The older we get, the older our children get, it seems like the faster these years fly right on by and this year has been NO different!
I am sure that at the beginning of year, when all was well and kisses were made for the new year, everyone (or most everyone) set goals of what they were going to do this year, what they wanted to accomplish and go about their lives. Did you? I remember say to myself that I wanted to be less stressed out and enjoy my family. Well, here we are in October (nearly November) and a lot has happened in my life to not only alleviate stress, but also to put my mind in a better place and allow me the opportunity to spend time with my family. So, I think I can say that those goals have been accomplished, right! But now, the problem still lies with me that here we are getting ready for these holidays that sign us off of 2014 and move us into 2015 and I feel like, while those are great accomplishments, I want to hold so much more to 2014.
So, grab a pencil, some paper and your thinking cap (do they even say that is school anymore...gosh, that makes me OLD!) and let's put words to paper and make an END OF THE YEAR Bucketlist!
I have 40 different things to list that are fun, creative and something to make the end of the year one that you surely will always remember.
1. Get into the holiday spirit by making a holiday playlist on your ipod/mp3 player. Don't forget some of the all time favorites! (Mariah Carey, of course!)
2. Bundle up and head outside for a walk or perhaps a snowball fight! (we enjoy the Lights Before Christmas at our Local Zoo)
3. Decorate a Gingerbread House with icing, gundrops, candy galore! You can even buy kits fairly cheap and would be so much fun for the kids!
4. Make a homemade gift for a friend or family member! (I love to knit, and everyone is about due for a new scarf!
5. Cozy up with a blanket, some tea and a good book.
6. Break out some glittery nailpolish and give yourself the manicure you keep talking about doing! (my girls would love this too!)
7. When the rain is pouring, plan a fun day inside!
8. Buy some red lipstick and ... wear it!
9. Hot Cocoa time! Here is a great recipe:
1.5 cups heavy cream
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
2
cups milk chocolate chips
6 cups of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add to your Crockpot on Low and enjoy!
10. Light your favorite candle (or scentsy warmer) and let it burn! Your house will smell amazing and you will feel the holiday spirit all around you!
11. Find a great hostess gift and bring it with you for your next party.
12. Find an Ice Skating rink and grab the whole family.
13. Send a kind note to a friend, don't forget to let them know how much they mean to you!
14. Enjoy a picnic, indoors! (my girls would go bananas over this!)
15. Build a snowman with scarf, hat, button eyes and a carrot nose! (I think we will be building Olaf this year!)
16. Tie your scarf in a new way! (c'mon all- there are tons of awesome ways to tie a scarf now-a-days!)
17. Host a holiday cookie baking party in YOUR kitchen! (we do this every year as part of our holiday tradition)
18. While baking, don't forget to sample!!!
19. Give back to the community. Volunteer, buy gifts for a cause/shelter or donate!
20. Go for an evening drive to see the twinkling Christmas lights around your neighborhood!
21. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals for New Years this year. (Specific, Mesaurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timley)
22. Get started on a new exercise/fitness goal now? Take a yoga class, start running, or spend some time with that elliptical that is currently being used as an extension to your closet!
23. Invite the neighbors over for wine and cheese to catch up and get to know each other better.
24. Twist your hair into a vintage inspired ponytail for your next holiday party.
25. Get tickets to see the Nutcracker Ballet.
26. Print your favorite photos from the past year and find a fun way to display them!
27. Pop some popcorn and have a Christmas Movie marathon! (Santa Clause!)
28. Host an Ugly Sweater party!!
29. Try a new recipe at your Holiday Meal this year.
30. If you don't know how to knit, you should learn!
31. Plan a fun winter weekend, perhaps at a ski lodge or a water park, to get away!
32. Bring the outdoors in by making snow!! (ice cream)
33. Scrabble...anyone?
34. Read a poem or sonnet each day (broaden your horizons)
35. Get creative with eggnog. (I am going to try to make it myself this year!)
36. Go for a winter adventure- perhaps an overnight at a Bed and Breakfast?
37. Treat yourself to a new cozy scarf. (if you learn to knit- you can even make it!)
38. Document all your favorite moments from the holiday season on Social Media. (Instragram is awesome!)
39. Don't forget to grab a holiday coffee/drink from Starbucks! (Splurge a little!)
40. Last, but definitely not least, kiss someone special under the mistletoe!!!
Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions:
*Who: Who is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “Join a health club and workout 3 days a week.”
Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.
When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.
To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……
How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?
Attainable – When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.
You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.
Realistic- To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.
A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.
Timely – A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.
Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.
T can also stand for Tangible – A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing.
When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable.
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions:
*Who: Who is involved?
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “Join a health club and workout 3 days a week.”
Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.
When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.
To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……
How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?
Attainable – When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.
You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.
Realistic- To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.
A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.
Timely – A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.
Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.
T can also stand for Tangible – A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing.
When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable.
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