Friday Faves and (re)Solutions for 2015

Today I’m going to be getting real. Maybe even a little bit raw. Today I’m sharing more of my personal realities than I normally would. It’s the new year, so why try to fake it?

Every year I’m injected with New Year sights and clarity, inspired to make vows that are too often abandoned or leave me deflated when I don’t reach my goals.

This year my chin is up and I’m striding into 2015 wearing my new favorite shoes with a new approach and optimistic vigor because my friend Paula introduced a variation of New Year’s goal setting to me. It resonated, and so I’m following her lead.

reSolutions for the New Year

Instead of creating open-ended ‘resolutions’ that leave too much wiggle room for neglect, this year I’m defining ‘reSolutions’ and pinpointing solutions to actually make them happen.

You may wonder, “Well, isn’t that pretty much the same thing?” Perhaps. But in my head it’s a new strategy that puts success within reach. I’m going for it because what’s to lose? Maybe…a lot.

Oh My Word

It seems the New Years trend for the past few years is to choose a word that sets the theme for the year. While sitting around over the holiday, gabbing about this and that, I told my family about the word-name-game and I asked them what their words for 2015 would be.

My mom didn’t have to mull it around for even half a second. She quickly replied, “Enjoy!” She deserves every ounce of that pleasure.

Smudge was quick to cop her word, too. “Snazzy.” As only a 10 year old would.

My sister Holly had to think a bit longer. “Productive.” I can relate.

For me, it took a bit more searching. We went through a list. A laundry list. But none fit quite right. The next day it came to me—as most things do—when I wasn’t thinking about it.

My word for 2015 is “Enough.”

My brother-in-law probably summed it up best when he compared “Enough” to a saying they have at his big-gig corporate job.

Make what you do “fit for purpose.” Decide how much you need to put into it and make it good enough, but don’t overthink it. Make it “ENOUGH.”

How Does “Enough” Work Into my reSolutions?

Don’t work out of fear. One of my reSolutions is to stop working out of fear and accepting every assignment that comes my way. I have plenty of work, great clients and lots of opportunity. Don’t over promise by always saying, “yes.” Instead under promise and over deliver and know when to simply say, “Enough.”

Be content with where I am. It’s true you become wiser as you get older. I realize now that I may not be the #1 top dog blogger / magazine designer / mom of the year / hottest housewife but I’m okay with that. It’s okay to be happy with who I am, and to stop comparing with the younger / richer / more talented set. Not that I don’t have dreams I will achieve, but I’m happy with saying, “I am Enough.”

I’ve had Enough and I am sick of being fat. There. I said it. I am frigging fat.

I’m not saying this for sympathy because I am ready to admit it is simply a fact. I spent the first 35 years+ of my life as the the tall, athletic type who could hide 5, even 10 pounds without much notice. While I wasn’t as skinny as I once was, I’d never been overweight even though I always felt like I was and so was on an everlasting “diet” with plenty of cheating going on. And to be completely honest, I simply couldn’t understand how anyone could let themselves get to a point where they couldn’t lose the extra lbs. I mean, how hard could it be to eat healthy and get some exercise? I worked out with a trainer twice a week, took the dog for nightly walks and even started running—and at one point I almost started enjoying. Even after Smudge was born I lost all my baby weight pretty easily. We lived in SoCal, my schedule was more flexible and I made exercise a priority.

And then we moved to Utah and the pounds steadily crept on. Work, work, work, and not moving from my desk for hours at a time, a slowing metabolism (it sucks getting old) and the balancing act of family duties and the guilt that goes with it all, played a part. I didn’t move but maybe 1,000 steps a day, especially after I quit going to an office and instead just walked from my bedroom to my office to the kitchen.

Work was more important than my well-being.

And then there was the super fun fact that I had developed a “mommy bladder” which made it impossible to walk, run or do much, if any, cardio without peeing myself. And please, don’t tickle me or make me sneeze or it’s all over with. Oh how pleasant and why am I telling you all this?

Because if I tell you, I HAVE to commit.

My reSolutions started right before Christmas when I had surgery to have my bladder slung up (technical term is a mid-urethral sling) and that’s another reason why I’m sharing all of this with you, because if someone had reassured me about this procedure I wouldn’t have waited so long. It is a serious Friday Fave.

If you’ve had incontinence too, (oh how I hate that word, it’s stigma, and embarrassment) I HIGHLY recommend you find a great urologist, and get it fixed. The procedure sounds scary thanks to all of the class-action ads on TV, and no it doesn’t work for everyone, but I felt it was worth the risk. It was about the easiest procedure I’ve ever had and I feel like I have my life back. In 4 weeks I’ll be able to get back on the program and make strides to look and feel like the way I see myself in my mind’s eye.

My other reSolution started in the fall when I joined Weight Watchers. I’ve mentioned before that I like this program the best of the rest because of the flexibility to eat what I want. Just less of it. I’ve lost weight on it before, and then went back to old eating and zero exercise habits and have been up and down ever since. But I’m in my mojo and am back to tracking and that makes me accountable and just feels good to know I’m doing something.

I’m guessing I’m not the only one out there who feels this exact same way. I’m just desperate Enough, and had Enough, to say it out loud.

More reSolutions for Me (and You Too.)

De clutter—no piles. The photo above is one of what my office looks like at this exact minute. There’s so much crap I even bought a new desk—that is still not put together and standing in the corner. As if a new desk will help. It’s just another place to PILE MORE CRAP! NO MORE! From here out, I’m setting my alarm for 10 minutes to do a whiz clean each day. And these 50 de-cluttering strategies will get me on my way.

Keep the motivation going. To help me with my weight loss journey I joined this challenge group. So far they’re easy changes to make.

and…

You’ve heard of capsule wardrobes?  They’re all the rage. Check out this Capsule Kitchen, it’s next on the list because less is more.

More multi-tasking manicures. I have man hands, my dad’s hands, and they need some serious prettying but it takes too much time. Remember how busy I am? Gah. So I paint them while I work on the computer. This is my secret to making my manicure look totally professional.

Schedule the call. This article TOTALLY hit home. “We can make as many lists as we want and count as many things as we like. But people aren’t widgets, and much of our leisure time is about time spent with the people who matter to us.” This year I will make the time for my family and friends just like I would to speak with a client. Most important on my list: Call my mom, my mother in law and my sister more.

and, because they’re just as important…

Text my friends more. The best apps for keeping up with friends and family. Voxer is actually pretty fun!

Bake more cookies. I never bake cookies because I am on the afore-mentioned never ending diet and again, I never “have time” (see the article above. MARTYR!) Do you know how long it takes to pull together a batch of cookie dough? About 10 minutes. I have time for that. It’s therapeutic, it’s a diversion, and I can test out

Make this cookie recipe, because it’s tried and true.

Make this cookie recipe, because it’s my favorite candy bar.

And this cookie recipe, because it’s skilletized.

Relax my to-do list. Make it doable by writing down just 5 achievable things, a tip I’m taking from 5 incredibly effective ways to work smarter, not harder.

What’s my status? I’m so bad at my personal Facebook and what’s the fun in always being the voyeur? This year I’m going to post 1 Facebook status update a week on my personal page. I wish I was as witty as these guys.

and then…

Check the F out. Do nothing for 5 minutes a day. Every day. How to achieve the art of doing nothing.

Be fragrance-full. Smells totally influence my mood. This is my favorite winter scent (I love the travel size) but I’ve almost taken this over after Santa gave it to Smudge for Christmas. Oh, it is so lovely.

Work out of the house more. 7 steps for working from a coffee shop. Pay attention to #4.

so I can…

Take my new purse with me. Santa, you listen well.

Stop relying on others to be my DayTimer. I am really good about keeping track of what I need to do for work. So why do I have such a roadblock when it comes to my personal life? I end up relying on the other moms as my resource for what time practice is or oh crap! I forgot about the birthday party. So I’m creating a dedicated calendar just for family that I’m going to stick smack dab on the wall. I love that these giant sticky notes that can be tossed once the week’s done!

Oh no, Mr. Bill! I used to sit at my office desk and call into my automated bank teller every week to balance my check book. Now that everything is online I totally neglect it. I’m re-commiting myself to one Sunday morning a week to keep my financial health in shape. And I’m totally stoked to try this app and downloaded it yesterday. I could save millions!

Beyond the Soup and Salad: This Week’s Healthy Recipe Faves

Sure we can be healthier by eating skinny salads and slow cooked soups, but what about when you’re craving something hearty, some comfort food with a healthy twist? These are a few recipes that reSonated with me this week.

Roasted Vegetable and White Bean Pesto Hummus Pizza

Subbing out creamy white sauce is a white bean hummus, that creates a bed of delish for roasty, toasty veggies. 100% guilt free by my count.

Get the recipe | Oh My Veggies

Lighter Cajun Chicken Pasta

You’ll be the only one to know that it’s “light”.

Get the recipe | Taste and Tell

Fiery and Garlicky Shrimp

Burn up the calories with tons of shrimpy flavor.

Get the recipe | Spicie Foodie

Chili Garlic Chicken Skewers with Greek Yogurt Dip

The tang of the dip mellow out the heat of the skewers taking this chicken anything but boring.

Get the recipe | How Sweet It Is

Skinny Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie with Phyllo “Crust”

Phyllo takes over for my favorite butter crust in this veg heavy pint of flavor.

Get the recipe | Cooking for Keeps

That should pretty much do it. I think if I can make even 5 of these reSolutions work in 2015, I’m going to be in dynamite shape in every sense of the word.

Have a great weekend friends, and make something good.

As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.  

Are you following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest? 

Thanks for reading and  subscribe to FoodieCrush to have each post delivered straight to your e-mail box.