goals for the year

I have been making my to-do list for 2010. It is mostly organizing and cleaning. But it also includes finishing a few scrapbooks I am behind on, eating healthier, exercising regularly, and trimming down. Most of these are pretty typical new year resolutions. Since we all know how resolutions usually turn out, I'm anticipating some obstacles on my way to completing these goals.
In the past few years I have learned a few things about goals and goal settings. The first is that a goal needs to be specific. I need to define my trimming down goal to specific measurements and weight. This makes tracking possible. And tracking your goal is important. Kids love to see progress and, quite honestly, so do adults. Not only does tracking allow us to celebrate our successes by allowing us to see our progress but it also enables us to see what is left. I admit, too eagerly, that I wonder "are we there yet?" too often. Knowing that there is an end, knowing that I have made progress, and most importantly knowing when I am almost there help me to accomplish my goal.
The second thing I know about goals is that I need to create a very specific end date. For me, my end goal date, for all my goals is midnight of January 15, 2011. Just as I am aided by knowing my progress, I am also aided by knowing just how much time is left.
And the third thing I know about goals is that they need to be realistic. I don't expect to clean the house in an hour (wouldn't that be nice!). Nor do I expect it to take 7 days to clean the house (OK, it might take that long...).
So here are my goals for 2010, the be completed by midnight of January 15, 2011.
1. No more piles! I firmly believe that all the piles are because there is stuff without a place; without a place for it to belong, it just piles up. So really, my first goal is that everything has a place within our home. revised 1. no item without a place to belong
2. 110. I have only ever weighed 110lb as I was passing through to 115-120 which is where I have been for the past 5 years. As of 3/29 I was 117.
3. My measurements. Since I am not sure what would be my measurements in correct proportions, I'm going to go by pattern size measurements. I cannot change my back waist length so that it the measurement I am using to indicate where my remaining measurements should be. According to my back waist measurement I am a size 10 pattern. This means my waist should be at 25 inches, my hip at 34.5, and my bust at 32.5. I want my thighs to be at 18 and my arms to be at 9. Because I want a flat stomach, I am also going to measure my tummy, just below my bellybutton. I am not very sure how much that measurement will correlate to my waist measurement since my hip bone is right there. So I sucked it in and wrapped the tape measure around my tummy to where I thought was OK. I got 28. This may change to less if I find its not what I want. Big surprise, my thighs and tummy have the most to loose.
4. catch up on scrapbooks. Here are the albums that need to be started/finished: Disney 2008, Christmas 2009, the 2008 album, 2009 album, and 2010 album. Since 2010 will barely be finished on January 15 2011, it only needs to be completed through October 31.
5. Eat healthier. I do not want to give up sweets. I love sweets. But what I do want to do is have healthy snacks on hand; Apple slices and peanut butter are better than peanut butter cups! Eating out is not as healthy as creating a delicious meal at home. (Its cheaper too!) For dinner, I want to start with cooking once a week. By January, my goal is to be cooking 5 times a week (one day off for going out if we want, and a second day off for family dinner nights.)
6. Exercise. I know that going to the gym every day is unrealistic. But i do know that i can make going for a half hour minimum walk twice a week is realistic. During the warm months I can walk outside, during the colder times of the years, I can walk on the treadmill at the gym. In addition, I know that I can make some sort of weight training part of my day 5 times a week. I want to have this goal in place by October 31, 2010. This way, I know that it will be a routine by January 15.
7. Have $1,000 saved. You know, just for the heck of it.


So far, that's all the goals I have. I will probably be adding more, even though I think that these goals are enough!