Bulldozer Construction Cookies

I decided it was time to clear the path in relation to eating healthy and exercise...

I saw a before/after photo on instagram that peaked my interest...

perhaps it was because the girl looked similar to me...

I read her story and it gave me inspiration...

I started at that point to try and eat clean...

No thinking about it...

No planning for it...

I just started...

This thought process for me kind of goes along with the book I'm reading, Love Does...

How many times do we want to do something...

but instead of actually doing it...

we think/plan/research/prepare/and never do...

Am I doing everything correctly with this whole clean eating?

Nope...

Is it hard?

Yep...

Does it take a lot of time & energy?

Yep...

But I'm actually taking steps...

They may be small steps but they are steps...

If you keep doing the same thing...

You'll always get the same result...

I don't want the same result this time...

It definitely way easier to eat crap and not exercise...

It's all about progress not perfection!

The New Year and Martini Cocktail Cookies

Well hello 2014!

How did you get here so fast?

I haven't even had time to sit down and do my Goal Setting 2014 with Lara Casey...

I do know my word that I will be focusing on this year...

Intention...

I'm so tired of just surviving and flying by the seat of my pants...

I don't operate well that way...

The teacher in me likes to have lesson plans 

detailing all the events that need to be covered...

having all the copies made, cut out, etc.

I've realized it's the same thing with a business...

You don't have to be crazy all the time...

It definitely takes work to make those lesson plans...

But once their done, the week goes so much smoother...

You actually end up having more time because you're not scrambling...

It's all a work in progress...

But remember changing or tweaking what you don't want/like requires action...

not talking about it...not thinking about it...not praying about it...

it requires doing...just start somewhere!

Cheers to 2014 and doing things with intention!

Progress Not Perfection

So here we are in week 3 of the New Year...

Every morning I read over my mission statement 

that I created as I did my goal setting via Lara Casey...

It helps me to be intentional during the day...

The more I've done this, the more processes I've been putting into place

which seems to be equalling working smarter and not harder...
(which was a big issue for me last year...I felt like I was doing the opposite)

Because I am trying to be proactive...planning and DOING (notice that action word there)

I don't feel like I'm having to REact all the time...

So does that mean that everything is perfect in Sweet Goosie Girl's world?

Hardly!  But you know what...

Life isn't perfect...it's hard work...
Remember...progress not perfection!
Thanks Emily Ley for this inspiration...

Dressing For Work

I fell into a rut, that I think started last year

maybe a little earlier...

I used to be a person who picked out & ironed all their clothes on Sunday

so they were ready for the work week...

I loved being prepared, freshly pressed & sporting a cute outfit when I went to school...

Somewhere a long the way, that process went by the way side...

I guess I was being lazy because I stopped ironing 

and just wore items that didn't require effort...

I mean I looked okay but definitely not my best according to my standards...

And then I started working at home...

it was so easy to stay in my work out attire all day, hair pulled back, no makeup on...

I mean who cared?  No one saw me except when I ran errands looking like that...eek!

I didn't really like it but I didn't do anything about it either...

Well I am now...

Another goal for 2013...

Be put together daily...

that means pressed outfit...showered...hair done...makeup...

I'm going to work...just because it happens to be at home doesn't matter...

It is my job to look good...

And when I take the time to get ready...I feel SO much better!

I'm definitely having to tweak my wardrobe staples to get them where they need to be...

My family keeps asking me...why are you so dressed up?

(mind you...I'm in capris, a simple sweater & flats)...

I'm not...this is what normal people wear...

this is how normal people look when they go to work...they don't stay in sweats all day...

I must also say, the way you are treated in public 

is also different when you look presentable vs when you look sloppy...

Does it take effort?  Yes...

Is it necessary?  Absolutely...

I'm getting back to the basics...DO what needs to be done...

images via Tumblr

Processes/Routines

I can remember preplanning week my first year of teaching...

I had my room set up, posters hung...

and my mentor/friend (who had been teaching for 20+ years) came in

and started asking me simple questions like...

Where are the students going to turn in their work?

Have you thought about how your going to pass out/pass in papers? 

side to side...front to back?

How do they check out books from the classroom library?

uh...

Things that would happen everyday and I didn't know how they would work...

I came up with processes/routines that would not only help me but my students as well...

I had to tweak & retweak, as the years went on, until I had a smooth sailing vessel...

I'm finding myself in that same preplanning week only this time with a business...

Simple things that happen daily and I don't have a plan...

causing me stress & anxiety not to mention unproductivity...

So little by little I am back to tweaking & retweaking...

It's not something that happens overnight...

It's an ongoing process but it allows me to work smarter rather than harder...

and since that is one of my goals for 2013...I'm all about it!

images via:
Flickr
Teaching With TLC
Pinterest

What Fires Me Up

One of the parts of the goal setting that I had to do

is figure out what I want to say yes too more often in 2013...

in other words...what fire me up...

I even had to create a Pinterest board to pin these images & inspiration...

Here's just a few of the things that I am saying yes to more often in 2013:

Clearing the clutter...

(in all aspects)

Keeping it simple...

(everything)

Being well put together...

(because it makes me feel better and look better)

Quality over quantity...

(I use to say this to my students all the time...funny how it's come back in to my life)

DOING instead of just planning/thinking...

(I MUST DO)

Healthy in mind, body, food & spiritual...

(seek God first)

It it easy?  No.

Does it take effort?  Yes.

I have to look at this list daily so I can keep my mind focused...

Baby steps...

What fires you up?

images via:

 The Bottom of the Ironing Basket

Tumblr/Pinterest

It's Time To Make Things Happen

Gosh it seems like a long time since I have blogged...

I am so ready to get back in that routine...

maybe not every day but definitely every other...

and not just about cookies...

Of course many posts will showcase the latest confections that I have done...

but I am so much more than sweets...

I just love the new year...

all the energy, goal writing, & inspiration fires me up...

And this year, it is really time to make things happen...

I have been completing Lara Casey's, Making Things Happen, goal setting sessions...

and I am ready to live life with intention, all the while keeping it simple...

Simple...

This word means so much to me...

Clearing the clutter (like the 8 large garbage bags I collected from cleaning out my closet)... quality over quantity...not doing what everyone else is doing...
Focusing on what matters...doing the things that fire me up...
Life is way to short to sit idly and dream/think/plan/wish...

I need to DO...I want to DO!
I don't want to be just another person who goes through the motions...

After all, you only life once...why not live with intention and focus on what fires you up...

images via:
1, 5 Tumblr
2 Lara Casey - Making Things Happen
3 Sweet Goosie Girl
4 Amber Housley