Setting Goals for the New Year

I hope you all had a wonderful start to 2015! That being said, one of the most popular things we do heading into a New year is setting goals and resolutions. Usually we start off strong and then slowly these goals and resolutions can sometimes fall short. Why does this seem to happen and how can we stick to them?Here are a few tips that will help you stay on track and make 2015 a year of accomplishment!Set realistic goals. First off, take a look at the big picture... what do you want your life to look like in 10 years? Set large-scale goals that you can achieve over time and break that into smaller very specific goals over a short period of time. These goals will eventually turn into the big picture! Remember, only set a few goals for the year because it is more likely you will achieve them - too many goals can set you off track and become unrealistic.Have someone hold you accountable. When someone is aware of your goals they can hold you accountable for them. The best person for this could be your spouse or partner, family member or close friend. Because when you need a little push of encouragement this person can make all the difference and give the support you need. It's easy to give up when you are the only one who knows about your goals, so share them!Positive Mindset. Surround yourself with positive people because they don't just have a good day, they make a good day... you can't help but feed off of someone elses positive energy. Smile, its attractive and it will make you and other's around you happy. Think of a few things you are grateful for everyday, nothing should be taken for granted! No one is perfect and we all have our faults... sometimes we learn best from our mistakes, so don't be afraid if you fail. And by thinking positive you have an overall healthier well being.Organization is everything. Buy a cute planner, use your phone calendar, write everything down! One of the things that has the biggest impact on my mood is if I'm organized, it really helps clear your mind and de-clutter your brain! With being organized you are able to complete and prioritize things more effectively. Make a list of what you want to accomplish over a week and everyday compete something off the list! You will learn to even become more creative with your time... and by completing things off your list, you will feel more accomplished.This year my 2015 Goals and Resolutions are listed below, but overall to live my life in this sort of way Clean eating and less fast food. With my kid's in mind I want to make sure we are all getting good nutrition through natural foods... and of course we like a few treats in moderation. My husband is a fast food junkie so we need to work on that this year too ;)Learn something new. I want to learn how to take full advantage of my camera. I'd love to take a DSLR camera workshop, maybe not this year but hopefully in the future. And I also want gain more knowledge on blogging and hopefully attend a blogging conference!Be more thoughtful.  I want to put more thought into giving to others and do things out of kindness. I want to teach my boy's how to do this because it's such an wonderful trait in a person.Live with less. I want to get rid of things that are not being used, and give away to others that could use these things. I want be grateful for the things I have and for my kid's to appreciate their possessions. Owning a bunch of stuff does not make you happy, but the company you keep, does. After all I am thankful to have a healthy family, what more do I need?Be content. Meaning, be happy with where I am in my life and to not wish away time. I want to feel satisfied with myself and not to stress over little things. I want to appreciate each and every day and focus on my patience... Sometimes it runs thin, but life isn't a race, so I need to take it easy at times.My final goal is to turn my blog into a business. I have found all that I am passionate about and I am sharing it on here. In life you need to find and do what makes you happy. For me, it took 23 years to figure out what I wanted to do with myself... here I am, one step at a time.* A year or two ago, Brent and I both made our own list of goals... We discussed what we would like to change, do together/differently and things we both thought each other could or should work on, haha... The idea behind this is that someone is holding you accountable and these are almost written in stone... So each person fills out a list of goals, put into the same envelope and tuck away for 6 months. After the 6 months, together read your list and see the accomplishments/ improvements you have/can been working on. Tuck back away and in another 6 months see how far you have come. One year can change so much!This year is going to be another successful and memorable year. I have found something that I enjoy, love and have confidence doing. And my kids, they are one of the biggest blessings and create so much of my happiness. At the end of the day, I am also fulfilling my own goals and dreams aside from being a stay-at-home mom. It's been a little chaotic but sometimes that's the motivation.Remember, always reach for the sky.