2014's Resolutions: Further Life-Tweaks

I've approached this year's resolutions with a considerable amount of thought and encouragement from last year's resolutions successes. I've added one: the other 4 are continuations and tweaks.
1: Continued daily time with God: Focus on Prayer
I have revised the prayer focus list I created in 2012 to help remind me of who I have committed to pray for. I was excited to see answers to prayer I have already seen from my previous list. Why the focus on prayer? I have not been nearly as intentional or disciplined with prayer as I would like to be. So, just as I focused on Scripture reading last year, I will make prayer more of a focus this year. Not entirely sure how I can have a tangible goal like reading through the Bible in a year: I will try praying 5 days a week for at least 10 minutes and expand as I go.
2: Lose Weight: Goal of 20 more lbs.
True, I have only lost 15lbs this past year but, I hope to stay on track. I have already gotten back into a workout routine and now have a more active lifestyle. I have started this year at 191, size 14 pants. Excited for what progress I can continue to make towards being healthy. Of course this will be much easier one the last of the Christmas goodies are out of my house.
3: Pay off another $10,550 in debt. Pay cash for a car
The end result I would like to see of this goal is to surpass this! If we can stay on track this year, doing better than last year, I know we can.
We will need to purchase a new vehicle for me this year. There are some problems with my current mode of transportation. And also, I would appreciate having a 4 door car, and air conditioning this summer in case we can meet out debt goals. Because then it means we are on our way, God willing, to little ones.
4: Have my novel manuscript publication ready
I want to write more. I already write every day with journaling, etc. But, that is not helping me finish my novel. So, I have made myself a goal of writing 2 pages in 5 days. If I exceed...even better!
I also intend to blog every month, like I managed to last year.
I am proficient at excuses: and I have finally realized my "reasons" and only excuses bred from fear.
5: Utilize better organization so I can wisely manage my time more wisely
I have already begun practical steps to this: two weeks before the new year (thanks in part to Pinterest.) I created a monthly meal planning list, made a master inventory list that will make grocery shopping infinitely easier, grocery shopped for the month, budgeted (haven't done that since August...ugh!) and made up a list of weekly and monthly household chores. Overall, a bit of time here and there to save time and money in the end.
I already feel considerably less stressed.  Horray! 
So, I know there are several friends of mine who refuse to do resolutions: for those of you who do, what are your resolutions or goalsthis year?

All My 2013 Resolutions Have an Underlying Theme.

It's that time of year again. I've heard people talk about it being a new leaf, new chapter, a fresh start. But what about everything you drag along with you from the previous year? All piled and added to what you brought in the year before that, and before that and on an on. The image of Pigpen from Peanuts comes to mind: surrounded by this cloud of stuff hanging around you that you just can't seem to shake. I have never made resolutions I seriously determined to keep nor thought to myself "I have a fresh start with this new year!" once the giant ball descends in (let's face it) a pretty anticlimactic manner. But this year is a little different.

I fully intend to have made significant lifestyle changes by this time next year with the help of God and the support of my wonderful hubby.
Are you ready? 

1-Spend 30 minutes with God every morning
I hear so often (usually from my own mouth) that there is absolutely nothing better than starting your day off with prayer and fellowship with God. As a follower of Jesus, I know I should desperately long to spend time with the most important Being ever... but, why is that one of the hardest things to do? 
That is part of the beauty and irritation of faith: I worship and serve the God of the Universe who cannot be touched tangibly. I have felt Him invade every fiber of my being with His presence, no physical being can do that. I see His laughter, tears, touch, breath, and whispers in every corner of my life. It's awesome that He wants me to come before Him to pray, study His Word (the Bible) and spend time with Him. What an amazing, awesome opportunity. (and I mean that in the old sense of the word. Not the flippant way we toss them around)
So, why is it so hard to spend time with Him? Truth be told, I have no time for the One who created all time and sustains life every second I squander doing my own thing. This comes down to daily choices and priorities... ok, I'll stop preaching now.
It is not my intention to set a time limit to stick legalistically to, but this year I will spend at least 30 minutes every morning speaking, listening, reading Scripture and being with my Savior. I used to spend an hour or so every morning with Him and I have been longing for that time again. My priorities have been so skewed and it's long past time to change that.

Speaking of daily choices and priorities that leads me to...

2-The ever popular resolution: lose weight.
Ever since I was little, I had an unhealthy relationship with food. For reasons not relevant to this particular post, I have been a stress-eating hoarder, binger, and over-eater of all foods. It took me years (about 2009 to 2012) of aggressively rewiring my brain and eating habits to break this particular harmful relationship that even now I still slink back into at times. This, coupled with lack of an active lifestyle and regular exercise, has left me perpetually yo-yoing between 188-215lbs over the past five years. This time last year, I was 188lbs in size 14 jeans. As of yesterday, I weigh 206lbs barely in 16s. My goal this year? Lose 48lbs: get back to my healthiest weight of 160 in size 10 jeans.
How do I endeavor to do this? Make this not an emotion driven rush to lose weight, but a daily choice to exercise, stay active, eat right and make this my lifestyle, not a "diet."
One way to focus on the weight loss is by daily tracking my calories and exercise on myfitnesspal (highly recommend! I used it to get down to 188 last year... but didn't stick with it) and by engaging my highly visual orientation by using marbles to represent weight I've lost.
One glass jar has the pounds I have left to lose, the other one (currently empty) will house the marbles I take from the first jar to represent pounds I've lost. I saw two friends last year who used this method and they have had wonderful results. I decided to implement and my hubby is joining me, too. (His goals are a little less than mine but, this is not a competition, I tell myself.)


 Losing our marbles is our goal! haha!
Mine are red, Clay's are clear.

3- Change Our Spending Lifestyle
This involves a continuation of about 2 1/2 years of our relationship. (We'll be married 2 years in April and together 3 in May!) We will continue to get out of debt and stay out of debt. We will be financially stable and be able to use the money God gives us however He wants us to.
We are kicking this goal off next week by starting Financial Peace University at our church. I still do not know all that this involves but, I am excited to see us continue to meet our goals with extra help and support.

4- Have a Manuscript Publication Ready
This was my goal last year as well. And I almost had it! Until I submitted my fifth draft to my editor (without have hashed through ideas with anyone, fully confident I had what it took to create a great story on my own) and she slashed it to pieces. Not really: but her prolific red penning did look like she wounded my once treasured manuscript. She was greatly encouraging: I do have a great story. I have what it takes. It just needs more work and redeveloping the story and further character development. I love this part of the process so, I have a lot to look forward to this year! It's a good thing my editor now lives with me! (Haha, yup! She's my sister.)
It's a matter of... you guessed it, priorities and daily choices.

 Ok... That's it. I resolve to change my lifestyle by focusing on my priorities and daily choices.
That being said, I need to get to bed so I can get enough rest so I can get up early to workout with my hubby, spend time with Jesus, and possibly talk to my editor before I go into work.
Let the choosing begin!