So 2013 is here. Finally. And now everyone sets a resolution they try and stick to, but usually fail at by mid-February. Still, I think it is a great sentiment, so I took an entire day (Sunday to be exact) to sit down and think about what I wanted from my life and my career and my relationships. I set some pretty lofty goals…. some I’ll share below, but some I will keep to myself. Still, looking back on 2012 I knew I’d never go forward in 2013 unless I set one important resolution:
This year I am going to STOP spending time on things that are not going to progress me towards my ultimate goals.
I do this all the freaking time. I watch episodes of television I have already seen when I should be doing errands or reading blogs. I sleep in when I should be exercising even when I so desperately want to lose the last 15 pounds (P.S. I lost 15 9 in 2012, woop woop!) I am especially bad about pouring myself into romantic relationships that I know aren’t a great fit or won’t work out because of sentiment or my need for distraction. That’s energy I need to spend on finishing my book, continuing to grow readership on this site, or finding a way to go out drinking and not be the weepy one.
My biggest pitfall in 2012 was that I spent so much time and energy on lost causes or things that did not matter or that I knew in my heart of hearts weren’t making me happy. I vowed to stop this in the New Year.
And then I broke my resolution one hour later….
When I spent the night being drunk and weepy over a guy I’ve been seeing since my break-up. A “rebound” if you will. Given how last night was my final shift at the workplace we share I thought we could at least be chummy in public. He completely ignored me at the party we both ended up at, and a half bottle of champagne into the evening you can imagine how this devastated my feelings. I haven’t been able to go out once since my break-up without being the morose girl in the corner, one thing or another always sets me off: usually my ex-boyfriend, or someone giving me the stink eye when really they were just having contact trouble.
But that was last night, and now in the dreary light of day, I realize what happened after midnight proves the resolution I set for myself was the right one and that I need to keep at it, no matter how many failed attempts.
Some other goals for the year:
Lose the final 15 pounds and be down to my ideal weight of 122.
Pay off all of my debt: Around 4200.00 between student loans and credit cards (check out my post this Friday on how this happened….L Bee has been a bad, bad girl indeed.)
Finish BOOK.
Increase Net Worth by 15,000.00
Grow daily page views by 400% by end of 2013.
Stop swearing so much.
I have about five more goals in the can, but I want to keep those to myself for now. I am working on getting a cork board for my office so I can always have the goals in plain view, and I’ve been thinking about trying a vision board for the first time in my life despite thinking they are horribly cheesy and cliche. Putting those feelings aside I recognize that now is the time for ultimate clarity, and if decoupaging some magazine cutouts to white board is going to help me get there, then by frick, lets do it.
…Here’s to a new year and new chances to make our goals and dreams happen.
How was your NYE? What resolutions did you make for the New Year?
Hi, my name is Lauren but I'm known to those nearest and dearest as L. Bee. After twenty-five years on the planet I have worked in a lot of industries, moved to many different cities, and made almost every money mistake you can make.Join me on my journey as I navigate my twenties and try not to pick my "money tree" bare.
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Good luck with your goals! I also swear too much and need to stop. Or at least limit the amount of times that I swear
Michelle recently posted..Happy New Year! And a Giveaway
It’s hard! I feel like everyone does it!
Best of luck with your goals! NYE was fine but I got food poisoning… No resolutions this year, only goals, to grow my net worth by 30%, swim five days a week and limit procrastination
Pauline recently posted..13 money resolutions for 2013: #1 start somewhere!
How strange, my brother also got food poisoning on his hunting trip. He had to skip all the NYE revelry.
Good luck Lauren!
I seem to waste hours on things that are NOT progressing me towards my goals! That’s a good goal!
Laura / No More Spending recently posted..Happy New Year
Thank you, Laura! I thought about it really hard.
Good luck with the resolutions, LBee. We’re working on increasing focus on specific goals in the new year, with finishing some debts and trying to lower some ongoing expenses being among them.
Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies recently posted..PoP Income Statement – December 2012
Yeah, debt is a big one, especially since it has been a goal of mine, oh for the last few years. I paid it all off last year, so I am pissed at myself that I am starting off January already in the hole
I need to stop wasting time on TV shows that I have seen before too. It is one of the worst time wasters.
Good luck with your goals in 2013
Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted..December 2012 Goal Review
It is so tempting, especially since I am one of those weird folks who finds TV time as a relaxing way to “unplug”.
I need to get better at time management too. If I spent my entire days like I do when I get a 15min burst of energy when the kid is napping I’d be unstoppable! I too have 15lbs to lose….Ugh. I hate thinking about weight loss but I gotta get ‘er done. Good luck with your goals!
Catherine recently posted..What Would You Do With $2013.00 (Giveaway)?
Yeah, but you had a baby, so you have an excuse. Join on the #pfworkout fun on twitter!
I do that too where I spend a lot of time doing random things that are time consuming not necessarily productive. But I guess we can’t be productive all the time. I find that I also have to set my alarm mon/wed/fri so much earlier so I can read blogs without it interrupting my day too much. I know I’m going to eventually need to cut back, especially as things are about to get busy for work. I’m sorry you had a bummer NYE too. That sucks when that happens. I feel like I’ve heard that kind of story a lot lately. Good luck with everything in 2013!
Budget & the Beach recently posted..2013: Living in the Moment
Thanks girl! Same to you-I think 2013 is going to be amaaaazing for us.
Good luck with your goals! Ours is to continue to grow our business and to start funding a SEP IRA now that business is at a decent level.
John S @ Frugal Rules recently posted..What My Air Conditioner Taught Me About Saving Money
Nice! I would like to open a separate brokerage account at some point also.
Aww… I like the bits of swearing peppered here. Keepin’ it real! Please don’t try to candy-coat yourself too much. And remember:
“There are no dirty words. …Ever.” – Leonard Cohen
2012 was “okay” for me. Venice (Murano Island specifically) was my highlight. The annual sci-fi convention that my friends and I go to and get costumed up was also as amazing …as always. Hiking and touring the pubs in small towns in the north of England was tough but fun and unforgettable. However, as full years go, 2012 was just “okay”.
I also love rewatching shows or getting a new TV series! …But I know that *before* DVD boxsets I used to spend a lot more time writing, cleaning, reading, and sometimes even drawing. :/
No resolutions for me. 2013 should be fun enough if I put a little work into it.
I’d love to go to Venice-how exciting. And thanks for liking L Bee “just the way I am”. I don’t think I’ll change it in my writing too much, but I do use it all too frequently in real life and sometimes it slips out at the office….
Happy new year L Bee! Swearing is one goal that I want to nip. Now that my son has arrived, I want to completely knock off the swearing. I don’t want him to grow up and talk like me. I guess I have a lot of work to do. Good luck with 2013!
Grayson @ Debt Roundup recently posted..How Are Your Retirement Savings Shaping Up?
Thanks Grayson!
I don’t think you should stop swearing. I don’t trust women who don’t swear.
Kyle recently posted..My Goals For 2013
you like your women a little salty…
Sorry to hear about the party
Staying focused on goals (for me, at least) seems to help everything else fall into place. Also, what is this “book” you speak of? Are you writing a novel? Developings characters? How’s the plot coming along with that novel of yourssss…..?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghw7_RGi9aI
Jacob @ iheartbudgets recently posted..2013 Goals And Debt Movement
I am turning this blog into a book for a contest I have entered. I am a much better editor than I am a writer, so for right now I am just trying to get all my thoughts down on paper and THEN I will try and form some sort of a plot line. I’ll keep ya posted-that video is hilaaarious.
I know exactly what you mean in the relationship ave. I ended things with someone that I’ve been on and off with because it didn’t feel like the effort was worth it anymore. Best decision of 2012.
Also, we should do an weight-loss accountability post, roundup etc. I have a feeling that a lot of people are trying to do that this year.
Marissa @ Thirtysixmonths recently posted..2012 Goals Revisited.
Yeah, I am definitely in-we should all do monthly check ins or something. I’ve also started tracking my calories on an app. I fucking hate it, but it does hold me accountable.
My 2013 goal is to try not to be such a miserable bitch all the time. I am hating my job right now. Today has sucked so far. I’m not off to a good start =(
Holly@ClubThrifty recently posted..Can You Afford to Live Until You’re 90?
HOlly oh no! I hope today goes better!
I love this–I need to do pretty much the exact same thing! Definitely working on minimizing the amount of wasted time in each day/week. Good luck in 2013!
The Happy Homeowner recently posted..2012 Hits and Misses
Thanks-same to you!!!
Good luck with all of your goals! Also, I enjoy your swearing haha
Janine recently posted..2012 In Review: A Photo Montage
I am getting a lot of comments like that on here, perhaps I shall keep it up! I’m lucky to have people who enjoy my foul mouth!
The swearing would be the hardest one for me. The crying in the corner is not a good look btw. I am sure that you knock your goals out of the ballpark. If chilling out watching a little harmless t.v. is your thing-and you still managed to lose weight while doing it-why fix what isn’t broken? Good luck with your goals and Happy New Year!
I need you around in my life on a full time basis to tell me when I’m acting like a crazy bitch, and to cheer me on. You are the best Michelle! Loving that new gravatar by the way!
I just wanted to tell you that I kept last year’s resolution, which was inspired directly by you, to not spend anymore real money on my fake farm. And there were times when that ow-so-cute virtual unicorn was taunting me, asking me to just spend $1, but I didn’t and it was because of you!
New Year’s Eve? Don’t remember. New Year’s resolution? Stop drinking. Haha, but really I am focusing on not consuming GM foods or anything of that sort. I also set a one month goal of not consuming any alcohol just to see if I can do it. I’m on day 3
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You said you started that book. Did it give you any perspective?
My 2013 goals? Hang around online with L Bee more often….maybe get her foul mouth on our podcast.
AverageJoe recently posted..5 Simple Steps to Kick 2013 Into High Gear
I think these goals are totally doable! Especially the time and energy one. I do that too all of the time, spend time on things that aren’t going to help me in any way. Although there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, it’s wrong if I’m then running around like crazy trying to get all of my other commitments taken care of.
Best of luck in 2013, I have no doubt you’ll achieve all of your goals.
Jordann recently posted..January 1st NETWORTH Update!