Reflecting on 2011
San Francisco for New Year's

2012!

Rnew-year2012

Last year was the first year that I was organized about having goals for the year and kept myself accountable, even if I didn't accomplish everything I had hoped. It helped me to prioritize and not get as overwhelmed with all the things I want to do around the house and at the end of every month and the year I could see what was accomplished.

Here's what I'd love to accomplish in 2012:

+ Save at least $10,000 for a new-to-me car. Hopefully a Prius! For real this time.

+ Be more proactive at work and be more positive about the job I have. Although I'm still keeping an open mind about other opportunities the fact is that this is my job for the time being. And it's not a bad job, just not the perfect fit. I want to be more proactive about getting additional projects to work on, I often find I have the capacity to take on more work and I'm always happiest when I'm busy and feel a bit challenged. If I can be busier I'll definitely feel more positive. Another thing that needs to happen is my cubicle makeover. I had put this on hold this summer and I know I would benefit from having a work space that has some intention behind it...instead of the random papers and folders that I have now. 

+ Continue to build my wardrobe with quality clothes I can wear for several seasons. Shopping can overwhelm me so I tend to not buy clothes very often, which, for the most part, is great! But having a smaller wardrobe means that my work clothes get worn out from so much washing and wearing. Instead of waiting until I need to replace several items at once I'd like to add pieces throughout the year, focusing on classic, well-made clothes and accessories. I love the clothing recommendations in The One Hundred and at Small Notebook. Currently I'm stressed out several mornings a week trying to figure out what to wear for work and it takes me longer than necessary to get ready. I'd love to eliminate this stress from my life!

+ Set up a great work space at home in our unused office room. Our "office" is currently a place where we pile unused things and the room isn't functional at all. I'd love to have an inspiring place to work on my blog, to write letters, and to sew.

+ Organize all cabinets and closets in the house by the end of 2012. Disorganized cabinets and closets really frustrate me every time I open them! I started some organizing this holiday with the hall closet and our bathroom cabinets (I'll share details soon!) and I'd like to continue to tackle one disorganized space each month or so. For the most part when we moved into our house in the summer of 2009 we put things in closets and cabinets and didn't spend any additional time organizing them. In particular our kitchen cabinets drive me crazy and our linen closet could use some attention.

+ Go hiking more often. Similar to my goal of getting outside more in 2011 I'd love to start doing some regular hiking, there are so many outdoor spaces and trails in the Phoenix area and the weather is so beautiful, we need to take advantage of it!

+ Make time for quality relaxation. I am so fortunate to have a full life but being so busy means I don't always prioritize quality relaxation, which means taking at least 30 minutes of time with no task other than reading a great book, having a cup of tea, taking a hot bath, or just taking deep breaths. I really enjoyed hot yoga when I tried it this year so I might look into joining a yoga studio and making that a more regular practice. I could even do some yoga at home with a DVD. If you have any good yoga DVDs that you'd recommend please let me know!

+ Save at least $12,000 in our emergency savings account by the end of the year. We started 2011 with $4,200 in our emergency savings and as of today we have $8,000; we made great progress! It would be awesome if we could put away another $4,000 or more this year.

Some of you have been posting your 2012 goals too; I love reading all of these great intentions for the year around the blogosphere. Here's to a happy and prosperous new year!

*photo from Hello, Friend blog via Pinterest.

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