I love a fresh new year.
K doesn’t get into the hype of it all, but I do. And I set enough goals for the both of us. Lol. I kid. Last year was nuts and out of control and I feel lucky that everything ended up great. I’m sure experts would shake their heads at this next declaration, but I want a little more control over 2019.
We do so many things by the seat of our pants. Big spending decisions, last minute vacations, business moves (granted, the business is where we have the most control- sometimes we just end up utilizing that final hour). This year I’d like to be on top of this stuff.
I already think 2019 feels good. We have multiple work trips planned, a few weddings on the books, and an idea or two for vacation and home improvements and the like. We kicked off the new year with family and friends, & I’m determined to keep this excellent year on track.
I’m linking up with Kristen since these resolutions are, in fact, what’s new with me.
Sometimes I do a word for the year, sometimes I do goals. This year it’s resolutions (a.k.a. pretty much goals).
Read 40 books.
I pushed for 50 books in 2018 and I didn’t get there. I don’t have any issue lowering my goal so it’s attainable and, therefore, motivating. I think I’ll hit 40 without an issue.
Read Through My Own Books
As a sub-category to my book goal, I’d like to get through some of my shelved books- both electronic and physical. And then get rid of the ones that I just don’t like.
Work on my marriage habits.
Recently I read a book called It Takes One to Tango (recommended by Stephanie) and I listened to The Life Coach School Podcast: Episode #165 “How to Be a Good Mate” (recommended by Lindsay). I have a very good marriage with a really great guy, but I know there’s room for improvement- especially after reading/listening to these resources. So it’s something I’d like to be conscious of and improve upon.
Keep a gratitude journal.
Bloggers Chelsea and Steph and Rebecca Jo swear by the gratitude lists/journals/lifestyle. I know I have the ability to stick with something like this- I did a year-long journal for Kyle once- but I never push myself. This year, I’m going to try it.
Budget.
I’m not sure how or to what extent, but we don’t track our money well. We both have lofty financial goals we’d like to achieve and obviously that won’t happen unless we get serious about our spending and saving.
Work on sticking to a consistent schedule.
This is a multi-step resolution. And I don’t see myself improving in all these areas, at least not all at once. But these are my major focuses:
- Sleep schedule
- Exercise schedule
- Cleaning schedule
- Meal planning
And that about does it. I know some of these are spelled-out goals (like the # of books and the journal) and some of these are a little vague (like the budget, ha), but I like to have a little wiggle room in my future.
K and I need to be better about giving ourselves permission to CHECK OUT. He carries the weight of eight employees and multiple business deals and abc and xyz. He’s terrible at checking out- unless he’s totally burnt out. And a burnt out Kyle is NOT my favorite Kyle. I really want us to take steps toward handling the stress, taking some breaks, and not feeling guilty for keeping US a priority.
Now tell me about your goals or resolutions or word(s) for 2019! Let’s talk about our vision for the year and how we can keep one another on track!
**I freshened up my blog for the new year. I updated my picture (finally) & I cleaned some stuff up. Feedback, please- is the font too small?
Like I said, linking up with Kristen for What’s New With You?.
Life as Louise 
These sound like good, achievable goals. Good luck with them 🙂
My one goal for this year is too do a deep clean regularly. (Well, and I have my Goodreads goal obviously, which is to read 100 books). I pretty much only clean my oven just before Christmas… maybe one other time during the year… and I invariably hate myself when Christmas is approaching and cleaning off all the burnt-on food takes FOREVER. So I want to do a full-on clean, including the oven, once a month in 2019. I am lazy and hate cleaning though, so we’ll see how that goes! Oh, and I want to try and read the books I’ve already marked as “want to read” on Goodreads before adding more.
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For as type-a and organized as I am (/claim to be), I’m terrible about deep cleaning! I wish you lots of luck! We’ve been in our house for over a year and I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned my oven. YIKES!
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Reading on my phone and the font looks great! I loved that podcast episode and need to listen to it regularly to maintain the lessons. I started gratitude journaling last year and it was wonderful… I highly recommend! Here’s to a great year!
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I know some people find it small… (I do, too, but I can read small print for now. lol) I might up it a smidge. I loved the episode! I actually went back through, typed up the 20 lessons, and taped that to my bathroom mirror! I find it super helpful.
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love the new look but selfishly speaking with old hag eyes – the font is a bit too small for me. HOWEVER i just use the chrome zoom function so no need to change anything 🙂
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Thanks! I think I might up the font a bit so you don’t have to work so hard 🙂
Also, I read your posts all the time but my stupid Mac doesn’t link up to my google account for commenting… so until I figure that out, know that I’m reading the posts, I’m just technology illiterate and working on it.
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I love small, elegant font but like Kathy, I got old coot eyes, so the font is just a tad too small for me. If it’s easy to adjust, I’d bump it up slightly, only because I’m a firm believer in readers not needing to adjust anything (mostly because they either won’t and will leave or don’t know how to adjust font size and will be frustrated). I want to keep a gratitude journal this year. Last year I was so damn prickly through most of it and I feel like a gratitude journal will help me keep a better perspective because it’s so easy to remember the bad stuff,
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I think I’m gonna up it for y’all 😉
I *almost* forgot to journal in my gratitude book yesterday. I actually got out of bed to go do it. LOL
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Meal planning, reevaluating the budget and saving, and reading from my shelves are on my list as well. I like the refresh, and think the font is just fine! Good luck on your goals, especially not feeling guilty about checking out!
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I think those are great goals. It’s going to feel so good to read through our shelves and get the budget under control! Thank you!
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I love those goals/resolutions!!! Can’t wait to see what you end up reading, and you’ll have to do a review of that marriage book. I’m the same way–my marriage is great but there really is always room to improve! Happy New Year, friend!! 🙂
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Thank you! I’m excited to work my way through them & hold myself accountable 🙂 I reviewed the marriage book on here but it’s been a while. I’ll go find it quick for ya!
https://audielou.com/2018/06/12/what-i-read-5/
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What great resolutions! I like your one for a schedule. Need to do that for cleaning and meals. Good luck with them!
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I have NO cleaning schedule and I think it shows in our house. (YIKES) I’d really like to get a little more organized with that and I’m determined to work on a budget!
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Yay gratitude journal!
I would like to have a better sleeping pattern. I also want to read through my books.
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My sleeping is weird. The dogs wake me up one to two times a night. If I’m up at 5am with them I feel so awake but then I lay down and canNOT get myself up at 6am like I’m supposed to. I know it’s a train-my-brain thing.
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Ummmm can I copy your list of resolutions?! Because I feel like this is what I need to be doing. I didn’t make any resolutions so I honestly might take some of yours.
I have two usolicited recommendations for you if you like 🙂
For marriage, read the book The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work and the love languages book. They both helped me a lot. I need to re-read the 7 principles as a refresher but they were the basis on which the marriage retreat Nick and I want to was based. I thought that the author put things into perspective really well.
For budgeting, look into YNAB (You Need a Budget). Nick and I have been using it for 5 years, ever since we got married, and I honestly don’t understand how anyone can manage their money without it!!
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Yeah!! Go for it!
I love unsolicited advice at this time of the year (especially when it’s good advice)! I will definitely check out The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work! I read the love language book in college and K and I both took the test a long time ago. (I’m quality time, he’s acts of service… Or we used to be. I think we should take it again.) I will look into YNAB, too! I had/have no clue where to start on the budgeting front!
Thank you!
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I love your reading goal! I had tried to read 50 books last year and it totally didn’t work either, so I’m hoping that 40 will be better too! And you can totally get better about your schedule! Try just doing one at a time and get those into habits and than move onto the next one.
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Thanks, Ashley! I think I’ll have to take each one of these resolutions one at a time. I am usually WAY more successful that way 🙂 I’ve read more and more each year, so since I read 40 books in 2018 I’m hoping that I easily surpass that!
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Agreed, I’m all about scheduling this year. I like scheduling. Hopefully anything I have to say about budgeting will be helpful!
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I used to keep a crazy accurate, tight schedule. I was a little nuts back then and I don’t need THAT much structure, but I definitely need to be better about it. LOL
Looking forward to your tips this year!
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You totally got the gratitude journal entries inside of you to do every day 🙂 I have no doubt. & cant wait for you to share some of the things you write down!
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I’ll have to link up a few times on Thursdays this year!! 🙂
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I like your new look – the font is a bit small, but it’s still fine to read so I wouldn’t worry about it unless it bothers you! I think your goals for the year are awesome. I’m going to talk more about mine later in the month, I think. I’m pretty sure I’m going to do monthly goal posts on the blog .I think that would help me keep bigger goals on track, etc. My word of the year is Growth though.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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I think I might up the font a bit 🙂 I can’t decide how to share my goals on here. Right now I do a seasonal goal list plus these year-long resolutions. I might revamp that this year. Who knows. Growth is a great word!
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Best of luck on your 2019 goals!
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Thank you, Ericka!
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All the best with your 2019 goals. I also keep a gratitude journal and it is a great way to re-appreciate things. My book goal was 40 for 2018 (and with a day or so to spare I got it) but it was a rush so I’m aiming for 35 this year. If I read more then I’ll be happy 🙂
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Thank you! I’ve done gratitude journals off and on, but I’d like to be better about it. I think setting a low read goal is a great idea. Then when you meet it you feel good (without any pressure) and when you exceed it you feel awesome!
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Even if you accomplish just one of these goals your life will feel significantly better! Such great ideas. I especially love your thoughts on marriage. I feel like I’m in a strong relationship, but a few people that are close to us are having marriage issues/breakups and that has reminded me that it’s critical to maintain your relationship! It can always get better!
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I agree completely! Thank you!
Man… when people around us split up or get divorced it COMPLETELY wrecks me. And then I overanalyze our relationship. Ugh. It’s happened a few times since we’ve been married- it just sucks seeing other people suffer. Always a good reminder to keep each other at the top of the priority list, though!
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These are such amazing goals Audrey! I need to check out that podcast and can I say how much I love the idea of keeping a journal for your spouse. Did you gift it to him for Christmas or something? Make a note every day? Please email me if you have a chance and tell me more. I don’t have much debt next to my student loans, but my goal is to pay off the debt I do have and throw money like crazy on those dang annoying loans and be rid of it! I read one book already and hope to read 12 at least…it’s harder to do with a little one around I’ve noticed, but I’m going to try my best. Love all of these goals and ideas and I hope you crush every single one! xo!
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Thanks, Emelia!! The podcast was so eye opening. I actually typed up and printed out those 20 lessons. They’re hanging on my bathroom mirror!
I did write down stuff about K! I bought a small, simple, inexpensive planner and I jotted down a sentence or two about something he did that day that I was grateful for or directly thanking him for something. I gave it to him New Year’s Eve of that year. He has it on a shelf in his office now 🙂 I’ll email you, too, with those details!
Debt is such a downer but it feels SO good when it’s paid off. I paid off a credit card this week and I still feel amazing 🙂 You already have one book read?? That’s awesome! I do not… LOL.
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oh gosh, your read your own books goal made me realise i really, really, really need to make that a goal this year. i end up borrowing books from the library or getting ARCs so i push back my owned books and never read them. they are getting out of control.
i have gratitude on my list as well, i’m not very good at sticking with something like that so i’m starting small. maybe one thing a day lol. we also need to get our budget under control, we had some hardcore lofty goals to complete by mid year but certain things that were making that a deadline are now not a deadline, so we have the whole year to achieve those goals, if that makes sense. either way we need to get it under control lol.
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The Kindle sales are my down fall. I have SO MANY Kindle books in addition to my physical ones. Oops. Ugh… Just reading this made me remember I forgot to journal Saturday, Sunday, and today. GAH! Lol. I’m trying to find the best way to budget but damn it’s overwhelming. Lol
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I’m going to be adding that podcast episode and book you mentioned to my list. I am trying to work on all areas of my life right now. Making sure I’m present in my marriage and motherhood while juggling all the other things. I’m with you on tightening the budget straps too. Ugh. I ended up reading over my goal last year and was shocked. But I say, any books read is better than no books!!! I hope you have a great 2019!!
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It’s crazy how much we try to balance and achieve. I liked the podcast episode because it just made sense (but it was still something I needed to hear). I liked the book because it didn’t involve K at all- it was all stuff I could work on that he’d likely notice and, in turn, work on himself. And I honestly think it’s worked. I have yet to read over my goal. LOL. Maybe in 2019?? Ha.
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I have so many of the same goals as you! I want to create a routine/schedule for my days, I want to read a lot, and I want to keep a gratitude journal! It’s going to be a great year! ❤
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I’m already slipping with my gratitude journal. I even glanced at it last night and thought, ‘I should jot some stuff down’, then I grabbed a mug of tea and walked away. LOL. I’m trying!! Ha!
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Great, great goals! I am a budgeting fan, but I need to rein in our spending and be WAY more strict with our budget. Sigh. It’s not easy!
I like the idea of making marriage improvements a goal! I just got a few new marriage books because I love self-help… hoping they’re good ones!
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Thanks, Steph! It’s definitely NOT easy to budget. I feel like I’m all shopped-out after the holidays and I like the idea of not spending money, but then I walk in my closet or do my make-up and think to myself that I need to visit Target or Ulta. So tough.
Can’t wait to hear your thought on your new books!
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I’d definitely like to get into a better routine in 2019. I feel like in 2018 we pretty much tried to add a baby to our existing life routine without intentionally changing or adapting anything and while it worked…it’s probably not the best long-term scenario. I think everyone in the family will have a bit more balance if I think through what a reasonable meal/work/exercise/date/responsibilities schedule would look like for us as a family of three.
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Valiant effort, though! I’m impressed it worked short term. That’s kind of our plan someday (since we both work together at a business we own) but I’m sure there will be snag and glitches we’ll have to work through. Good luck with 2019! Here’s to a more structured year!
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