planning for the New Year

The new year approach-eth.

Yes, I know that's not a real word and I don't usually buy into the concept of starting something new or life beginning anew on the New Year. I've always sort of thought that if you wanted to get a new job, cut/dye your hair, find a boyfriend, lose/gain 10 pounds, etc you should just....you know...DO IT!

But One Philly Daddy and I have been looking forward to the new year as a sort of fresh start. The past year has been the best year in many ways, but it has also been a trying year. We were new parents; I still have an unsure work situation, and the economic uncertainties weighed heavy on life and familial decisions.

We've grown up into parents, which causes (in us at least) some introspection. What are our priorities? What sort of life are we aiming to build? What does the life we lead teach our children? Is it what we want them to learn? Etc.

In the past, I focused on the number on the scale, all the while claiming that I was concerned with my health, not my weight. But in the past few months I've not worked out and not eaten particularly well (by my standards). The news on the scale is not as bad as I expected it to be, or at least not bad enough to motivate me. I know that means I'm pretty lucky, but it also means my motivation was not really health (or I'd be eating better and working out). So my goal is to really focus on my health. Which means I am counting minutes worked out and servings of fruits and veggies instead of pounds on the scale.

In the past, I used increasing responsibility, good reviews and increased pay as my measure of success and progress professionally. My degree and work has been primarily in non-profits, so getting rich was never my goal (indeed, I always said I needed to do something worthwhile, but I've realized I was measuring how well I was doing that worthwhile thing by my raises and promotions). Now, passion and fulfillment are tipping the scales in their favor as a way to judge my success.

In the past, I was content to define "quality family time" as hours in front of the TV. I recently brought up the idea of two nights a week of "no TV" with One Philly Daddy. I'd like for us to share more than a couch cushion and air in our "quality family time." I want to teach One Philly Son letters, numbers, colors, how to catch, songs to sing, animal sounds, and on and on and on. And I want to share it all with One Philly Daddy.

In the past, One Philly Daddy and I lived a pretty hedonistic life. No, we weren't swinging from chandeliers on a nightly basis and we continued to make smart, intelligent, future-based decisions for ourselves. But, if we wanted to go to dinner, split a bottle (or two or seven) of wine with friends, or take a vacation, (you get the idea), we did. And we're beginning to feel that the cost doesn't outweigh the benefits anymore. Now, we'll probably still do what we want to do, but what we want to do is more along the lines of the Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch Museum, parks, and story time at the library.

You may say this "new" way of  thinking just makes us tired and old, or even worse (gasp!) boring parents. But for me, it feels like a conscious decision to get more value and meaning in my life. And I am SO EXCITED for all that is coming our way.

So we're looking forward to the new year, being more present participants in our own lives and making deliberate decisions for what we want our life to look like.

What are your new year's plans?