Friday, January 02, 2009

New Years Box

We have a family tradition of pulling a shoe box out of the closet each New Year's Eve. On it we have each recorded our top three predictions, goals and reasons to be thankful from the previous year. Sometimes we groan as we realize how we've failed on our goals, sometimes we chuckled at the predictions that did or did not come true. Three of us believed that Hillary Clinton would be elected president last year at this time. One of my goals was to make sure that I made my family my top priority this year. It's a general goal I know but I hoped that it would keep me on course. and it did at times. I have cut back on evening hours for work even though those are the hours that many clients can come for counseling. I have dropped activities if they conflicted with times I could be with my family. But I noticed that even though I was there for the after school evening hours we were all scattering in many directions. I would be working out carpool schedules with others, tag teaming the events I attended with Tod..."you hit the soccer game, while I take Caly to choir rehearsal" We felt torn in different directions and while I was there for individual members I could have done a better job of creating times for us to be more cohesive as a family. A while back we designed family t-shirts. They said on the front
All 41 and back...14 All. (All for one and one for all) Each person added a symbol that represented who they were and Tod and I have tried to encourage each to support the efforts of each other and for us all to support the family as a whole. So I feel like we need to focus more on the family as a whole, spending more time together than apart. My New Years resolution for this year is to support Team Elzinga. Focus on saying no to more activities that take us away from each other.

Besides getting organized, losing weight, getting out of debt etc. what resolutios do you have for your family this year. Success tips are the same for your family as they are for all resolutions

WRite out your goals, break them into small steps with deadlines if necessary.
Review your goals periodically and and don't give up if you get off track
Gather a team of support, those who know your goals and can hold you accountable
Reward yourself for sticking to your goals. If your goal is improvement in family life the rewards will come naturally but if you are trying to get the family on board for your goals.. you might want to let them know of the reward.. for example, a family vacation or family outing! Enjoy your family in the coming year!