Hello friends …Welcome or welcome back to the blog!

I’m back after two short breaks and refreshed and ready (sorta). I hope you are doing well, staying hydrated, caring for your body and mind, and giving yourself some grace this new year.

After my “Best of the Best” post for the first week of January, I really hit a brain fart.  When you’ve been blogging for several years, it can be hard to bring new things to the table.  But it doesn’t mean that I don’t have ideas (quite the contrary). I have several, but they’re not all blog-worthy.  So, I thought I would start out this first “official” post of 2024 with some goals.  NOT RESOLUTIONS.  That’s a fool’s errand and is usually based on some antiquated ideas that aren’t basic enough for most people actually to get done.

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions when I was 24 and just tried to concentrate on being a good Mom, a competent coworker, a caring daughter, and a friend who listens, which is not easy by any means. It boils down to that we all want to be better versions of ourselves and enjoy life.

But with that enjoyment comes tasks that need to get done, so I’m here to share goals and “get shit done tasks” for 2024 in my corner of the world.

Home

Who doesn’t have things to do around their house or apartment? Whether you rent or own, it’s always a good idea to knock out some things you couldn’t do in 2023.  For me, that means:

• • Paint and refresh some spots I couldn’t get to over the holiday
  • Shampoo my rug in those high-traffic areas, and
  • Wash my sofa cushions

WHAT I STILL NEED:

• • Entryway storage and better book storage
  • New dining rug (got this)
  • Armoire for my bedroom

Finances

Money rules everything …even though we don’t want to believe it, and I’ve spent years being a slave to it and trying to get things under control.  We want what we want (right).  I used to assume that because I worked hard, I could buy things. Then came the credit cards, which served their purpose but to a fault.  Who pays their entire balance every month? (I wasn’t fo sho’) But that’s what the credit card companies are counting on, which was good and bad on my part.

So over the years, I’ve opened credit lines (closed lines), taken out student loans for my daughter (loans forgiven), and now I’m finally working my way towards better credit health.  My only goals are to spend less, use cards only in emergencies, add water …and mix. (LOL)  It sounds like the perfect cocktail and a goal I can continue to work towards vs. a “resolution,” which translates to resolve or an ending.  The cards aren’t going away (even though I’ve closed five cards in 2023…whoo hoo!) I will continue to use them, but I’ll also be mindful. (Related post: Taming the Debt)

Me * Me * Me

Sounds selfish (I know), but I wrote what I wrote. (LOL) My stress level in 2023 ebbed and flowed due to work, finances, and my lack of getting a proper night’s sleep.  Sleep has been a constant struggle for me over the last ten years, and I continue to struggle with getting enough of it. My brain will NOT turn off at night, especially if I have a busy day ahead, so I’m thinking about work, affording a car, taking care of myself, exercising …etc.  You name it, my brain is alert after midnight.  My only recourse is to completely exhaust myself, double my melatonin, and look at a YouTube video of being on a train.  It’s not ideal, but it works.  (Related post: Bedtime routine)

So this year, I want (no, no, I yearn…LOL) to attempt to get more sleep, put my feet up once in a while, and be ok with not being ok.  Allowing myself the space and grace to be pissed at work and not feeling like I’m a bad person when I’m angry.  My feelings and opinions (at that time) are valid until I can process them and work shit out.

Therapy & Well Being

My therapy lessened towards the end of 2023, and my therapist has said (let me know when you need a session).  My plan is to have at least one every season, just as a means to help me unpack life.  I recommend therapy to anyone who’s struggling and having a hard time balancing life.   My health also tops this list because while my A1C remains in a good range, I constantly strive to keep it that way as I get older.

I also like to keep my brain active, and one is keeping this blog going, my dollhouse hobby, the podcast, and games that help me stay agile.  On my Dad’s side of the family, all the siblings, with the exception of two, struggled with dementia towards the end of their lives, and while dementia is not hereditary, there’s always a concern.  Watching my Dad with it is hard because he’s at the later stages and is really not cognizant of the day-to-day aspects of life.  This is why journaling is also important to me, so I have an account of what was happening at what season of my life and the milestones I’ve accomplished.

Take-Aways

My 2024 goals or planned outlook will morph and change, but I think I’m in a good place as long as the end game is the same.  Accomplishing all these things is great! But working towards them is also a step in the right direction, and that’s a “win-win,” in my book.  I don’t have to dot every “i” and cross every “t”; I have flaws.  I have trouble getting started, and sometimes I start but don’t finish; that’s life, and I’d rather be living it vs. just existing in it.  What my years have taught me is:

• That’s it’s ok not to be ok
• You don’t have to like everything
• It’s ok to say NO to people, even the ones you love
• I’m not going to let  people make me feel guilty when I say NO
• I’m not a bad person if I want to lounge all day …enough said.

I’ll end here, but with that said — what are your goals for 2024?  Do you make resolutions?  Let me know in the comments, as I would love to hear your thoughts.  Thanks so much for hanging out with me today.   — and …Know Thyself

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