Happy Tuesday and happy January! Dario started back up with school this week, so we are back to our old routine after a relaxing three weeks off from med school. It’s definitely bittersweet; as sad as I am that he’s back to spending all day (and night) at school, part of me is happy to be back to a familiar routine and have some structure back in our lives.
The new year is always a good time to reflect on the ups and downs of the past year and look forward to what’s to come in the year ahead. 2018 was a big year for our family that brought a lot of changes to our lives. We experienced some of the highest highs and the lowest lows, including gaining two new nephews, selling our first home and buying a new house, moving across the country, experiencing significant career changes, and losing a beloved family member. Going through such major life changes definitely helps put things into perspective and makes us thankful for all of life’s blessings, and allows us to learn and grow from the difficult times.
Looking forward to the year ahead, there are a few goals I’ve set for myself and some areas I want to improve in. As I began writing down these goals, I recognized a common theme among all of them. Even though each goal is different, they all encompass the same premise and I can approach each of them with a similar outlook.
In 2019, my focus is to be more intentional.
Each of my goals includes the need for more intent. I want to be sure that what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis has a true and meaningful purpose, and that I’m not just doing something because I “should” or “need to.” Of course, some things need to get done, like paying bills and going grocery shopping. But even necessary tasks like these can be done with more intent. I can go grocery shopping BEFORE we run out of food, with the intention of making sure our fridge is always fully stocked and avoiding the stress of running out of food. I can pay our bills as soon as I open them, with the intention of creating some peace of mind and avoiding waking up in the middle of the night in a panic as the due date gets closer, realizing I haven’t written the check yet. Being more intentional means not only thinking about what needs to get done, but also how my family and I will benefit from getting it done.
Here are the four main areas in which I want to be more intentional this year:
1 / More intentional with my marriage
With Dario’s crazy med school schedule, we don’t get to see as much of each other as we’d both like. So far we’re one semester down – seven more to go! – and even after he graduates we still have a long road ahead of us (hello, residency). So even though we’ve started to get the hang of this lifestyle, we’re still navigating how to have the best marriage possible during this period of our lives. One of my goals is to be more intentional about connecting with Dario when he’s not home – in the most inconspicuous way possible that doesn’t distract him from studying. Doing things like leaving love notes in his lunches, sneaking a new package of his favorite pencils into his bag, and bringing food to school to eat a quick dinner with him in the cafeteria are little things I can do on my end to let him know I’m thinking of him and to make sure our connection stays strong during the times we’re apart. And when we do get time together, I want us both to be more present by putting down our phones and taking advantage of the moments we have together, since there aren’t nearly enough of them these days.
2 / More intentional with my friends and family
Besides the great friends we’ve made since moving to Alabama, all of our friends and family still live in Illinois. I’m the first to admit that I’m not great about calling and texting, even with those who I love talking to. This year, I want to be more intentional in the way I connect with my long-distance loved ones. Whether it’s a quick mid-day text, a FaceTime call, or even a surprise greeting card, I want to do a better job of letting them know I’m thinking of them.
3 / More intentional about my health
This includes everything from my physical health, to my eating habits, to my mental health. I’ve never been a consistent exerciser, but that’s something I really want to change this year. Besides the obvious physical benefits, I’m hoping that meal prepping, clean eating, and regular exercise will help keep my anxiety at bay and help me to feel more positive and motivated on a daily basis.
4 / More intentional with my day-to-day responsibilities
I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty organized individual. However, I have a tendency to procrastinate certain tasks that I don’t enjoy doing (like grocery shopping and paying bills!). So to be more intentional in this area of my life, I’m hoping to go into daily chores and responsibilities with the attitude that I’m doing it because it will help my family operate more efficiently and ultimately allow us to be happier and less stressed.
What are your goals/resolutions for 2019? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear them!
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