As I look back over 2012, I reviewed my blog posts over the year... I came across one I made back in February about the areas of my life on my "needs improvement" list. I began "assessing" these aspects of my life to determine what progress I had made. I figure as I move in to 2013, I should take stock of what I accomplished in 2012, and take things from there.
This one is a mostly good news story. I lost 50 pounds, but gained back 20 of them. Since I'm down 30 overall, I'll put this one in the plus column. I also learned a lot about my body and about HOW I lose weight. I understand what I need to do - what brings me closer to my goals and what moves me further away from them.
Here's another good news story, although there's not really and "story" to tell, as I haven't really changed anything except my perception of things. I've come to the realization that I have a pretty good deal, here. I get paid fairly for the work that I do. I have the flexibility to work
where I want (I often work from home) and
when I want (the bosses don't care what day or at what time the work gets done, as long as it gets done correctly and by the deadline). I have the option to work overtime to supplement my income, but I no longer feel pressured into working it, or guilty when i choose not to. I truly feel satisfied with my job.
Another item for the plus column. My home, while not always spotless, is now tidy at least as often as it is messy. This is a big change, sad as that may sound. For the last few years, we avoided any "impromptu" visits, feeling embarrassed about the state of disarray that we lived in. This is no longer the case. Even when things are a bit "messy", it's only ever a couple of days' worth of mess, and so it doesn't take long to whip it back into shape. I also now have the willing participation of the rest of the family; while they are not yet in a place where they take the initiative to tidy, they do help out, when asked, with little to no grumbling about it.
I can't, unfortunately put this one solidly in the plus column - it's currently riding the fence. We are ending the year further in debt than we were when we started. There are several reasons for this, most notably our "Hail Mary" plays in and effort to salvage hubby's business. We can at least say that we did everything we could, though, so it wasn't all for nothing. Despite all that, I will say that I now feel more "in control" of our financial situation than I ever have before. We are spreadsheeted to within in inch of our lives, monitoring all inflows and outflows of money. Bills are paid in full, on time, every single month. We are starting to build a savings account, while also paying down debt. We are using credit cards to make most purchases, immediately transferring the money to cover the transaction, so we get the benefit of the travel miles without falling further into debt. We have mastered living within our means, which is a big win, in my books.
This is another good news story. It was a year of transformation with our relationships this year, most especially between my husband and myself. Things were torn apart and rebuilt a couple of times, and they're stronger now than they have been for years. I can honestly say that we understand eachother better, and genuinely care for one another. We both want the other person to be happy, and are more focused on ensuring that happiness. We are better at giving eachother what they need, rather than what WE need. Regarding the family unit as a whole, we are in the early stages of working together as a team more often. While we want our kids to be able to simply enjoy being kids, they also need to recognize that having a place in the family comes with responsibility to ensuring the overall success of the family. It involves thinking and acting unselfishly, and with the benefit of the household in mind. While we're not there yet, we're on our way, and I see little glimmers and shining moments that give me hope.
Overall, 2012 was a great year, filled with many improvements. I'm better off than I was at the start of the year. My family is better off than they were at the start of the year. I now have the buy-in from the family, who understand that while change may feel uncomfortable and may involve some work and sacrifices, the results are absolutely worth it.
I haven't actually defined any specific goals for 2013, but I look forward to continuing to improve my life and the lives of my family in whatever ways we can. Looking back over the last year helps me to look forward to the next with confidence that I WILL meet my goals if I continue to work toward them.
