2014 Goals: February Update

Oh, what a month it's been! Seriously, its hard to believe that ANOTHER month has already gone past us this year. We are now buried in 2014 ... we've stopped slipping when writing down the date. Gone are the days when 2013 actually felt like YESTERDAY. Tomorrow ... tomorrow is March 1st. It doesn't really seem possible, and yet the calendar tells us it's so.

February saw snow for many of us. Colder than normal temperatures. Warmer than normal temperatures, at least for a few days, as well. Our house was invaded by the stomach bug. Doctors appointments that ran the gamut from iron testing, to different aches and pains, and even my depression re-diagnosis. But we saw the sun through the clouds: we played flash light tag with the kids. We went to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. We toured a local bakery, and played outside as much as the sun would allow. We learned new words and phrases. Experienced a new up-and-coming church. And even had to lower the mattress on one little monkey's bed to keep him from climbing out.

We're growing and changing ... adapting and overcoming. We're living over here.

So ... the question remains: How did our 2014 Goals go for February?

Well, truth be told?! They didn't go quite as planned. And now I can see why they say that come February, most people have slipped, have simply forgotten what they were trying to work on and change shortly after the new year began. Because its true -- life sort of ... gets in the way. You work hard that first month, those first few weeks to go above and beyond. To live some sort of idealic life in which all of your new-found goals are met ... and then ... well? 

Then kids need a few extra minutes of attention. Someone gets sick with a cold. A car breaks down. An extra bill needs to be paid. You forget to do the little mundane tasks that sound simple in theory to add to your every day life. And then it snowballs. Well, you didn't do it yesterday ... and today you are quite busy. But you WILL pick it back up tomorrow, you promise. And then tomorrow comes ... and you try. You really do. But again, there is always something. Be it however little or big, it doesn't matter. There is always SOMETHING. 

And that's what happened around here. 

Sure I focused on myself. I focused on being healthier -- but not as much as I would have liked. I got to the gym, most weeks, at least once, if not twice. I tried to cut out some of the junk we were eating {although by month's end, we visited a bakery and couldn't come home without half a dozen different cupcakes to "try"}. And I even bought a new BeachBody workout program in hopes that it would kickstart something in me to shed some of this extra weight. And you know what happened? I made excuses. And I am still making excuses. I'm too tired this morning. I'll do it later. The kids are too busy for me to stop and work out. But I learned something else, as well. As long as I keep on trying, then I haven't failed. It's a goal -- an open-ended idea, with no expiration date in sight. Will I hit play tomorrow? I can plan to right now, I can say I will. And I have the best of intentions. But sometimes, life gets in the way. 

I spent time focusing on doing the things I enjoy but didn't get around to as much as I would have liked. My workout program was my "treat" for the month, and we can see how well that has worked so far. I didn't pick up a new book, or even finish the one I was reading for January. But, I did crack the spine on a few new magazines, finishing them cover to cover, over the past few weeks. Which means a few less old issues to pile up on the floor of my closet. I'll take that as a success. I didn't change the polish on my toes -- and January's color is still rocking out. Chipped and fading though it might be. I didn't drive through Starbucks. I didn't buy new clothes, or get to the movies. But I did make time to date my husband! And that's more important than polish or coffee. 

I even spent more time focusing on my family. Sure, not as much as I would have liked, as I explained a bit here but I sat outside with the kids on sunny days. I took them for walks through the neighborhood, and to visit the neighbor's horses. We played with sidewalk chalk until we were covered in dust. I bought colored bath tablets so the kids could play in red or purple or green bath water until their fingers were pruned and my ears couldn't handle anymore shrill screams of joy. We enjoyed afternoon snacks of sugary cereal shaped like donuts. Curled up at night to watch the same episodes of Sofia the First, rerun over and over. We invited family over to lunch, just because. 

But the other little things?! Well, sure, the house could stand a little more cleaning. There are piles of "clutter" here, there and everywhere that could use my attention. I have lists going for everything under the sun. The DVR is filling up with things to watch that get put off until tomorrow. I had to sit down yesterday and try to remember what silly things my kids said or did over the past week, so I could catch up on their journals. And once or twice, I've taken two different photos of the kids in one day -- one in pajamas, the other dressed for the day -- so I could "make up" for a day when I forgot to haul out the camera. 

In short, February was less than we expected. We fell short of some goals. We simply forgot some others, no matter how many reminders there were, staring us in the face. And even others, we just chose to ignore for the time being. Excuses were made. But we filled the rest of that time with life. Every day, monotonous, simple life. And we survived the month, no worse for wear. 

What will March bring? Hopefully with the incoming spring-like weather, a new pattern will re-emerge around our home, and we'll find ourselves trying just a little harder to dig deep and take steps to achieving those goals. But can I just say this?! If we don't, I will be the first person to say "It's okay!" 

I choose to not hold myself to such high standards anymore!