It’s ten ’til eight on this first morning of a brand new year and I am sitting on my couch enjoying the last few days of soaking in the cheer that comes with sitting near an illuminated Christmas tree. It is a quiet morning, which is out of the norm- so I am enjoying it. My sister offered to take the kiddos last night so that my husband and I could enjoy an evening together ringing in 2024. We don’t get that opportunity a lot so we jumped on it, but now that the holiday festivities are over, the house seems eerily quiet and I am missing the kids’ morning snuggles and laughs. Motherhood is a constant battle between yearning for a break from them and then missing them the second you say goodbye for one simple night away. After almost five years in this motherhood game, I am realizing that this is something that will never get easier.
Dylan and I did not want to go out so I made some pulled pork in the crockpot and cleaned the house (I always feel better after cleaning the house). We turned football on the TV and enjoyed a few hours alone together before my brother-in-law and his girlfriend came over. We played a board game and laughed as we reminisced and talked about the futures of our children together. I have been a part of my husband’s family since the very first day I met them seven years ago. We never could have imagined the beautiful children we now have. It is crazy to think about where we were even five years ago, and compare it to where we are now. 2023 was a hard year for me. And if I am being honest, I know that 2024 is going to come with its own fair shake of trials and tribulations…
We all know that documenting your goals on paper increases the probability of obtaining them. So I am taking this new year seriously and trying to correct some negative aspects in my life. I set some tough boundaries in 2023, but I stuck to them and found that my decision to cut negative people out of my life to be the exact line I needed to draw in order to bring myself some inner peace. In 2024 I want to spend more of that same energy and focus on doing more things that bring me joy (as well as doing more to recognize joy in the simplest of moments that often go unnoticed ’til later).
Here are some of the main focuses that I am “PUTTING TO PAPER” for 2024:
- Physical Health. In 2023, I was introduced to many of the toxins and poisons that are found in everyday household items and in a great portion of all food and drinks sold in stores today. I am by no means an expert, but I have been researching a lot of these topics (for example, the dyes that are found in everything we use and consume) and attempting to make the switch the healthier alternatives. I have been switching out the products we use in the shower, store our food in, wash our clothes with, etc. I have made a little progress and have so much more to learn and swap out. In addition to cutting out toxins, I want to make more of an effort to drink more water, eat more whole and fresh foods, cut down on my sugar intake, and quit drinking alcohol except for on extreme occasions. I am investing in supplements and protein shakes and making sure that I take my vitamins daily. I am tracking my exercise in hopes that I can stay on track with my fitness and workout at least three times a week (hopefully more).
- Mental Health and Spirituality. A few weeks ago I bought a daily meditation book and the plan is for my husband and I to complete these together in bed every night before bed. I am not sure exactly where I want to go with this category, and I enjoy leaving it open for me to go wherever it takes me. In whatever case, I want to be connected with myself and the universe more deeply. I am committing to researching and attempting meditation because I believe it has the power to uplift my mental health and alleviate some of my anxiety and insecurities.
- Decluttering and downsizing. There is stuff everywhere. Always. And more to be added daily. And there is never enough space for it all… Well, I want it out. Gone. Over the last few months we have slowly been cleaning out rooms, readjusting storage, and preparing to finish the drywall upstairs bedrooms this spring. The warmer weather will result in us renting a dumpster and downsizing a great deal of just “stuff” we have lying around. I’ve already made a trip to Goodwill with a van full to donate and I’ve been filling several more trash bags of clothes that need to go. I am not a minimalist, but I do believe 2024 is going to be a year to refresh, let go of what isn’t needed (both physically and emotionally), and be content with the aspects of our lives that aren’t physical. distraction
- More Focus on Self-Sustainability & Homesteading. We already have an amazing start at Ruble Gardens! The chickens are beautiful, healthy, and giving us fresh eggs daily. The garden produced wonderfully and there are still veggies stored in my freezer from this past fall. But we have a lot to learn. A lot of the fun of gardening is trial and error and figuring out what you like and how you can do better next year.
So here is to 2024 and all that it brings! Here is to health, happiness, and peace ☮️
Between the Lens 