B+ GOALS: SPRINGTIME 2017

It's starting to feel a little like spring here in Kentucky. The days are a little warmer, robins are building nests, and blossoms are tentatively appearing on our trees. Spring is a perfect time to air out new ideas and goals, and, especially since we're in a new place, that's just what I'm going to do. I'm working toward my B+ goals to being more seasonal instead of monthly, out of convenience mostly, but also because I'm all about minimal pressure these days.

Here's what I want to accomplish this spring:

Use my camera more, and look into purchasing a new one.

Spring cleaning!

More baking, with a focus on gluten free treats.

Learn more about our new town and meet new people.

Get a library card!

New deck furniture and grill.

Derby Week!

Plan and plant a container garden.

Start running again.

Finish up our guest room.

What are your plans for spring? Any ideas for me to add to the list?

LESS AND MORE

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were filled with happiness. Last year was a good year for me, personally. While I know that many people are filled with concern and worry over the world, and I share those feelings, personally for me the year was lovely. I'm at peace with things I've been struggling with for the past couple years-truly at peace. I'm healthier than ever- I eat well, I exercise regularly, I drink less. I'm just...happy. And positive. And thankful. So very thankful.

I'm ready for this new year and new chapter of my life. Because lots of things are happening! 

Like...a move to a new state. Which in turn means: a new house, new schools for the kids, and finding a new job for me. So there's all that.

(Luckily, I'm a total pro at moving now. This will be our our fifth duty station and our seventh move.)

There are lots of other things too. Smaller things, to work on, to think about, to cook, to read, to try, to write. A new year is always a lovely time for both reflecting on the past and looking toward new goals for the future.

I'm focusing on both Less & More this year:

And maybe a little more writing-here and other places- but a little less sharing. I made my Instagram private and deleted people who aren't on my actual radar. Because...for me...it's not necessary to share with the world right now. So Less people, but More sharing with those that I truly know and care for. That's a less/more that's definitely worth considering. 

Dream big this New Year, guys. Check back and see what we're up too here!

B+ GOALS: OCTOBER 2016

It's fall, ya'll! That means mums, pumpkins, crisp air, and rainy afternoons around these parts. I love October-it's hard not too.

October also means it's time for a new round of B+ Goals, where we celebrate "done is better than perfect," But first, let's review September:

1. Focus on health.  A. I'm almost done with my Whole 30 and have been working out 5 days a week ALL MONTH.

2. Blog 3+ times a week. B+. I haven't missed a week, but I haven't managed to go three times a week every time. I'll keep trying in October!

3. Have a celebration Back to School Dinner. A. Check! This was an easy one though; it's a solid family tradition.

4. Read together in the evening. B+ We've managed too most nights, but still haven't finished The Penderwicks. Hopefully the library will let us renew it again!

5. Clear out all the fabric and etsy shop things from our closet. C. I started, but am no where near finished.

Onto October! I always feel like October is a solid get-things-done kind of month. We're pretty settled into our school/work routine, the holidays are far enough away not to stress about yet, the weather is mild. Here's what I got:

1. More yoga. I've been doing yoga for 15 years, but the past six months I've cut back a lot because I've been focusing on more cardio and weights. But my flexibility is suffering for it. Instead of doing the Tone it Up Fall Challenge like I was originally planning, I want to focus on doing more yoga, at least twice a week. (I use the Pocket Yoga App, which I LOVE.)

2. Read Food Freedom Forever. I'm running a book group on this new book from Melissa Hartwig on facebook - feel free to join, we'd love to have you: The Happy Healthy Book Club. I'm really looking forward to this one!

3. Figure out a better system for organizing all the school papers that come home with my children. Every. Single. Day. So many papers! I have to find a system.

4. Start planning Dylan's birthday. He's going to be TEN. It's going to be a big one and I want it to be a good one for him.

5. Clear out all the fabric and etsy shop things from our closet. Need to finish this one.

Hooray for fall and October!

Bonus Life Lesson: When in doubt, ask yourself, "What Would Anne Shirley Do?" and you won't go wrong.

Free printable from Kayla Aimee Writes: here

B+ GOALS: SEPTEMBER 2016

It's been a good summer, ya'll. Swimming pools and ice cream and camping and friends and movies in the afternoon - it really was just fantastic.  We had no scheduled activities , as usual for us in the summer, and we embraced all our glorious free time. Next week, the kids head back to school and I head back to work. And we're ready for that September schedule. That's why I love a lazy summer- it makes the hustle and bustle that September brings something to welcome instead of dread. 

Let's check in with my August B+ Goals, shall we?

1. Apply for passports. I finally managed to remember to pick up our applications-yesterday. Like, the last day of the August. But if it weren't for making it a B+ goal for the month, it wouldn't have happened at all! C

2. Figure out what clothes/shoes I want for work, and get them. I made a list-but haven't bought anything. This weekend we're back to school/back to work shopping. Better late than never, am I right? C

3. Fix my watch(es) or get a new one. Did it! I ended up buying a new one from Amazon and I really like it. It's smaller than my previous two and it's water proof. Plus, under $20! A

4. Make a weekly blog post plan. Work in progress, see below. C

5. Start getting back on our sleep schedule. We are definitely not up to school standards, but the kids have been getting in bed mostly on time and getting up at a regular, if not exactly school early, time. Next week might be hard times, guys. For mama, too. C

Now, on to September! I have big plans. September to me is like a second new year, and that means I'm motivated. Be sure to check out the B+ Goals of E at Teaching Sam and Scout and Sarah at Sarah R Bagley!

1. Focus on health. I'm doing another round of Whole 30 starting on September 6 AND I also plan on working out 4-5 days a week (I do a mixture of yoga, running, and Tone It Up routines).

2. Blog 3+ times a week. I'm bringing back Scenes from a Weekend and adding a new series: For the Love of Friday. It will be similar to the old Pins and Links posts I used to do, but with out the pins. For the Love of Friday will include links that I like, things that I love-sort of a favorites of the week recap. I also want to produce at least one additional blog post each week-most of which will be food related. Fingers crossed that I can manage it.

3. Have a celebration Back to School Dinner. I always let the kids chose what we eat on the night before they head back to school and we have a little celebration. It usually involves cake as well. (Which is why Whole 30 is not starting until the 6th. Real talk.)

4. Read together in the evening. Since they came home from the hospital, I've always read aloud to the kids before they go sleep. But I've gotten out of the habit with Dylan because he reads to himself before bed, and I end up just reading to Ava most nights. I'd like to sit down before bed with both kids and read aloud in the evening. I picked up The Penderwicks at the library to start us off this month.

5. Clear out all the fabric and etsy shop things from our closet. We have a gigantic storage closet in our home. I stored all of my fabric and shop stuff there, and since I closed the shop , it's time to clear it all out and put that space to another use.

September, we're ready for you.

(Free Printable from Life on Sutton Place here.)

B+ GOALS: AUGUST 2016

August is here. I love summer, and August feels like the beginning of the end. It's extra hot, the flowers are fading, the garden is going nuts like it can feel the frosts of fall coming, the days are getting just a bit shorter. The air here in the east is heavier somehow than the west coast, and everything feels a little worn out. These waning days of summer are some of my favorites, with the anticipation of back to school and work, but still filled with sunshine and pool days and ice cream.

And of course, new B+ Goals.

Let's check in with July's goals first. I had a REALLY good month goal wise. Keeping it at three made it pretty easy.

1. Get in a Date Night. We got in two, one a dinner out while Neal's folks were in town, and then a work night (we had an Army ball). A

2. Tone It Up Bikini Series, Round 2. I've been getting up and working out 3-5 times a week! I just love Tone It Up. A

3. Clean Out The Kids Closets.  YES. I ended up deep cleaning the whole house and it felt fantastic. A+

Now for August:

1. Apply for passports. Because we need them, and this has been on my to-do list since January.

2. Figure out what clothes/shoes I want for work, and get them. I start back at work in September (I work at a school in the office), and I'd like to have a couple new things.

3. Fix my watch(es) or get a new one. I have two watched that I wear regularly and I managed to lose a pin on one and have the battery die in the other in about a two week space right before school got out. I've been wearing an old digital watch of the hubs, but it's too big (and I kind of hate it). I need to get mine fixed or buy a new one before I head back to school. I think it might actually be more cost effective to just pick up a new one at Target.

4. Make a weekly blog post plan. I want to blog more, especially since I'm moving toward a more recipe based blog, and I think a weekly plan will help me immensely with this.

5. Start getting back on our sleep schedule. July in general was a super busy month: we had family in town, we did a weekend away, Dylan went to sleep away camp. Our schedule is completely non-existent right now. So we are slowly going to start working toward earlier bedtimes and a more steady wake up time so school is not a complete shock to our systems. I'm figuring this will take all month to really readjust.

Be sure to check out Sarah R Bagley and E over at Sam and Scout to check out their B+ Goals!

B+ GOALS: JULY

July is here and it is 100%, officially, wonderfully, SUMMER. We've been at the pool, out on the boat, barbecuing, and just enjoying every minute possible outside. Yeah summer!
My B+ Goals are going to be much more relaxed the next two months, because we are big proponents of slow summer around here. The kids aren't in any activities, I'm off work until September, and we live in a neighborhood that celebrates kids playing outside all day, and we are here for it. 

Let's review last month's goals:

1. Enjoy Ava's birthday party. I 100% did! We had her birthday party at Build A Bear and it was worth every penny. A+

2. Get to bed on time. NOPE. D.

3. Write something everyday. C-. I didn't write everyday like I was hoping too, in fact I even slacked off on my daily bullet  journal entries. 

4. Donate all our crap. YES!!! A+

5. Have a really nice Father's day for the husband. Did it! We went out on the boat and had a fantastic dinner at home. 

Onto this month!

1. Get in a Date Night. Living far from relatives, it's often hard for the hubs and me to get in a night to ourselves. I'm going to make it a priority this month.

2. Tone It Up Bikini Series, Round 2. I finished the first 8 weeks and headed into Part two this week!

3. Clean Out The Kids Closets. I'm tackled all the other closets in this house and they are next on the list! 

Just the three for this month! There are lots of other things I plan on doing this month: writing more, working on new recipes,  eating healthy, really working in my bullet journal. But, as far as goals I truly want to keep myself in check about, this is it. I want a carefree summer. I want to enjoy these days with my children and my husband and my home.  And I hope you're enjoying your summer, be it jammed packed or extra slow. 

B+ GOALS: JUNE

June is here! The month I've been waiting for since I went back to work after winter break. We have 3 baseball games, 7 days of school, and 1 dance recital left and then there are two glorious months of lazy days ahead of us. I am THRILLED.

Lets check in with last months goals:

1. Do the Tone It Up Bikini Series Challenge. (Did it/still doing it! )

2. Finish another Whole 30. (Did it, except for a splurge day in the middle on Mother's Day. So according to Whole 30 rules, I failed, but I'm going to call it done.)

3. Organize our game closet. (Did it!)

4. Have a yard sale or donate all the stuff I've put aside. (I reorganized it...does that count? Probably not.)

5. Use my "real" camera more. (Did it and I want to keep it up!)

6. Get to the library. (Did it!)

Not too bad for May, especially considering that we were insanely busy all month! I definitely managed B+ status.

Now onto June:

1. Enjoy Ava's birthday party. This year, for the first time EVER in 10 years worth of kids birthday parties, we booked a party outside of our home. I literally have to do nothing but show up and pay for this party. And I am going to enjoy it and not let myself feel bad that I have not handpicked all the goodie bag treats.

2. Get to bed on time. I was doing so well with this, but lately it has all gone to hell in a handbasket. I need to get to bed on time!

3. Write something everyday. Blog or journal, I want to be writing more this summer.

4. Donate all our crap. No yard sale. My only goal is to get it all out of the house by the end of the month.

5. Have a really nice Father's day for the husband. Because he deserves it.

Don't forget to check out Sam and Scout and Sarah R Bagley and their B+ goals!

B+ GOALS: MAY

Remember how I was all excited that almost spring is here? How it's been above 70 more than once? Remember how hopeful I was? I am such an East Coast amateur.

Because I 100% had to wear a wool sweater to a Little League game on Saturday because it was THAT cold.

May, I have high hopes for you and I have goals. Hooray for B+ Goals! 
At the beginning of every month, I post my "B+ Goals" for the month. These are goals that I try to achieve with grace, and with the mentality of better done than perfect. You can check out the lovely ladies behind this, Sarah R Bagley and E at Teaching Sam and Scout, and link up with other B+'ers!

So first, let's review April's Goals:

1. Stay on top of our daily schedule AND make a solid work plan for the Etsy shop. We did really well with our daily schedule, but at the cost of me being exceptionally slightly cross many evenings. It's baseball season, and if you have a child/children in Little League, you know exactly what I mean. If you don't, know that baseball, while the greatest of the sports, consumes your entire family's life from about March-June (and potentially longer) and tries to eat your soul. So many practices! So many games! I love it, but, real talk, it's overwhelming.
As for the Etsy shop. It's currently in Vacation Mode and will be for the next few weeks. I'm looking at some really big changes for it, and I'll provide more info as I move forward with them.
Grade: B+

2. Keep working on my community project.  I've started working in earnest on this! Hopefully over the summer all of the plans will be solid. (What I'm doing is putting together backpacks filled with basic essentials-pajamas, toothbrushes, shampoos, etc.- for foster kids in our area for when they enter a new placement.)

Grade: B

3. Exercise two time a week. Yes! Did it!

Grade: A

4. Eat Whole30 Monday-Thursday. I did this....about 50% of the time. So not a total fail?

Grade: D

5. Plan out my garden. Yes! And I also started actually planting it. I plan on finishing it up over the next few weeks since I think that worry of frost should be over (Please dear Lord and dear Universe, no more freezes, thank you. Sincerely, Michelle)

Grade: A

6. Participate in the #RockYourHandwriting challenge on Instagram. Did it! You can see all my challenge prompts on Instagram (@junenovember).
Grade: A

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright! Let's check out what I got planned for this month! I'm feeling a bit ambitious :)

1. Do the Tone It Up Bikini Series Challenge. I started this last Monday! It's an 8 week Challenge and I'm loving it. I did one of their Challenges in the fall and fell in love with the TIU workouts and community. This new, get ready for summer Challenge is just what I need to really start focusing again on healthy choices. And speaking of healthy choices....

2. Finish another Whole 30. I did my first Whole 30 last August and have done a couple half ones since, but I'm wanting to do a full 30 day one again. For real. No cheat days, no quitting because there's a party, NO EXCUSES. I started last Tuesday and finish up on May 26.

You can follow me on Instagram to see updates throughout the month about both of these goals. (@junenovember)

3. Organize our game closet. It's a disaster area and needs to be overhauled.

4. Have a yard sale or donate all the stuff I've put aside. My friend wants to have a yard sale together and we've been waiting for nice weather to have one. But, if it doesn't happen by May 15, all this stuff that's been piling up is headed to donations. #KonMari

5. Use my "real" camera more. I have a really nice camera that I used to use all the time, but these days I default to my IPhone 99.9% of the time. I want to get back in the habit of taking nice photos with my nice camera.

6. Get to the library. We were in a really good habit of going to the libray once a week last summer and fall, but fell out of it. Instead of buying all our books, I need to be using our local library! Havin' fun ain't hard when you got a library card. (Isn't that little saying adorable? Except for the cringe worthy grammar?! Just say no to Ain't.)

Hooray for May!

B+ GOALS: APRIL

It's that time again! I'm getting in the loop with Sarah R. Bagley and Teaching Sam and Scout as I review my "Better Done Than Perfect" goals from last month and the goals I'm working on this month.

Spoiler Alert: Last month was not one for the books. Well, not for a positive book. Maybe if it was a book about not achieving anything you set out to do and feeling like crap all month long. Because that would be a TRUE STORY. Onward and upward guys, ONWARD AND UPWARD.

Let' check in with March's fails goals, shall we?

1. Stay on top of our schedule. F. Seriously, pneumonia? It. Is. The. Worst. There was no schedule that was broken this month, no routine that wasn't disrupted. But it's okay.

2. Stay on top of orders and figure out a work plan for the Etsy shop. F. I put the shop in vacation mode to get my work plan figured out. The plan was to take a week to get things settled and planned accordingly. And then I got sick and it just stayed in vacation mode with no plan whatsoever. I've reopened it, but still need to figure out my plan.

3. Run at least 1 time a week. F. HAHAHAHAHA. No.

4. Start working on a community project that I dreamed up. Incomplete. I did actually start working on this. And then, you guessed it, I got sick.

5. Finish the last two books in my Reading Challenge. A. Yes, I did accomplish something! Bedrest provided reading time. I loved Masterminds and Wingmen (review to come). The less we talk about Great Expectations, the better. Never again, Dickens, NEVER AGAIN.

So! Let's move on to April, where my main goals are a) not to have pneumonia, and b) to accomplish more than one thing all month. But let's get down to the details:

1. Stay on top of our daily schedule AND make a solid work plan for the Etsy shop. You see what I did there? I combined two failed goals into one! It's like I'm a glutton for punishment.

2. Keep working on my community project.

3. Exercise two time a week. I still not up for running, but I've started yoga again and have been browsing my Tone It Up workouts. A goal of two times a week shouldn't be too hard! Let us hope.

4. Eat Whole30 Monday-Thursday. I feel SO MUCH better when I eat Whole30, especially cutting dairy, sugar, and alcohol. I haven't been off the rails, but I like the idea of having this as a goal. Weekends I can feel free to enjoy a glass of wine or a cheeseburger, but sticking with Whole30 meals during the week will make those indulgences and not the norm.

5. Plan out my garden. I love my garden and planning for it. Spring has come a little early this year, and I can't wait to get out there and start planning things!

6. Participate in the #RockYourHandwriting challenge on Instagram. I'm loving my bullet journal and am excited to be following along in this daily challenge to use it.

There you have it, my goals for April! Don't forget to check out Sarah and E's goals!

 

B+ GOALS: MARCH

We're finally done with February, the longest short month of the year! Let's check in with February's Goals:

1. Keeping my car clean. Yeah, we'll go with a C- here, because while I cleared out all the trash the first week of the month, that was the only week I made an extra effort. It basically stayed clean this month but mostly because we've had mild weather. Womp womp.

2. Get a haircut. A+! Did it, love it!

3.Work on active listening. I really worked hard at this one. I actively stopped what I was doing to listen to my kids and my husband. This is a goal that is a constant work in progress. B+.

4. Daily Chores. This worked out so well! My chart made things much easier, plus I would included my "Daily Chore" in my bullet journal everyday as part of a things to do list. A+

5. Figure out a work plan for the Etsy shop. Um, I figured out my shipping days schedule and managed to miss it only once. Still need some work here, plus I really want to roll out some new designs that I've been thinking about. C

So! March's goals are:

1. Stay on top of our schedule. The husband was away for over a month and with him coming home our schedule got out of whack. (Not complaining! It's totally a normal part of military life.) It's time to ease back into our regular daily routine.

2. Stay on top of orders and figure out a work plan for the Etsy shop. Like I said, I want to roll out some new designs, and just overall focus a little more on the shop. I also need to stay on top of orders because there are weeks that I feel like I'm scrambling and overwhelmed to get everything out on time.

3. Run at least 1 time a week. Oh it seems so small doesn't it? ONE time a week. But getting to the gym (the weather is still too cold for me personally to run at 5am in the morning outside) is not an easy feat. Saturday morning run is my goal. I like to listen to Sarah R Bagley podcasts while I run, which makes it feel like indulgent me time.

4. Start working on a community project that I dreamed up. Details to come!

5. Finish the last two books in my Reading Challenge. I'll be honest, I am dreading Great Expectations.

Don't forget to check out Sarah R Bagley and E over at Teaching Sam and Scout for their B+ Goals!

FEBRUARY B+ GOALS

Can you believe that it's already February?! It's time to check in with my January B+ Goals and reveal my new ones for this month! It may be a short month, but I've got big(ish) goals.

 

First lets check in with last month:

-I managed to get up at 5:30 most mornings and workout at least four times a week. I made Friday a rest day so I sleep until 6:00 on Friday mornings, but I get up and run on Saturday mornings as a trade off. Going to bed by 10:30 was more challenging, I still need to work on this. But I did much better than I had been! I also implemented an idea from Better Than Before, which is once it's 10:30 I say to myself, "It's past my bedtime." This way I'm at least I'm acknowledging that I'm staying up later then I'd like to be. Grade: B

-I finished Better Than Before! I've made a big effort to give myself time to read in the evenings and finished three books this month, including two on my reading challenge list. Grade: A

-And while I've cut back on social media, I'm going to keep on working on this. I'm been much more conscience of what I'm posting, but I'm still checking things too often. Grade: B-

 

Also I mentioned that I was doing a Whole 30. We ended up choosing to do a Whole 14 instead because my husband had to travel this month. While we didn't finish out the month officially, it really helped us get back on track so it accomplished something! Grade: C

 

In February 2016 I'm focusing on:

 

1. Keeping my car clean. Look, my car isn't a toxic waste dump or anything. It's not full of clothes or uneaten food. We're actually very good at bringing in all our things at the end of the day as we get out of the car. But I need to work on keeping it cleaner, especially the exterior. It's HARD to keep a car clean when there is snow and salt on the ground, but guys I nearly ran into a pole in the school parking lot because I could barely see out of my back window. I also have a bad habit of stuffing unwanted papers (i.e. gum wrappers, ads from the mail box, grocery lists) into the side pockets of the doors and leaving them there for about 52 months. So the goal is do a decent cleaning once a week-inside and out.

 

2. Get a haircut. Self explanatory.

 

3.Work on active listening. I'm a multitasker. I can work on several things at once; a typical evening involves me answering math questions, making dinner, getting someone into a dance leotard, and checking on Etsy orders all at the same time. And you know what? I get stuff done. I'm actually incredible good at "half listening" but managing to retain all that information. But that doesn't mean that this is a good thing. I need to focus on stopping what I'm doing and letting people know-especially the smaller people that live in my house-that I am focusing on them and listening to all they say.

 

4. Daily Chores. I have a list of daily chores that I want to get done every day. I've broken it down so I can do a couple things each day, and no housework on the weekends. I've done schedules before that work sort of well, but none of them really seemed to be ideal. I made up my own little chart and am trying it out this month. If it's a winner, I'll post printouts here!

 

5. Figure out a work plan for the Etsy shop. I've been overwhelmed by the Etsy shop lately. It's doing well-which is great!- but also crazy since I'm working/raising two children to be good citizens/trying to pay attention to my husband. I need a solid plan about when I work on the shop!

 

That's it for this month! Done is Better Than Perfect, ya'll. I'd love to hear about your goals for the month too! Don't forget to check out Teaching Sam and Scout and Sarah R Bagley to see their goals too.

 

 

 

2016 READING CHALLENGE // PART 1

 

Welcome to the first annual June November 2016 Reading Challenge! As I mentioned in my B+ Goals for January, reading is an important part of my well being. It's one of the things that truly brings me enjoyment. And while I have always taken time to read, I'm feeling a little stale. I reread a lot (I may know Anne of Green Gables by heart), but I need to branch out and read more new books. I also want to add more non fiction to my reading list this year and really try to enjoy it.

 

I'm setting up a reading challenge for myself by choosing a theme for each month of this year, here are the first six themes:

 

-A book to inspire me

-A book given to me by someone else

-A book about finances

-A book I've been wanting to read but haven't

-A book that I've started but haven't finished

-A book that's a classic

 

And here are my choices:

 

 

To Inspire: Better Than Before, Gretchen Rubin

This book about habits is, so far, amazing. I loved the The Happiness Project and this follow up book by Rubin isn't disappointing. It feels like a real game changer.

 

Given To Me: Circling the Sun, Paula McLain

My husband gave this to me for Christmas and I can't wait to read it. I loved The Paris Wife (also by McLain) and am looking forward to this story. Plus, Downton Abbey is getting ready to end this season (NOOOOOO!) and I'll need a 1920's lifestyle story to replace it.

 

Finances: Smart Money Smart Kids, Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze

The husband and I have taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace course and it was a big eye opener. We've followed his practices since. I've been eyeing this book written by him and his daughter for some time and am looking forward to reading it and applying the lessons to our kids in money management.

 

Wanting but Haven't: Brooklyn, Colm Toibin

I want to read this before I see the movie, which looks lovely.

 

Haven't Finished: Masterminds and Wingmen, Rosalind Wiseman

I've mentioned before that I've been reading this on and off. Well, I've been reading it on and off for over year :/. Time to buckle down and finish it!

 

A Classic: Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

Confession: I've never read any Dickens (except A Christmas Carol). It's time!

 

I'd love for you to join me in the 2016 Reading Challenge! I'll be posting updates throughout the year and would love to see what you're reading too.

 

JANUARY B+ GOALS

Hello and Happy New Year! I'm linking up with one of my favorite blogs, Teaching Sam and Scout, to embrace "B+ Goals, Because Done Is Better Than Perfect".  So much YES.

I love resolutions. The new year always feels like a blank page-and I dearly love to fill up a blank page with a to-do list. This year, I am striving for grace and working on curbing my perfectionist tendencies. And that is why B+ Goals sounds amazing to me and because done is better than perfect is my new mantra. I have a list of overall yearly goals, but I love this idea of setting smaller goals each month and doing the best you can with them.

 

In January 2016 I'm focusing on:

 

1. Wake up by 5:30 every (weekday) morning, get in a morning workout, and be in bed by 10:30. I'm a morning person, but I struggle getting to bed early.

 

2. Finish Better Than Before. I just started this book about habits by Getchen Rubin and I love it. Curving out time to read is essential to my well being, so I'm making it a priority to finish this by the end of the month.

 

3. Cut back on social media. My personal Facebook page is private, and I unfriend people and leave Groups that I find upset me, but despite this the last couple weeks in December brought out some really ugly things on my Facebook feed. The worst part of it was I found myself repeatedly checking Facebook to see how things progressed. Although it upset me, I couldn't look away. That is bad on so many levels. It's time to step back from the madness of social media and the entitlement it gives people (including myself). So, I'm a.) Drastically cutting back on Facebook. I placed the app in a folder on my phone so I have to make a conscious decision to open it, not just mindlessly hit it when I have a down moment and b.) I made my Instagram account private. This was something I had to mull over a bit, because I have used Instagram a lot for my Etsy shop, but I decided that I'd rather be posting authentic content of my life for those people who I  "know" an least in some content then worrying about how many likes I have on a shop post. I'll also be weeding out followers that I don't "know" over the next weeks.

 

So that's it! Three goals to ease into this new year.

 

Don't forget to visit Sam and Scout and Sarah R. Bagley to see their goals! And if you have your own B+ Goals, I'd love to see them in a comment below!