I know, it is past January 1 and everyone in the world sets their New Years Resolutions on January 1. And by January 3rd, most are already broken.
I went back and looked at the past two posts that I made on Resolutions which can be found here and here. So the common theme is just like many, finances and weight loss. So, here are my goals:
1) Financial – Save $2,000 & pay off 2 more credit cards.
2) Weight Loss – As of today, I am down 22 pounds from last year today. That being said, I want to be down another 20 pounds by our summer vacation.
3) Find a church – This has been a huge struggle for me this past year. We haven’t been to church as we should/I’ve wanted to and it has been something that has been really missing in my life.
4) Be a better father – Again, something that we all say, but it is something that I really want to focus on. I want to teach my sons more. I want to be more loving and attentive, though I feel that I am, I feel that I can always improve.
So there, those are my Resolutions for 2015. I have talked with my wife and we are going to hold each other accountable with our resolutions and not just fall aside.
How do you live your life? Do you play it safe? Do you take each moment as they come? Do you live like you were dying?
This thought has been with me a lot lately and I don’t know why? I have been asking myself more and more, am I living in the moment of now and living like I were dying tomorrow? Enjoying today? Enjoying the moments with the boys? Enjoying what time I have here on this earth? Or am I playing it safe?
Take a moment and watch the Tim McGraw video: Live Like You Were Dying
As I played with my sons last night, one of them walked over and put his head on my knee. I was responding to an email and it hit me. I was taking time away from my sons, again, to respond to an email. I have tried to work on this and focus on the now, focus on playing with the boys when I get home. And even though I’ve done better, I caught myself not doing enough. I am not beating myself up here, I am human and do have to support my family. But the reality is, I am not Living like I were dying. I am playing it too safe.
This weekend, more fun things with the boys. Going out to the park, assuming that it isn’t snowing or below freezing. Tonight, play with each of them until they can’t keep their little eyes open. And tomorrow, hope that I get the chance again to do it all over.
Read the lyrics and it will make perfect sense:
He said: “I was in my early forties,
“With a lot of life before me,
“An’ a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
“I spent most of the next days,
“Looking at the x-rays,
“An’ talking ’bout the options an’ talkin’ ‘bout sweet time.”
I asked him when it sank in,
That this might really be the real end?
How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?
Man whatcha do?
An’ he said: “I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
“I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
“And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
“And I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.”
An’ he said: “Some day, I hope you get the chance,
“To live like you were dyin’.”
He said “I was finally the husband,
“That most the time I wasn’t.
“An’ I became a friend a friend would like to have.
“And all of a sudden goin’ fishin’,
“Wasn’t such an imposition,
“And I went three times that year I lost my Dad.
“Well, I finally read the Good Book,
“And I took a good long hard look,
“At what I’d do if I could do it all again,
“And then:
“I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
“I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
“And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
“And I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.”
An’ he said: “Some day, I hope you get the chance,
“To live like you were dyin’.”
Like tomorrow was a gift,
And you got eternity,
To think about what you’d do with it.
An’ what did you do with it?
An’ what can I do with it?
An’ what would I do with it?
“Sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
“I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
“And then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
“And I watched Blue Eagle as it was flyin’.”
An’ he said: “Some day, I hope you get the chance,
“To live like you were dyin’.”
“To live like you were dyin’.”
“To live like you were dyin’.”
“To live like you were dyin’.”
“To live like you were dyin’.”
Well, it is that time of the year again, to make our New Years Resolutions. Have you thought about what your goals will be this year?
Will it be the normal, lose weight? Be in a better financial position?
Sure, we will all focus on those things. But what about, helping others? What about doing good and being a better person?
So this year, as you look at your New Years Resolutions, think about things that you can do and more importantly, think about goals that are attainable. Goals that are attainable are more than likely attainable, then goals that are not.
Today is a new day. The beginning of a new year. Make this year count. Make this year, the best year of your life.
Now that February is over, I have a chance to look back at our financial statements for January. A few quick highlights:
1) My Jeep is paid off now, so that will save us close to $400 a month. I am deferring $250 of this savings into our Money Market and taking $150 a month and putting it towards my wife’s SUV. By making the extra $150 a month, this will cut 6 months off of the loan and that is if I add nothing else to principal.
2) We have 3 credit cards that have a $1,000 balance, so those are being attacked first. We are currently putting $100 a month towards these, but will increase that to $150 a month to reduce the monthly fees.
3) It also looks like one of my wife’s student loans will be paid for, which will free up another $50 a month that will be put towards credit cards.
4) There were a few unexpected bills that popped up, but I think that for the first time, that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a long crawl to get closer to the light, but at least we see the light.
I know that for many, exercising more is at the top of your New Years resolutions. For us, it is a goal too, but to cut back on extra expenses, my wife and I decided to cancel our gym membership for now. The gym offered daycare, but it was for children 5 and up. So, instead of paying $80 a month to go to the gym, we now take the boys to the mall and walk around. It is good exercise and we can all be together. Soon, when the boys start walking, this might prove to be a challenge, but until then, it saves us money, my wife and I are able to get a nice walk in and the boys are with us. Family fun.
First goal during the winter months: 1 – 2 trips to the mall for walks a week.
Second goal during the spring and summer months: 1 – 2 trips to the park a week to walk.
The family walks will help the boys get out and enjoy the fresh air, but it will also help my wife and I with our goals of losing weight.
