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Fabulous living

New Year’s Resolutions Check-In


Happy Wednesday!

Can you believe we are half way through a June and half way through 2022? This year is flying by. The winter months being cooped up inside certainly dragged, but once spring and summer came around and I’ve been able to get outside more, the days are flying by. I’m doing everything I can to make the most of my days off and time after work by being outdoors. 

A walk on a day off is the best way to enjoy summer.

With the second half of the year ahead of us, I wanted to look back on my New Year’s resolutions to see how I’ve done so far and what areas I can improve in.

You can see my New Years resolutions here. 

I broke up my resolutions into the categories of physical, spiritual, professional and lifestyle.

For my physical goals, I wanted to focus on eating more veggies and I’m so proud to say that I’ve been eating vegetables every day with multiple meals. I’ve done my best to use a vegetable as a replacement for a chip or carb with meals. Hello celery sticks instead of potato chips.

I ultimately feel better when I eat more vegetables compared to more carbs, which I know sounds like a no brainer, but to feel the effects is rewarding. I’m going to continue to add more fruits and vegetables to my plate for all meals and snacks for the next six months of the year.

For spiritual goals, I wanted to spend more time with Jesus besides just going to Church once a week. Although, I’ve been happy with being more consistent with my prayer life this year, I know there’s still so much I can do. I want to continue to live out my faith with my actions and get more involved with my church and community (one of my goals for 24, if you recall). I always start my days with journaling and praying but want to do more for a more fulfilling faith life. After all, the ultimate goal in life is to be with God. 

The Laudate app makes it easier to get Jesus time in during the morning.

For professional goals, I wanted to focus on being more creative in my storytelling. I’ve done a pretty good job of this so far, but I know there’s more ways to improve. I try to be creative when I have them time at work, but sometimes I’m in a real time crunch and I don’t always have the extra time to be creative. I want to think out of the box when telling stories and putting in the time to learn new things. I still want to boost my creativity in the second half of the year.

For lifestyle, one of my goals is to use more sustainable products and I’ve really done a good job with this. I almost always use plastic containers instead of baggies when packing my lunch. Thanks to more stores doing away with plastic bags, I’ve been using recycled and reusable bags. I know it’s not much but I feel good that I’m doing part.

That’s a look at my resolutions so far, I’ve certainly made progress in many areas, but I know I have lots of ways to improve. I like to use these check-ins to hold myself accountable and hopefully help you hold yourself accountable to when it comes to our resolutions. It’s great to set goals at the beginning of the year, but it’s even more important to stick to them. How has your resolutions been going so far? Sticking to them or have a few gone to the wayside?

Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Fabulous living Fun Ways to Organize

How to Study for Finals and Prepare for the Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….or worst if you are a college student like myself. Finals week is upon us. Time to grab those note cards, pull out the highlighters, and make those study guides. Whether you are studying for finals, or if you aren’t a college student, making your Christmas lists, here are some tips to stay organized this time of year.

Studying for Finals:

-Prepare in advance. – Look to see when your finals are scheduled and plan out of when you want to study for them.

Here’s my day planner. I write down every assignment, meeting, and final down so I don’t forget anything.

– Prepare on your own. – Read through both your notes and textbooks and make your own study guide so you aren’t going back and forth between book and notebook.

-Seek help. – Although we don’t always like to admit it, we sometimes need help. Go to a tutor if you need help in a subject. See your professor with questions you may have while studying. Organize study groups to make sure you are covering all the information.

-Take Care of Yourself. – Finals and the end of the semester are stressful. But don’t forget to take care of yourself. You won’t do well on a test if you are half a sleep or if you are sick from not eating healthy. It may be tempting but try not to skip meals and allow yourself for enough sleep or take a nap if you need to.

Preparing for Christmas:

I am always on my laptop, these post it icons make it easy for me to remember what things I have going on from finals, homework assignments, and extra things I need to get done. Like my Christmas gifts. I like to have it all in one place

-Make a List (and Check it twice). – Make a list for everyone you want to buy gifts for. Think relatives, coworkers, friends, any gift exchanges. You don’t want to leave anyone out on your list.

-Plan out your Gifts. – Do some research and plan what gifts you want to purchase and for whom. This saves time walking around a store waiting for the perfect gift to find you.

-Buy then Wrap. – Get all your purchasing done then wrap your goodies. Put on a Christmas movie and wrap while you relax. It’s easier to wrap everything at one point rather then wrapping things separating at different times.

-Enjoy the Christmas Season. – The holidays can be stressful but It’s important to remember what really matters; family, friends, Jesus. Take time for the family traditions and make memories.

I hope these tips help with preparing for your finals or your Christmas shopping. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, be sure to spend it well with friends and family.