NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONS

I know it's almost the second month of the New Year, but better late than never, right? I have a few resolutions for this year that I'm going to work hard to stick to:

1. To become a better me both inside & out. I've already made a switch to more organic foods, as far as the produce, meats, seafood, & some of our everyday condiments & things are concerned. I am also changing cosmetics that I wear, switching to an all-natural line of makeup that uses no chemicals or harsh additives. And I've changed out most of our household cleaning products to organics also. I've been trying to get to the gym almost every morning before work & working on losing some weight. At this point I don't have an exact weight-loss goal in mind as far as actual pounds, I just want to work on becoming more healthy first.

2. To manage my money better! This one has been a bit of a challenge for me lately. It just seems like I never have a plan & I don't keep track of my spending like I should. I've started off so far by cutting WAY back on my trips to Starbucks because I know how expensive that little habit is! Instead, I've been brewing my coffee at home & taking it with me to work rather than hitting the drive-thru for a daily cup of joe. I've also started to take cash out rather than using my debit card for everything because I tend to forget to write it down in my checkbook. I want to eventually work out an actual plan that includes savings & spending in the form of a spreadsheet that will track everything so I can figure out where I might need to cut back.

3. To be more supportive...of my friends, family, husband, etc. If my husband is coaching a basketball game & I'm not at work, I want to be there. If a friend calls & wants to see a movie or do dinner, I want to go catch up. If my brother-in-law needs a break from the baby, I want to babysit. I just want to be there more for the people I care about, like they have all been there fore me.

4. Find a better job. This is a really big deal for me because when I graduated from college, the job that I have now was a dream come true! I had interned here before graduation & knew that I wanted a job here. Well, it's been 3 years now & things are going nowhere fast. Our company has started to regress & lose it's appeal. I have become more of a salesperson than a designer. And I am ready to take on a new position at a bigger, better firm that is more stable & has more to offer me. I feel like I'm being hindered from learning new things here & when you are no longer learning, you are no longer growing. I want to learn new things, I want to be part of a more innovative, forward-thinking company that I can grow with.

So I will be working on all of these things for the next year & hopefully I will see good results. So far I am feeling very optimistic & hopeful. Wish me luck & I'll keep you posted!