Happy New Year!

Wow! Another year gone. It's a time when a lot of people make New Year resolutions.  I remember back in the old days when I made New Year goals...at least a part of the time, I could meet them. Now, I rarely accomplish any goals. What's up with that??? When you're young, or at least when I was, I had more confidence. It's now when I'm 50+ (OK...closer to 60), when I could really use the extra boost of confidence that meeting a goal would bring.

Now, making New Year goals seems like a setup to fail. What I do instead is set small goals throughout the year as I need to and what I see as life or relationship improvements. Losing weight is a current goal. I, at times, will have small successes in this area only to gain my successes back later...the reason why this remains an ongoing goal. :-)

I've recently accomplished a small goal of getting away from daily eating of straight sugar (i.e., twizzlers, marshmallows, and gummy bears), which we all know isn't good for you when trying to lose weight (or anytime really). Instead, my husband shared a snack with me which has more substance than candy and I've come to love it. Maybe you've had it before...Nutella. It's similar to peanut butter, though a hazelnut spread with cocoa in it. How can you beat that combination??? And nuts are good for you! The problem is, I've now become addicted to it. :-( Seems like I just switched addictions. So now I'm trying to keep my spoon out of the Nutella jar. I think I've gone 5 days now. Woo hoo! OK...some may laugh at such a small accomplishment; but in my world, 5 days is big! When trying to achieve a goal, it's all about 1 day at a time. Daily successes add up to weekly, monthly and then yearly successes. And whether it be only 1 or 320 successful days, I'm a success because I tried. You've probably heard the old saying, "Its only when you quit that you fail." So as long as I keep trying, I can be proud of whatever successes I have.

Right now my goals or life improvements include:
1.  Deepening my relationship with the Lord
2.  Not taking family and friends for granted
3.  Living in the moment...not looking too much in the future or past
4.  Getting healthier -
      manage fibro better, lose weight, exercise regularly, eat healthier
5.  Mailing birthday and other cards on time
6.  Oh yea...learning to eat Nutrella responsibly :-)

I've had most of the same goals for a while...well, not the Nutella one...but I think they're good ones to keep no matter where I'm at in reaching them. To succeed at anything though, I've learned that I need the Lord's help. My past has shown I don't do so well on my own.

I ask now that, if it's in His will, God help me reach my goals along with any you may have as well. I pray too for the Lord to bless you and your family in this next year.

Happy New Year!
Peggy