to read and devour books by my favourite authors in one sitting (I read Gone with the Wind in 6 hours as a teen) but this year I think I managed 2 books in 12 months. I find reading so relaxing and therapeutic so I need to make time for it. This year I'm going to read at least 1 book per month and I'll do a post on a few I've picked so far for my list.

Blogging - I love blogging but I've kind of lost my mojo as its become such a big business industry now and I'm guilty of comparing myself to those who blog as a job ... this is purely a fun creative outlet for me but I often don't hit publish on a post because I feel like my photos aren't right or slick enough etc. I need to push those thoughts away and remind myself that I do this for me ... and because I like interacting with like-minded people out there.

Holidays - After 2 overseas trips with the boys in 2 years, I really want to do more with them. Yes they are exhausting but I want to make memories and show them the world while they are young (and actually want to holiday with us). Time goes way too fast and I don't want to miss the opportunities to see different places through their eyes.



House

Finances - organise our finances better to make sure they are working at their best for us and our needs. A quick search found we can very easily get a significantly better rate on our mortgage so I'm going to spend some time checking all of our services and products to get the best deals and save money.

Backyard - as far as house goes, there are a million small (and big) jobs to do but this year we want to landscape our backyard now S has almost cleared it to a blank canvas. But in even bigger (and more exciting) goals, we want to put a pool in over Winter. I've already started getting quotes and fingers crossed we can get the go ahead in April.


Health & Fitness

Drink more water - I really do need to remind myself of this because when I do, I feel so much better. I've started drinking 1 litre first thing in the morning for around 2 weeks now and I'm already noticing a difference in my skin as well as feeling less bloated.

Eat more whole foods - we eat quite well (the boys eat extremely well) but S and I don't eat as many whole foods as I think we need to. We both love vegetables and salads but are guilty of not eating much fruit despite chopping up mountains of it a day for the boys. We I also want to eat more pulse and legume based meals, simply because I don't particularly like the taste of red meat for the most part, its cheaper and better for us.

Go to bed earlier - I'm a night owl, I could sit up till 1am watching tv or on social media most nights and then get up at 6:30/7am and function. It does take its toll eventually though and it does affect my motivation, attitude and all round well-being.

Exercise - it makes me happier and I feel better, stronger and more confident. Its hard to motivate somedays but I'm aiming for a minimum or 4 workouts a week - a combination of walking/running and Kayla Itsines Sweat workouts.