Tag Archives: Goals

My Word for 2014!

Being BRAVE brings new friends in your path!! :-)

Being BRAVE brings new friends in your path!! 🙂

Good afternoon!

Back in December of 2013, when I was sitting down to think about what I wanted to have happen in 2014, I thought about the usual suspects when it came to trying to decide my New Year’s resolutions: exercise more, eat better, lost weight, get more sleep, do a better job at uncluttering the house, etc, etc.

After mulling it over for quite some time, I decided that I didn’t want to just focus on or two goals, I wanted this year to be different, so instead of doing any New Years resolutions, that this year I would focus on a word for the year. A word that epitomize the overall goal/feeling/mood that I had for myself, and the word I chose was Brave.Brave is the word that I focus on when I am making any kind of decisions in my life in 2014.

What will I wear?
How will I move?How will I spend my time?
Who will I spend my time with?
Where will I spend my time?I think you get the idea!! 🙂

Well, I had my first big BRAVE moment Friday evening, when I was out at the movie theatre with my sweetie. After we watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, we had started to leave the theatre, and on the way out my sweetie had to stop and use the loo, which meant I was going to wait patiently outside in the hallway for him, and people watch! Well, as I was doing so, I noticed this woman who had the cutest outfit on!! It was something right up my alley, you know, right along the lines of adorable dress, leggings, boots, cardigan!! LOVE!!! 😉

So far seems pretty benign, right?

Well, here is where my “BRAVE” kicked in. You see, I had 2 pairs of boots that I ABSOLUTELY loved, but having recently lost 100 pounds, and in turn losing 2 shoe sizes!! YEAH, no body prepares you for that!!! Anyway, these boots have been staring at me from a corner in my house for well over 6 months, and I knew that I needed to find a new home for them (like they are puppies or something!! Ha! Ha!) When I saw this girl, I just KNEW That she could TOTALLY ROCK those boots!!!

I went up to her, like a crazy person, I must admit, and said, “Excuse me, what size shoe do you wear?” She told me, and WHOO! HOO!! I knew that I had found a potential home for these boots!! I continued on, “I am sorry, I know I must sound like a crazy person, but you have the cutest style, and I have these two pair of boots that need a good home! Here is my number. Call or text me tomorrow if you would like to meet somewhere where I can give those to you!” I may have even added something like, “they need a good home, someplace where someone will love them, and treat them right, pair them with just the right outfits!!” – you know, crazy-person-speak!!! 🙂

Well, I left her there, and she was very sweet, but kept looking at me like I was a crazy person – which, in a way, I guess I was – isn’t crazy what being BRAVE is all about?? My sweetie even asked me something, like “Have you lost your ever-loving mind??” In only the loving way that he can, as we laughed about it the whole way to the car – and then all the way home!!!

That really REALLY was so out of character for me!!! 🙂

Anyway, lo and behold, I got a text from her the next morning!! YEAH!!! 🙂 and because I realized how insane I must’ve sounded the night before, I told her, that if we wanted to meet up at Starbucks downtown to get the boots, I would treat her to coffee!!

We met up, I gave her my boots, *SNIFF*!! It’s ok, I know it was for the best!! 😉 and we proceeded to talk for a little over an hour!!My new friends name is Mary, and she is What will I wear? We have A LOT of the same taste in fashion, boots, & books, and are both creative!

I LOVE THAT!!!

SOOOOO, because I was brave, and acted on my word for 2014, BRAVE, I have not only gotten rid of 2 more things cluttering up my house – to a really sweet girl who LOVES them, and will take good care of them! I made a new friend, and a new creative partner-in-crime! Yes, that is right!! Mary is coming over this evening to have our first session of Creative Girls’ Night!! Doesn’t that sound FUN????

I SOOOOO CANNOT WAIT!!! 😉

I will keep you posted!! 🙂

Here is to a very VERY BRAVE 2014!!! 🙂

Signature Line

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!!

Goodbye to 38 by 38 Hello to 39 by 39!

CrownGood afternoon!

Yep! You have heard correctly, yesterday was my birthday so I am officially 38!! WHOO! HOO!! 😉

As some of you may already know, I every year I put together a X by X list. A # of objects by number of years I will have been alive by the time I finish this goal list! Two years ago was my 37 by 37 list, this past year was my 38 by 38 list, and starting today, I will be actively working on my 39 by 39 list. This is the list where I take 39 things from my master Life List and schedule the 39 things that I want to do before my birthday this next year!

Before I show you my 39 by 39 list, I thought I would start out by showing you how my 38 by 38 turned out!! 🙂

Here is my 38 by 38 list:

  1. Put $1,000 into a mini emergency fund – DONE!
  2. Pay off all of my non-mortgage debt – Almost there, almost about $4000 to go!! WHEW!!!
  3. Regularly tithe 10% of our household income – I did better on this one that I expected, but I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be.
  4. Downsize our belongings so that everything we own fit into our 2-bedroom, 1 car garage condo – DONE!
  5. Jog a mile – DONE!
  6. Take the train
  7. Go camping – DONE!
  8. Blow bubbles out of the car window while on a road trip – DONE!
  9. Clean out the garage – DONE!
  10. Hike the longest trail at Silver Creek Falls – DONE!
  11. Go on a walking tour of downtown Salem – I get a great deal on this from Groupon! I just have to schedule this before it expires and it will be done!!
  12. Take a cooking class
  13. Host a slumber party – DONE!
  14. Create a new line of inspiring art pieces of at least 12 designs
  15. Start my own company – DONE!
  16. Redesign my blog to make it a reflection of my personal style – DONE!
  17. Invest in blog/career business cards – DONE!
  18. Launch an interview series on my blog
  19. Send fifty handwritten handwritten notes (1 of 50)
  20. Lose an accumulative 100 pounds (105 of 100) – DONE!
  21. Volunteer in a cause that is near and dear to my heart
  22. Ride my bike for an hour straight
  23. Have a weekend vacation at the coast – DONE!
  24. Sell my entire collection of Pink Paisley Boutique jewelry (LET IT GO!)
  25. Host a movie-themed party
  26. Inspire someone to write a list of their own – DONE!
  27. Be featured in a creative publication
  28. Try at least 12 new recipes (12 of 12) – DONE!
  29. Prepare a meal using fresh ingredients from the Farmer’s Market
  30. Use re-usable shopping bags for all grocery shopping for an entire month
  31. Read every Jane Austen novel (1 of 5) – I read Pride and Prejudice
  32. Get a facial
  33. Revitalize 5 old pieces of furniture
  34. Teach an online class
  35. Read my Flying Lessons class book
  36. Wear bright red lipstick out in public for a day – DONE!
  37. Have at least 48 artist dates (35 of 48) – I did WAAAAAY better on this than I thought I would! So, I am going to consider this a win!!! 😉
  38. Have fresh flowers in the house every week for at least 10 weeks (6 of 10) – This was harder and more expensive than I thought, but I may try this one again!! 😉

As usual, I got a lot more accomplished than I thought I was going to, but there were actually a few things I was able to mark off of my master Life List that I wasn’t planning on. Here are those things:

  1. Fly first class – I did this on the spur of the moment on my last business trip!! First class was soooo worth the extra moola spent!!! 😉
  2. Learn to hula hoop – My friend, Jamie, inspired me to give this a try. I went out and bought a hula hoop, much to the chagrin of my sweetie, and I did, right there in my living room – almost breaking a lamp, but having a BLAST just the same!!! 😉
  3. Run a mile – I thought I would NEVER be able to do this!!
  4. Run a 5k – I thought either I was going to die doing this, or I was going to kill my sweetie for making me! But, in the end I was soooo happy I did this!!!
  5. Cross my legs – Who knew???? One day, I looked down, and realized, ‘Hey! I’m crossing my legs!!!’ It might as well have been free tickets to Paris! Yes, I was truly THAT excited!!! 😉
  6. Touch my toes with knees unbent – this was another one that I thought I would never be able to, but my sweetie insisted that I tried it. When I realized I could actually touch my toes, I wanted to sit in that position FOREVER!!
  7. Be able to do a complete Sun Salutation – Another shocker!! I am sure I don’t do it as gracefully as the ladies online do, but who cares???? I CAN DO THIS!!! Good morning, Sun!!! 😉
  8. Buy Jason a truck – Yep! I was VERY happy to be able to do this for my sweetie!!
  9. Create & post a video on YouTube – I am not sure why I thought this was such a scary thing!?? Easy peasy!!
  10. Do an entire cross stitch pattern – Another easy peasy goal!!
  11. Draw a piece of art that I am happy with – After I finished this particular piece I was surprised that it actually came out of me!!
  12. Go to a counselor – this was a requirement of the bariatric surgery, but it was still on my list so I am counting it!!
  13. Hire a nutritionist – same as 12!
  14. Hike the longest trail at Silver Creek Falls (10.4 miles) – This might have been the hardest 4 hours of my life!! UGH!!!
  15. Learn how to manage money – Thank you, Mr. Dave Ramsey!!!
  16. Learn how to purl – I did this, hated it, crossed it off of my list anyways!!
  17. Learn how to walk in heels – YEAH!! I’m a girl! I’m a girl!!
  18. Live without eating out for one month – bariatric surgery made this one easy!
  19. Live without junk food for one week – Same for this one!!
  20. Love my entire wardrobe – This is easy to do when you are down to two pairs of pants, a blazer, denim jacket, 3 dresses, and a few miscellaneous tops!
  21. Weigh less than 300 pounds – I will NEVER GO BACK!!
  22. Weigh less than 275 pounds – This was a little less than what I weighed when my mom died!
  23. Weigh less than 250 pounds – My goal is getting so close, I can almost feel it!!
  24. Weigh less than 225 pounds – This is so much harder than I expected!!! Keep going!!! 😉
  25. Eat at doughnut at Voodoo Donuts in Portland, OR – Such a LOOOOONG wait in a LOOOOOOON line, for an ok donut, but so much fun spending some silly time with my sweetie!!

WHEW!! I have been busy!! 😉

NOW, what do I want to see on my 39 by 39 list????

  1. Go to Brave Girls’ Camp
  2. Weigh less than 220 pounds
  3. Weigh less than 215 pounds
  4. Weigh less than 210 pounds
  5. Weigh less than 205 pounds
  6. Weigh less than 200 pounds
  7. Publish my own e-book
  8. Start my creative business’ website
  9. Start my creative business’ blog
  10. Watch a baby being born (my nephew – Liam)
  11. Become a life coach
  12. Be a mentor to someone else
  13. Be a spokesperson for something positive
  14. Beat Jason at a game of chess
  15. Read all of Jane Austen’s novels (1 of 5)
  16. Become a motivational speaker
  17. Become a plus-sized model for a day
  18. Build a loom
  19. Learn how to use a loom
  20. Grow a vegetable garden
  21. Carve a piece of art
  22. Build a piñata from scratch
  23. Climb a rock wall
  24. Cook an entire meal for Jason’s family
  25. Contact a distant family member & start communicating
  26. Share my art-making-process via a YouTube channel
  27. Purchase a professional camera
  28. Learn how to use it
  29. Create a time capsule
  30. Take a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway
  31. Do a backbend
  32. Do a cartwheel
  33. Do a flip off a diving board
  34. Do a handstand
  35. Gather a group of people to blow bubbles in a public space
  36. Get a life coach
  37. Get a passport
  38. Get a pen-pal from a different country
  39. Get paid to do what you love
  40. Go kayaking
  41. Grocery shop using only reusable bags for an entire month
  42. Hang laundry in the sun to dry
  43. Pay off all non-mortgage debt
  44. Have 3 – 6 months expenses in an emergency savings account
  45. Have a prayer alter in my home with stair-stepped candles
  46. Knit a scarf
  47. Learn French
  48. Learn HTML
  49. Learn the basic ballet steps
  50. Learn the proper way to open a coconut
  51. Learn to can food
  52. Learn to create a frame to stretch canvas over
  53. Learn to make a book from scratch
  54. Learn to make ambrosia
  55. Learn to make doughnuts
  56. Leave $100 for a haggard waitress
  57. Make & send my own Christmas cards
  58. Make a loan to an entrepreneur in a developing country through http://www.kiva.com
  59. Milk a cow
  60. Organize a large family picture
  61. Own a pair of fabulous fitting walking knee-high boots
  62. Own an income producing blog
  63. Perform 100 sit-ups in one sitting
  64. Sell all of my jewelry from my old jewelry business
  65. Start a book club
  66. Take a cooking class
  67. Take a nature walk & press the wild flowers you collect
  68. Take a painting class
  69. Take a photography class
  70. Take a weekend vacation by myself
  71. Teach an online art class
  72. Type up great-great grandma’s recipe book for the family
  73. Volunteer in a homeless shelter
  74. Wear a size 14 pant

 

Ok, so I can TOTALLY see that there are WAAAAAAY more than 39 things on this list!! I think, at least for right this moment, I am going to keep the list extra long like this, and shoot to complete at least 39 items off of this list!! It is my perogative to change my mind at any moment in time to completely rehash this list or to completely start it over. As it stands right now, this list really makes me happy, and the idea of removing anything from it, honestly, really makes me sad! SO, to heck with it!! THIS WILL BE MY NEW 39 by 39 List!!

Here is to a FABULOUSLY productive, artsy, and memorable year!!! 😉

Signature Line

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!!

A Night of Vision Boarding!

Good evening!

I have spent the past hour gathering pics from Polyvore to create an electronic Vision Board!!

The things that I am dreaming of is a passionate marriage, traveling, yoga, dancing, France, faith, family, friends, farm-living, photography, books, and a crystal chandelier for good measure!!

Anyway, I am getting back to journaling and time/goal management, which I realize are two different things, but I have found that since having not being consistent with these 2 things I have not been as happy as I normally am – not that I am sad, just not as happily as I could be! Nor am I getting as much done as I usually do! So, tomorrow morning, I am back to spending some time writing my morning pages, and I will have my to-do list written before I head to bed this evening!

Matter of fact, here it is:

  • At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise
  • Drink at least 2 liters of water
  • Take iron pill
  • Eat a healthy breakfast
  • Eat a healthy lunch
  • Eat a healthy home-cooked dinner
  • Write morning pages
  • Morning skin care routine
  • Recycle at least 10 magazines
  • Do a load of dishes
  • 1/2 hour art studio clean
  • Put laundry away
  • Sweep floors
  • Spend at least 10 minutes meditating
  • Get in bed by9 pm

Ok, I think that list is long enough! 😉

Oh, I wanted to share some micro goals that I have come up with:

  1. Lose 7.6 pounds
  2. Finish cleaning art studio
  3. Make sure all books in this house have a place to “live”

These are small enough that they will get me closer to a few of my big goals, and they are small enough as to not be overwhelming! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

PS. I will “see” you Chunky Dunkers tomorrow evening, at about 7-ish!! 😉

My Vision Board

Good evening!

Tonight I had the opportunity to spend some more time with my sister, Alex! We spent the evening finishing up our design boards. Last Thursday, I promised you that as soon as I was done with it, I would take a picture of my design board and share it with you.

So, here it is…

Ok, so I am not sure how well you can see this, but I can explain the gist of what I am dreaming of for 2011.

If I had to narrow this vision board down to one word, it would be PEOPLE. More specifically friends and family. I want a small tight-knit-group of girlfriends  that I can let down my guard with and just be myself while going out making memories, and having a blast doing things that girlfriends do!!! I would love to have a baby, or at least get the ball rolling in that direction. I would love to travel with my sweetie to Europe. I want to have my own business dealing in beautiful home furnishings, to take a ton of photographs to share, and I want to go hiking, camping, and get out and be all around more athletic. I know, I live in the Pacific Northwest, and I have never had an outdoorsy bone in body, UNTIL NOW that is!!! Oh, yeah – how could I almost forget – I want my little farm, with it’s gardens and walking trails, and memories – you know, I WANT TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! 😉 Ok, no – too much responsibility, but I am sure you get the idea!! LOL!! 😉

I want to do everything and anything that feeds my soul.
I want to be the me that I was put on this earth to be,
in the time that I have been gifted.
Now is the perfect time!! 😉

Do any of you have vision boards that you would be willing to share?? I would love to see some!! Let me know in the comments above! 🙂

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

Daily Update!

I have trouble getting motivated to get out of bed every morning – anyone else have that problem??? LOL! Well, after setting both of my alarm clocks, yes I have 2, I FINALLY got myself out of bed on time this morning!! YEAH!!!

I am dressed and downstairs and realize that I need some accountability in my daily to-dos, so I have decided to blog my to-do list today! If it is motivating to me to get more items crossed off of my list, I may make it a daily habit – who knows? We will see!! 🙂

  • Take feather comforter to cleaners – NOPE! Gonna do this on Saturday!
  • Take boxes of donation to Goodwill – Will get this done Sat too, want to gather more
  • Spend at least 1 hour organizing office
  • Take at least 5 pictures for blog
  • Hang office artwork
  • Clean bathroom mirrors
  • Clean sliding glass doors and screen windows – Life is too short
  • Put sunscreen on – Oops forgot!
  • Walk 4 miles – I walked about 2 miles
  • Measure for weight loss progress
  • Drink at least 2 liters of water
  • Take a multivitamin
  • Straighten up walk-in closet
  • Floss
  • Beautify
  • Healthy breakfast – Yogurt & granolla
  • Healthy lunch – Vegetable soup and 1/2 a chicken wrap
  • Healthy dinner – Stir fry chicken breast & veggies over buttered/herbed linguini
  • 1 load of laundry
  • Blog
  • Get to bed by 10
  • Get to work by 8:30
  • Write letter to Elisa – sponsor child
  • Schedule weekend with dad for June – waiting for a call back
  • Clean make up brushes
  • Daily skincare
  • Eye serum before bed
  • Lotion hands and feet before bed
  • Read at least one chapter of my book

Whew! That looks like a crazy list, but that really is a typical list for me. I figure that if I get even 3/4ths of the things crossed off of this list, then I will have gotten more done in a day then if I would have just gone out willy-nilly!!

Anyway, I will have to blog later about how these to-dos relate back to my goals/chunking!!!

Have a FABULOUSLY productive day!!!

~Christina 😉

Staying Busy!

I have been a list girl from waaaay back! I sometimes write things down that I have already done, just so I can cross it off of my list! Crazy, I know, but that is the story of my life right now!!! I have a lot on my to-do list, and I am working on crossing things off like crazy!!! My main focus right now, is getting my condo clean, organized, and downsized!! I am working on making it a place that rises up to meet me (as Oprah says) when I come home from a busy day at work!!

To-Do!

  • Organize one shelf in the laundry room – this will have to wait
  • Take out garbage
  • Do the dishes
  • Laundry
  • Spend at least 1 hour organizing office
  • Healthy breakfast – yogurt, granola, banana
  • Healthy lunch – uhm, no! Not unless chicken strips and fries counts as healthy??
  • Healthy dinner – Caesar salad
  • Drink 2 liters of water – I only got one liter in today
  • Blog
  • Write letter to Elisa (my sponsor child)
  • Take 3 new plants to work
  • Floss
  • Beautify – spent too much time being lazy in bed this morning
  • Bathe Faye
  • Bathe Sophie
  • Fix walking training schedule
  • Deposit check
  • Read at least 1 chapter of book
  • 10 minute meditation

Whew!!! I have gotten quite a few of these crossed off today, and it looks like there will also be a few that will not get crossed off, but I still find I get more done with a list than not – so I will carry on!!! 😉

If you would like to see My Life List, please feel free to click on the link above. 😉

Have a GREAT night!! Until tomorrow,

~Christina 😉