1.01.2008

Happy New Year!!

Now how about some resolutions? As I look back on 2007 I must say that it is a year that I don't think I would want to relive. There were some great times, but there was also a lot of badness that I would like to leave behind. Like every New Year, 2008 is a chance for a fresh start so I will start with some goals to get me going in the right direction.

1. Consume less- I make this goal every year and I do think that as the years go by I am consuming less. This year I want to focus on the items I buy. When I have to buy I want to buy things that can be reused and that will last. I need to ask myself "Do I really need this?" every time I pick up an item, especially at yard sales and thrift stores.

2. Minimize my stuff- Ultimately I would like to cut my personal belongings by 50%. I own so much stuff that I don't use and that might be used by someone else. I have tons of clothes that don't fit or that I don't like and I have at least 4 pairs of shoes that have holes or are missing soles. I also have a bunch of kitchen appliances that I haven't used since moving to Lexington. I want to get rid of the stuff I don't use and be more mindful of the things that I bring into the house. All this stuff is starting to become a mental illness.

3. Move into a new apartment- Our apartment is way too big for us and honestly it has never felt like home. I want to move into a smaller place which will save on rent and utilities. If I follow through with resolution #2 the new place will be less cluttered which will help us keep it clean. I also want to paint the walls and decorate so that we feel like it is home.

4. Work less- I start my new work schedule tomorrow which I think is really going to make things better for me. Less time working means more time enjoying life which is something I really need to do.

5. Save more money- I set a savings goal last year, but I didn't follow through with it. We have the same amount in savings now as we had at the end of last January (well a bit more with the interest.) While I think that it is nice we didn't tap into the savings it would be so much better if we added to that. We are cutting a few of our monthly expenses to help boost the savings. As usual I have a list of ways to save more money.
  • Eat more meals at home- I won't disclose the amount we currently spend eating out, but I will say that it is enough to pay the rent on a small apartment. I love to cook and we eat much better at home so I am really going to try and make more dinners. I am also going to try a greater variety of dishes that require me to learn new things.
  • Go to the library more- Even with the fines the library is cheaper than a bookstore. We only live a few blocks from the library and the Tuesday night knitting group meets next door to the library so I have plenty of chances to fulfill all of my literary needs.
  • Use what I have- I want at least 50% of my projects this year to be from supplies I already own.
  • Cut my own hair- The other day I finally got tired of my hair being so long and after failing to get an appointment at the salon I just started cutting it off. My thought was that at least it would be shorter and I could always get it fixed at the salon later. After the initial cut (were I put my hair in a ponytail and cut off 10") I just took a little off at a time and I ended up with one of my favorite haircuts ever.
6. Be more social- I have really become a homebody since moving to Lexington (okay, I was a bit of a homebody in Va. too) and I really want to change that. I need to go out more and socialize. I get invited to things all of the time and I bail on at least 75% of the invites. I think I might have a mild social anxiety and it is only going to get worse if I keep shutting myself in.

5 comments:

snowowl said...

Happy New Year, Robyn!

You have always inspired me and motivated me to be a better me! Thanks for your friendship and your blog posts!

Good luck in the new year! I hope to see you at Guntown Mountain!

Heart,
Nieves

Brena said...

Happy New Year!

I'm vowing to consume less and eat in more as well. We spend a lot of money eating out and it's healthier to stay in.

Last year one of my resolutions was to eliminate clutter in my life. My mental health definitly improved when I was finished!

Laura said...

I hear you on the consuming less!!! Unfortunately I started off the New Year with online shopping--using gift cards on things I have been coveting for a while. One thing I did a couple of years ago that helped me pay off debt and save money was to create a spreadsheet where I recorded ALL of my purchases (even cups of coffee). It helped me think about what I was spending, and I bought much less stuff. I'm going to try the same method this year with eating--writing down everything I eat. I don't think I'll want to write "ate 4 reeses peanut butter cups in 2 minutes" in my day planner!

vania said...

Happy New Year! I have a similar 'goals' list as you! I especially can relate to consuming less and minimizing what i have. I am moving in two weeks and purging a lot. A lot. I'm quite enjoying it, and once packing begins this weekend, i'm sure i'll enjoy it even more!

Anonymous said...

This is so hilarious, so tonight Ed from Sqecial and his friend Kara came over for art night at my house. I've never knitted a thing but have always wanted to learn and Kara gave us a great beginners lesson. So I'm excited to learn more and get some stuff and am searching for vegan knitting info when I found the link to your site from Peta2. I was reading halfway down your page and then suddenly I see "Lexington" and find out it's your blog! Hey there and great blog, so funny that I was just browsing and found my very own local vegan knitter! Too bad we have those eight pesky cats here that get in the way of meetings! Maybe I will stop your shop soon though and look for some yarn.

xoxo Ashley Watson