Each year my husband and I pick one word or phrase as a resolution to summarize our goals for the year. The one that worked the best was “keep it simple.” That one stuck for years, and frankly, is still saving us time and money as it has become a way of life.

Last year, I tried “respect.” To take care of the things we have. To care for them and let items go that no longer fit into our home or our lives.

This year I am trying, “activity.” To be active on a daily basis. This doesn’t necessarily mean exercise. It just means to do something that gets you moving. So far this year I have taken a long walk, taken my son out with his bicycle, played toddler basketball in the backyard, gone ice skating and just tried to do something that required more than sitting around.

Some days activity might mean going to the gym, taking a walk or riding a bike (once I get one). Other days it might mean playing a mean game of bowling on the Wii. I don’t want to over think it — just to keep going.

Photo courtesy stock.xchng by pepo.

I wish I had some great words of wisdom on this new year’s morning, but I don’t. Typically we come up with a family resolution, but we haven’t done that yet this year. I’ll let you know when we do.

Respect

Last year it was “respect.” Respect things you own, respect others, respect your body, your health. It worked for our possessions. We cared for items we owned much more than in past years. It enabled us to also get rid of items we no longer needed. Clutter and hoarding are such a problem in America that I didnt’ want that for my family. By respecting what we owned, and fessing up when we really didn’t need that set of shell china from my mother in law, helped us give up things we were keeping because we felt obligated. It has made room in our home for things we truly want or need.

Keep It Simple

Keep it simple was our mantra for two years and continues to be something we live by. When presented with two options, which one is simplier? This doesn’t always work, but it has helped us out of jams more times than I can tell you. Last night I was going to make cupcakes for a potluck dinner we were attending. I had the cake mix, but had to do the baking and frosting. Instead, my husband convinced me to just buy some cupcakes from the grocery store. I hesitated, but remembered our keep it simple rule (and some of the stress I inflicted on myself during the holidays) so I bought the cupcakes. Boy, did that feel good.

Whatever your resulution is this year, keep it simple. Don’t create an unrealistic list that sets you up for failure. Our one resolution rule does the trick every year. Wonder what we’ll come up with.

What’s your resolution?

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I am snug in my bed on a cold winter’s night, visions of sugarplums dance in my head. I soak up the Frederick Fekkai Shea Butter lotion on my legs and feet and am snuggled up for a good night’s sleep. The weather report predicts freezing temperatures (below freezing, actually) in Central Florida tonight.

“The sodas are still outside on the patio” my husband mentions from under the comforter. “If we don’t bring them in, they will explode tonight.”

Which brings me to my first New Year’s resolution dilemma: Should I get dressed, go outside in the freezing cold, get my feet dirty and bring those sodas in OR leave them out there all night and risk having to clean up a Diet Coke explosion on the back patio? HMMM.

My husband and I debate who should go get them. I reason he should because I didn’t want to get my feet dirty. He reasons that the cokes have been out there since November (yes, since November) and it doesn’t matter if they explode.

I’m trying to fall asleep, trying not to think about going out in the cold to get the soda cans, wondering if it really is better to spend two minutes in the freezing cold than 10 minutes cleaning up a sugary mess. Finally, I relent. I open the French doors and hop onto the cold concrete patio to pick up six frigid Coke cans. I jump back under the covers as fast as I can and am able to get the visions of sugarplums back in my head.

Resolution dilemma #1: Passed!

Each year my husband and I pick one word or phrase as a resolution to summarize our goals for the year. The one that worked the best was “keep it simple.” That one stuck for years, and frankly, is still saving us time and money as it has become a way of life.

Last year, I tried “respect.” To take care of the things we have. To care for them and let items go that no longer fit into our home or our lives.

This year I am trying, “activity.” To be active on a daily basis. This doesn’t necessarily mean exercise. It just means to do something that gets you moving. So far this year I have taken a long walk, taken my son out with his bicycle, played toddler basketball in the backyard, gone ice skating and just tried to do something that required more than sitting around.

Some days activity might mean going to the gym, taking a walk or riding a bike (once I get one). Other days it might mean playing a mean game of bowling on the Wii. I don’t want to over think it — just to keep going.

Photo courtesy stock.xchng by pepo.