2014 Potential "To-Do" Projects

2014 is here!!! I can't believe my 2 week vacation is over!!!

It was an absolute blast and I will post pictures soon!!!

I love the idea of a New Year...Not that this year has been bad, but there is just something so exciting to think of all that the new year holds for you...there is a clean fresh start kind of feeling and the opportunity for self improvement or to undertake new projects...It is great to have goals and especially important to write them down! You are more likely commit and to follow through with them when you write it down...The other option or addition to writing down your goals is to have an accountability partner/mentor...someone who will encourage you to succeed or kick you in the bum when you need that kind of motivation.

Although I rarely make new year resolutions, I do love the idea of New Year To-Do Projects as well as some ideas that I want to adopt or be more mindful in my life.

I was thinking of reserving every month to have a new undertaking or emphasis on a specific topic.

Some of the ideas that I am mulling over so far:

12 Sewing projects to complete: 1 a month

I mean just look at some of these beautiful quilt patterns!

I have really been feeling the urge to improving my sewing skills... I found two books on Amazon that look amazing!

As my stack of books shows I found my weekend reading list that I picked up from the library! I'm so excited to sit down with a hot cup of tea and look at all of this eye candy and inspirational fabric work/potential projects.

Photo collage challenge/projects:

• Every month is assigned a color/color palette IE: January - white, February - blue, March - gray etc.
• patterns one month, hearts another, sunsets etc

Cooking up a storm: 2-4 times a month try a new recipe...this could be something as simple as a new type of hot beverage to a full on meal.

Mandatory Me Time: One weekend blocked out that I cannot schedule or plan...time reserved for me...to cook, sew, craft, write...a weekend filled with what I think I will call, "Holly Whateverings"!

Volunteer: I want to volunteer my time more in some way...habitat for humanity, soup kitchen, the humane society, friends etc.

Money Mindfulness: I'm pretty frugal but I feel like I need to be more mindful of not only the all to popular "Where" my money is going but especially the "WHY" behind and before I purchase something... The last couple of months I have definitely been making more "impulse" buys and justifying those purchases with "well it was on sale" or "It was a Goodwill buy"...the same goes with grocery shopping impulse buys of treats and goodies by making excuses such as, "Well I have to eat" instead of sticking to my grocery list and coupons...

I will begin to ask myself do I need it? If so, why? Does it fit within my allotted weekly/monthly spending money budget? Should I start a specific "fun" money fund? I will be figuring this out as I get closer to the new year...and this all ties in to my next topic...

Resourcefulness: I need to be more resourceful and content. I have SO much and need to utilize what I have a bit more.
Rest up: I need to give myself permission to rest...it's okay to not be involved up to my eyeballs in projects and particularly with performances. I also need to not base my self worth with how productive I am being...or more importantly how I am FEELING that I am being...I have always benefited from "being still" and often seem to hear God more clearly when my soul is rested and recharged...Another meaning of that Psalm 46:10 verse in more modern lingo would be to, "Shut up and know Who I AM". In the verse before and after He is explaining who He is and uses examples that our little human brains can grasp regarding His greatness. So why do I feel so restless and discouraged, questioning what my "life-purpose" is just because I am not directly or immediately involved in a project. I suppose that one of the reasons that I pack my schedule to the extreme is because that I don't want to ever want to be on the flip side and be or become "lazy"...I need and will find that healthier balance.

I can't help but think that this is how God has created us to be...to be driven...the hard part is finding where we are driven...and how God will use us...even though God can use us in every way and often times in what we would overlook or classify as being mundane or meaningless...We have to remember that it isn't our job to know when or how God will use us...it is simply our job to quiet our lives enough to not drown out God's prompting...to maintain sensitive spirits and to follow His call when he prompts us to and to follow Him with BOLDNESS...

Wow...I guess I didn't realize that my list was so long...I'm excited to undertake these topics and challenges and I am going to do my best at acheiving these things as often as possible. Most importantly I will give myself GRACE if I don't. I usually am so rigid with my expectations of my capabilities and meeting a certain set of standards that I have set for myself. If I was doing my best in that moment then I will respect that and find contentment in it and I need to realize that what I am capable of acheiving or the energy that I have one day may not be the same the next.