There is a certain element of sparkle when starting a new year. There are all kinds of dreams, goals, resolutions and possibilities. It glitters. See it glisten. Oh, yes. The new year is going to be one great adventure! All we have to do is pack our bags and take off.
But then the days begin to pass, life gets busy, and we begin to fall back into old habits. We get bored. That diet won’t hold up under the temptation of a piece of cake. Writing that next post doesn’t sound like as much fun as sitting on my couch and dreaming over seed catalogs. Whoops! Did I just confess to that????
Shiny Object Syndrome
My friend Shawna, over at Homegrown Self Reliance, has a phrase for all that sparkle. She calls it the Shiny Object Syndrome. I had to laugh when I put it into an acronym: S.O.S. Yep. That perfectly describes it. In the past, and once a few weeks were under my belt, I usually began to scream for rescue from all those goals I thought were great ideas.
Not so much this year. Yes, I am still susceptible to S.O.S. But this time, I am putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak. With the help of an Accountability Partner and a Mastermind Group, I am better able to not only stay on track, but not add so many S.O.S.’s to my list that I cannot keep up.
Do your best to limit exposure to this Syndrome. It’s okay every once in a while, if you are exploring the options on your list of dreams. But make sure you stay focused on the Big Dream, as well.
Dreams that Sparkle
The first thing you should do is take a walk. Think about what you want for yourself in the new year. Consider all areas of life – faith, family, friends, employment, education, health.
I broke my list down into categories – responsibilities, passions and curiosity. These were then further sorted into priorities. From there, I did a cost analysis of the top three things.
My Big Dream was to learn to live as simply as possible, with a strong inclusion of my home, farm, creative nature and this website. These are the dreams that makes my heart sparkle!
When you do your own research into living a Simple Life, you may want to learn how to blend it with others aspects of your current life , and how to make the shift. One important aspect is to also find ways to take time for yourself outside of those priorities.
Find an Accountability Partner
If you still feel you aren’t strong enough to follow through with your goals, try finding an accountability partner. This is someone you share your goals with, and they in turn help you to follow through. Their responsibility is also to keep you from having a bad case of S.O.S.
I actually have three Accountability Partners. One is Annie at 15 Acre Homestead. She and I meet a couple of times a week to help each other with personal and business issues.
Through a Mastermind group, Annie and I meet with Shawna (my S.O.S. friend), and Kathi at Oakhill Homestead. The three of us work on all aspects of blogging, but occasionally offer encouragement, advice and direction on our own personal life journeys.
It is because of these three great women, that I know I can balance a website, a farm, a home, a family and my faith. I know without a doubt these three women have my back, and are standing by ready to support, encourage, and get tough in holding my feet to the fire when necessary. (And if Kathi has anything to do about it, I won’t get away with any whining, either.)
Posts & Homestead Sparkles!
For the website, there will be a few minor changes. My goal this year is to begin weaving a ‘thread’ of creativity to all of my posts. Get ready for some fun posts on how to get creative yourself – from dealing with your finances to ‘kneading’ to get into your kitchen to create delicious meals for your family.
I am also planning some fun DIY craft ideas. These will be things you can create to make your home sparkle, as well as fun things to make for your garden, pets and to give as gifts.
Get ready to try your hand at some unusual craft ideas, including a few that are rarely done any longer. And don’t think all of these crafts can get expensive. In some cases, all you will have to do is look in your closet or around the house and sheds to find the basic supplies to get you started!
You can also look forward to some new books this year – both eBooks and print versions. Hopefully, they will be valuable to you on your own Simple Life Journey.
Contentment with my Progress
The new year is barely here, but I am already excited about putting 2020 behind me, and adding sparkle to 2021.
One thing I did learn this past year is that progress is all about perspective. I have faith in myself, and know that the old cliche is true – where there is a will, there is a way. I have the will, now all I have to do is be patient as I continue on my Simple Life journey!
Go ahead. Find your will. Look forward to the journey. Allow your dreams to sparkle brightly, and find ways to make them come true. Just know that the Big Dreams take time and focus. Don’t get in a hurry – spread them out over the course of the year.
Let’s Keep the Sparkle and Visit!
Tell me how well you are doing so far. Do your goals still sparkle? Or are they beginning to fizzle out? Stop by for a visit and fill me in. Did you Dare to Dream? Have you determined if Homemaking, Homesteading and a Simple Life are something you want to work on in 2021? Did you Make the Shift? Please let me know how you are progressing. And if you need support and encouragement, I have plenty left over to offer!
In addition to fun posts and great books, get ready for some helpful freebies scattered throughout the year. Some will be available on the posts, but most will be offered to my newsletter subscribers only. Don’t miss out! Sign up now and get ready for some great visits and fun freebies!
It really helps to have someone to hold you to your plan and encourage you along the way. And absolutely no whining allowed!
It really does, Kathi. And I am blessed to have you three keep me in line – ESPECIALLY when I really just want to whine!!! 🙂