2021- My Intentions

Are you the type of person who sets a New Years Resolution?

When I was a little girl my grandma always made sure I set a resolution before midnight on New Year's Eve and ate a bite of pork with sour kraut just after midnight on New Years Day. I never truly understood the reasoning, but you can bet I still do it to this day.

I don’t remember what all of my resolutions were as a kid, but I know there weren’t many that were kept. I guess it was similar to how the gyms look in January compared to March. One of the most impactful years, the first year I kept my resolution, was when I decided to give up soda. It seems so simple, but I was in high school and it was true self-discipline! After making it a year without pop, I didn’t need or like it. So essentially, I gave it up for a few years. That has since changed and I do enjoy a can of pop from time to time. However, that resolution comes to mind every time I take a sip.

The setting of my New Years' resolution has since changed slightly but the goal of bettering myself is still the same. I like to say that I set intentions for the year now.

Since then, my resolutions have turned into goals that ebb and flow with the seasons. Some say this is too much, but for me, it works. I have found that it is the small things that happen each day that will make the difference over time.

I tend to focus on seven important life categories & I am able to track my progress in my life planner and/or journal.

These goal categories include:

1. Intellectual

2. Family/Home

3. Spiritual

4. Financial

5. Social

6. Physical/Health

7. Self-care

It seems like a lot, but if you are not setting goals and breaking these down, life is going to rush right by you. If you’re stuck in a rut, these could get you out! I set my goals and I continue to track them throughout the year. Do I fall off sometimes? Absolutely, but I jump right back on the next chance I get.

Want to know what my 2021 intentions are? Check them out below.

• Intellectual Goals:

  • I have always been a fan of learning & if I could go to school full time (& get paid to do it) I would. I have a life subscription to the Rosetta Stone app & plan to focus on one language this year. I haven’t quite decided which one yet though. I recently binged watched “Emily in Paris” on Netflix, so right now I am leaning towards French. Do you have any suggestions?

  • Some of you may already know this, but I am an avid reader. I plan to read one enjoyable book & one informational each month for a total of 24 books in 2021. My friend, Lora, & I have started a mini book club this month (by mini, I mean Lora & I). In December, we read Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. We are still deciding on a January read. If you would like to join us, let me know.

• Family/Home Goals:

  • Zach & I came up with a fun idea to start trying one new thing each month as a date night. They will be broken up based on the season. These include:

Taking a cooking class. (in person or via Zoom)

Go skiing. (water or snow)

Go ziplining

Visit a zoo.

Host a game night.

Go ice skating. (indoor or outdoor)

Fly a kite.

Attend a paint & sip. (in-home or in a venue)

Host a craft night.

Enjoy a bike trail. (First, we need bikes)

Sit outside & stargaze.

• Host five family dinners, not including Thanksgiving or Christmas. This is something we have talked about numerous times & now I want to make sure it happens.

• Home Cleaning Schedule. Over the past year, our house has been torn up and put back together as we make it our home. With that being said, I haven’t been able to concentrate on certain areas for cleanliness so I have created a cleaning schedule, which is more like a guideline. This will help us keep up with each area of the house so nothing gets neglected. We have also scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annual home maintenance chores to our schedule. I keep this info in our Family Budget Book (Erin Condren Monthly Planner)

• Spiritual Goals:

  • Connecting to your spiritual side can help you gain clarity on the purpose of your life. During this pandemic, many people are isolated, and in return are suffering alone with anxiety & depression. The best way to get out of that slump is to get out of your head. I have found that helping others, finding a purpose can do just that! I plan to volunteer at our local pet shelter, keep a gratitude journal, and keep my most favorite habit I’ve ever created for myself, my morning routine. This begins at 5 am with meditation, yoga, read, & write. They are 15-minute intervals and I’ve completed them by 6 am. Depending on the day, I can increase or decrease them as needed.

• Financial Goals:

  • Have you heard of Dave Ramsey? His teachings have changed our lives and I am so thankful! We currently have no debt except for our mortgage and we have big goals to get rid of that ASAP. The main take away? We created a BUDGET & stuck to it! We are currently on Baby Steps 4, 5, & 6.

Not sure what the Baby Steps are? Check it out here.

Baby Steps:

1- Save $1,000 for your starter emergency fund.

2- Pay off all debt (except the house) using the debt snowball.

3- Save 3-6 months of expenses in a fully-funded emergency fund.

4- Invest 15% of your household income in retirement.

5- Save for your children’s college fund.

6- Pay off your home early.

7- Build wealth & give.

• We also have a few sinking funds that we are saving for. Sinking funds are like mini savings accounts. They are for expenses that you know are coming & so you don’t have to cash flow them.

These include:

1. Christmas. It comes every year and guess what? We know it’s on December 25th! If you are not saving for it now, you should start. Don’t rely on your credit cards.

2. Pool maintenance. We are currently saving for a new pool liner & pump. We had to close our pool early last year because it was too old & wore out.

3. Home maintenance. We have supplies & filters that we need to buy for our water softener system every year.

4. Amazon Prime. This is the only yearly subscription that we have so we set aside $10/month.

5. Medical Deductible/Expenses. Since we don’t have an HSA, we are setting aside money to build our medical expense fund. In the last few years, I’ve reached my deductible and had to cash flow or put the expenses on a credit card. I am trying to get ahead of the game this year by setting aside money for this expense in our budget.

6. Barn Maintenance. We have a barn that we eventually want to fill with some farm animals, but it is in a condition that requires some love. This means some money.

7. Roof. The roof on our home has a few years of life left, but we don’t want to be caught off guard when it’s time to replace it. This sinking fund will continue to grow for a few years.

8. Vacation. I don't know how much we will be traveling in 2021, but I want to be ready if we decide to.

• Social Goals:

  • If the pandemic allows it, I would like to see my friends more often this year. I want to plan a small get together with someone or a small group once a month. These could be as simple as getting a cup of coffee or having a spa day.

• Physical/Health Goals:

  • Exercise. I love to exercise but I always seem to fall off when my health declines. After my last diagnosis, I decided to slow down until after my surgery. Well, it’s been a month now and I haven’t done more than stretch each day. If anyone wants an accountability partner, let me know because I need one. I am going to start and finish the PiYo program & start jogging again to get ready for the Elephant Run 5K in July.

  • Meal plan. This could also fall under my Family/Home Goals. We want to do better at meal planning to help save in our grocery budget and improve our health.

• Self-care Goals:

  • My aunt was my hairstylist so when she moved to Florida I had to find a new one. Once I did, we moved back to Ohio. The last time I had my hair trimmed or had anything done to it was January of 2019! I recently had a massage that was gifted to me for my birthday & it felt amazing. With our new budget planning, we also have a category for self-care. This is something I want to do once a month or as needed & if the budget allows. Some ideas include:

1. Bubble baths

2. Massage

3. Facial

4. Manicure

5. Pedicure

6. Hair

No matter what 2020 brought you, we can always make a change for the better. It starts with baby steps. I wish you the best for the rest of 2020 and nothing but peace, love & happiness in 2021.

I would love to hear some of your New Years' Resolutions for 2021. Let me know on Instagram @always_willow and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a post.

Always,

Erikka