BONJOUR 2023!

I don’t know about you, but I’m not really one to make New Year’s resolutions. I do feel like the beginning of a new year is a bit like a breath of fresh air, but yet isn’t everyday a new beginning? Each morning, we have the choice to determine our mindset for the day.

So back to resolutions… as I mentioned, I don’t really do them because that just makes it “easier” for me to fail, whereas if I don’t call it a resolution, but maybe rather a goal, then it tends to “sound” better in my head. It reassures me that I don’t have to do something very specific each and every day, but more of an encouragement to work toward something that I really want.

So for my aspirations or “goals” for this year, I have three words that I’m thinking about every day: Simplify, Move and Challenge. 

Simplify

I love to decorate and entertain…

… and I’m sure you know what that leads to… … a lot of “STUFF.” Yep! That’s me. I have a lot of pretties that I love to put out around the house to spice it up for holidays or for my husband and I to have a relaxing lunch in the back yard. That’s pretty normal, right?

Well, sometimes I may be a little overboard. Like 30+ LARGE totes of only Christmas decorations, for example. (Whew! That kinda overwhelms me to even type that.) So, mes amis (my friends), that’s where “Simplify” comes into play this year. Need I say more? Remember: Organizing is a way of simplifying, too.

The French, in general, do not have a lot of excessive “things”. Many, especially those living in big cities, have small homes or apartments and do not have a lot of extra room for unnecessary things.

Move

I was mainly thinking of “Move” as in moving my body more. I currently have a desk job where I sit for 9+ hours a day. That’s a whole lot of sitting. Too much sitting. I’ve tried the desk riser, but it just isn’t convenient. And, my French desk is so pretty that I don’t want to swap it out for an ugly, industrial-looking ergonomically rising desk. I mean, aesthetics is a big part of the game we play, right?

My mom always laughs that my husband and I are the only ones that she knows of that go on vacation and actually loses weight. We walk so much when we’re on holidays – especially when we’re in Paris because it’s such a lovely, walkable city. Perhaps I just need to visit Paris more to move my body! I think that sounds like a perfect solution!

Challenge

I want to Challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone this year. I’ve been yearning to make a career change for quite a while now, but I’m one of those who prefers safety and comfort with my job as opposed to being more adventurous and taking a leap of faith. So, who knows how far I can challenge myself this year.

Perhaps I will be closer to my dream of someday retiring in France for a good portion of the year. In fact, I KNOW I will be! (Yes, I look at – or I should say DREAM about – French properties for sale every day). So, I shall CHALLENGE myself and take steps each day toward my goals. After all, the world is an open door.

Another thought on the word “challenge” is to not procrastinate as much. Setting something aside in a pile on my desk to do a bit later because, quite frankly, I don’t want to mess with it RIGHT NOW – isn’t good. My goal is to do things right when I think about them – if it’s feasible, of course.

Or if it’s something that I need to get from the store, add it to the shopping list right then (or add it to Instacart that I find myself in love with recently. My niece talked my hubs and I into trying it just before Thanksgiving and we’re both thinking why would we ever go back to the store?) LOL!

Or, perhaps writing a blog post when a thought / idea / memory comes to mind. 😉 Time to start jotting down my ideas when they come to mind instead of telling myself I’ll do it later!

What are your resolutions / words / goals for this year? I’d love to see them in the Comments below, mes amis.