New Year Resolutions: what's the word?

Everyone, bloggerati included, have been busy using and abusing the idea of New Year Resolutions over the past fortnight. But too many of us just glibly, and vaguely, trot out some hope to eat less/more, lose/gain weight, be 'better', but with hardly any idea of how to start. Even worse, there is usually so much in that resolution, that to succeed involves a super human effort. I am certainly not capable of such an effort. Are you?

Yet our lives can positively and productively be changed and turned towards achieving many goals if we just take a few minutes reflecting on what we really want and what we can realistically manage to change. 

I have so much that I want to do in 2013. My vague 'bad' list of resolutions includes:

Improve my business
Be a better mother
Make the house nicer

I mean, where to start?

My approach to these knotty and apparently insurmountable tasks has been radically changed by finding The Design Trust. If you have or are thinking of having a craft/design based business, you want to have a look at this anyway - very pertinant to my first resolution, I began to read their 2013 challenge. This so far encourages the idea that you should choose a keyword on which to base your plan for the year forward, giving 5 concrete examples of how you should do this. 

I have found this immensely helpful as finding your meaningful word really helps you theme and develop your plans. It can be about life as well, so it's a really flexible concept. The 5 concrete examples are key really, to making you engage with the reality of your resolutions. Also, they form a handy To Do list.

My word is going to be NURTURE - I have started so many new things in the past six years, a family of 3 lovely children, a family home, a business. Now it is time to focus on what is in place.

1) I will nurture my business, by developing my products. Those I want to place for sale in outlets need to get CE certification so that is what I can do asap to achieve my goal. I also need to improve packaging and chose which items to continue with/discontinue.

2)I will nurture my professional development by improving my skills. I would like to take some sewing and embroidery masterclasses, and experiment with different techniques.

3)I will nurture my children (!I do already do this BTW). In fact I have added this to remind myself that all the times I spend with them chosing to prioritise fun and play over housework is probably beneficial to us as a family. In fact over the year I will make more time to play and dedicate time each day to spend with them. Why else be a SAHM - it's not for the salary!

4)I will nurture my home. For years I have been fighting a battle between my dire need for some help around the house versus my strongly held belief in the wrongness of paying someone to clear up your mess. I was brought up to believe no feminist worth her salt would ever hire a cleaner. This is the year I break my mothers heart. 

I will also finish the dining room curtains which have been incomplete for 2 years. I will do that this month.

5)I willl nurture myself. I will return to Zumba (no chickening out allowed?!) and I will organise at least one Date Night every month as I really miss spending time with the man I married. Plus I will continue on my spiritual journey, but that really is private ;-)

Actually I hate writing all this down, but as a good friend of mine pointed  out to me "if you write it down then you're accountable". So as blog is my witness (and you too, big guy) these are my resolutions for 2013.

How about you?