A NEW YEAR, A FRESH START
My brother Spencer told me that the more goals we make the less likely we are to achieve them and I think he is right. When the year turns and I know a fresh start is coming up I literally want to change all the things! I want to throw out my bad habits, I want to be the best mom and wife ever, I want to make a million dollars, I want to lose 50 pounds, and I want to sing and dance and be my very best. Then January 2nd comes along and nothing has changed and I beat myself up. I feel like the opportunity is missed and I start daydreaming about January 1, 2023 and how that will be my year. I may be exaggerating a little here, but I know I’m not the only one who has felt these feelings.
When we focus on ONE THING AT A TIME, we are way more likely to achieve that goal and other things in our lives that aren’t aligned with that goal seem to fall away. Some people chose a word for the year. Some people choose a mantra. Some people focus on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of their lives. I just want to say, no matter what, even making the goal and thinking about it is a step in the right direction. No positive energy placed in becoming a better person is wasted, even if you feel like you’ve failed.
RESETTING AND REGROUPING
This year, Ammon and I, along with our children, are going to ring in the New Year with a huge planning party! We are going to eat yummy finger foods, create mood boards, redefine our family values, listen to good music, dance, and set one goal each that we want to work towards. It may seem silly spending the night with our families cutting our magazines and pasting them to posters, or chatting about our dreams in our PJ’s instead of spending the night downtown in sequins. But the older I get the more I realize that my family brings me the most joy. Spending quality time with my children, my spouse, my siblings and parents, and true friends is what brings my heart pure love.
As I reflect on 2021 I realize how this year started out with so much Anxiety. Ammon quit his job and the mantle of provider fell on my shoulders. It is not an easy burden to bear! It is stressful and can easily steal joy away from life. We went to Hawaii as a family to take a break and it was life-altering! I was able to realign my goals and my dreams and since then I have been able to handle my anxiety, my fear, and my high blood pressure! I’m not kidding that I am an anxious person. I can admit that and because I know that I can easily get worked up. While in Hawaii Ammon and I were able to do some really incredible things.
SETTING GOALS & CREATING OUR FAMILY BRAND
One thing we were able to do was to work with my brother Spencer and figure out what we really wanted to do as individuals and as a family. What our individual goals were and how we set up our lives to achieve that. Another thing we were able to do was to work with Chris and Melissa Smith and create our own family brand. The first exercise we did at Family Brand was to write down a list of things we do when our family is running smoothly. Both Ammon and I wrote down road trips, reading as a family, playing games, cuddling in bed, etc. Then Chris turned to us and said – Why aren’t you doing those things more? It really shook us up and made us think why we didn’t. Of course, there are a million reasons as to why we don’t do the things that we honestly value the most. and that’s a good place to start… What am I prioritizing? Or are my days being prioritized for me?
I wanted to tell you that so when you are coming up with your goals you can make simple changes that make a big difference, even if it’s as simple as doing more things you enjoy.
Dream Big and Stay the Course!
xoxo,
Abi