2 days left in 2010

Hard to believe there's only 2 days left in the year! At 32 weeks, I only have 6-8 weeks to go before this little one comes and it seems so much stuff left to do. Will keep me busy up til the moment I go into labor most likely.

Every year jillions of people set their New Year's Resolutions -- and follow them for a week before giving them up. I want to do it a little different this year. I don't want to set a resolution for the whole year - and then flake out a week into January. I want to try a 21 day challenge for myself. The reason I'm picking 21 days is because supposedly that's how long it takes to form a new habit -- and isn't true change really changing your habits? Einstein says that it is insanity to do the same thing over and over while expecting different results. People will say "I want to lose weight" or "I want to stop smoking" and expect it to happen without changing their habits. Just doesn't work that way. So yes, the next 21(+) days will be a lot different than normal - and probably super hard to drag myself through - but it may mean changing some of my crappy habits into good healthy ones that will make me a better me (and therefore a better wife & mom).

Sometimes I wonder why it is so hard to form new habits. We're prescribed a new medication and we take it faithfully every morning because our doctor told us it is a necessity to make us better in one way or another. But we so often opt not to choose to change our habits so that they too can improve our lives in some way. Something to ponder.

So, I've said it before -- and I'll say it again (because I didn't follow through enough before)...

SIMPLIFY. PURGE. PRUNE.

Here are some quotes I found that I think are great to think on.

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. - Vernon Howard

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary my speak. - Hans Hofmann

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction. - E.F. Schumacher

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. - Leonardo DaVinci

He is rich who rejoices in his portion.

We don't need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it. -Donald Horban

Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves. -Edwin Way Teale

And I think this one is my favorite.. It seems to cross over to a spiritual truth, with God being the Great Sculptor.

"The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed - it is a process of elimination." -Elbert Hubbard


So, 21 days to new habits - which hopefully means improvement!  Here are some things I want to accomplish - and the help I'm going to use along the way (I'm not silly enough to try it on my own!).

1. Time with God. This will mean a change in attitudes of the heart -- which is what ultimate change is truly about. Find a daily devotion. Read a chapter of Scripture daily. Study a portion of the Bible (either a person or a character trait). Keeping in the Word will help keep me in His presence - and there is no better guide in discerning true simplicity.
2. Better housecleaning habits. I'm going to use Flylady to help me with this. Also, The Husband and I have agreed that he will point out things that he feels need done in the house, helping me to have direction and motivation to complete higher priority chores. I'm hoping at the end of the challenge, I will have better habits (and even maybe a routine!) and not have to rely on his direction as much.
3. More organized. Hang cooking utensils. Purge & organize Elijah's toys. Trim fabric scraps from scrap clothes. Update household binder. Write up weekly menus. Just a few of the many little things I plan to do to simplify and organize not only my physical house, but my household and how it runs.
4. Stock the thrift store. No more going into the thrift store and buying useless crap that will just take up more space in my house. Time to GET RID of stuff - stock the thrift store and let them make some money off the stuff that's cluttering up my home. The less stuff I have, the easier it will be to clean it, as well as anyone finding it when they need to (including husband and son).
5. Simplify. Two sets of sheets per bed. Toss food storage containers without lids (and lids without containers). I don't really need all those shoes. Figure out a simple wardrobe - and pare down to the basics that are classic, multi-use pieces (and that goes for Elijah too). If servicemen/women can live out of a duffel bag, it is possible for 4 people to live comfortably in a 600 sq ft home. And, that $5 pizza cutter will last years as opposed to buying 5 of them from the $1 store over the course of a year because they keep breaking (or you lose them in the abyss of the utensil drawer).When less is more, you can invest in the little that you have (quality over quantity).