Not-So-Great New Years Resolutions (& Some Good Ones!)

Last Year's Not-So-Great Resolutions were pretty epic, so I'm not sure if I can make some horrible resolutions again, but I assure you, I will try my best. I am not a die hard new years goals because, let's be honest, I usually forget about them by January 6th (Oh wait, that's today. I've already forgot about some. Look at that!) But, I do like to pick a word to focus on. Earlier this week, I posted my word that I want to focus on for the New Year.

With that being said, I do like to pick a few things from each category of my life to either keep working on and improve on. I realize that some of them might be vague. I think it's also important to  be realistic.
Okay, let's get to the not-so-great resolutions.  THE FUN STUFF. 

2016 was a solid 8/10. I'm not going to lie, my not-so-great resolutions didn't happen. Shocking. 

I cannot wait to see what 2017 brings. 

In 2017, I hope to: 

Continue my obsession with the Bachelor (which started on Monday. You can see my live tweets here. You're welcome). 

Make Saylor cuddle with me even when she doesn't want to. 

Continue to post really good pictures of me (see above) on Instagram and Snapchat (@sierrasview). (Why am I always so good looking? I have got the whole not-looking-at-the-camera-blogging-look DOWN). 

Move to Maui full time. 

Have twins (one boy and one girl) and be done with having children. One and done. Boom. 

Lose 200 pounds (K, but seriously. I want at least 50 of these bad boys GONE. Working on it!). 

Make Amy Schumer my best friend (It didn't work last year). 

Force my husband to be done with bachelor's degree and instantly become rich (He should be done in December! Ahhhh IT'LL BE A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE). The rich part is super plausible and realistic, I know. 

Never get mad at my sixth graders (hahahahahahahaha).

Get three more puppies. 

Re-watch Gilmore Girls and Friends while doing laundry. Again. 

Actually put away my laundry. 

Maybe cook some dinner one of these nights.  (meh). 

Read 5 books every month. I wish I was kidding when I made this goal, but this could actually happen. Yikes. (But really, I want to read at least 2 a month!). I read 40 books in 2016. I'll probably read more than 2 a month. But hey, life happens.  

Pray that people will stop talking about the stupid election. ENOUGH ALREADY. 

Convince anyone over the age of 70 to get off Facebook. 

That's all I can think of. 

2017 looks promising, don't ya think?


In all seriousness though, I wanted to write a couple of my ACTUAL resolutions down. I don't like to make huge ones because I am not very good with follow through (I am really good at starting things though! Ha). Just a couple per facet in my life. Notice how I write "try" on many of them. Haha. Of course everything takes effort, so I will definitely try on all of these.

Spiritual
+Read scriptures and/or Conference talk daily (at least one). This is something that my patriarchal blessing talks about, probably because, well, I suck at doing it consistently. I love to read/listen to my scriptures and conference talks, but I cannot seem to get a routine down with them. I am really going to try this year!!!

+Gain a testimony of the mundane aspects of the gospel. Sometimes I tend to overlook those everyday things in the gospel, when really, that is where strength comes from. I want to try to get to church on time (ha! Good luck when we have kids!), do my visiting teaching more often, attend the temple by myself and with T monthly), and not procrastinating my tithing. I don't want to put set numbers on these things because then I feel like they become "duties", however they are things that I do want to focus on with my spiritual well-being.

Emotional/Mental
+Write in my journal at least once a week (bullet points, if needed!). Because I have this blog I tend to neglect my personal journal. I want to look for something to be grateful for everyday and to work on my word of the year (patience) while writing in my journal.

-Do the 91 Day Home De-Clutter Challenge at some point this year. My house is quite clean, but I really want to throw away junk. I cannot believe how much junk just T and I accumulate after one 3 1/2 years of marriage (and we don't even have that much. I'm just a little bit of a minimalist!).

-Read at least two books a month. I love book club and I love to read. I think that this is something quite manageable for me. I am excited to make a plan for books to read in 2017!!

Physical
-Continue to figure out my hormones/medicines/vitamins to help. I cannot tell how many days I have spent crying over trying to figure out my body and it's hormones. It's discouraging and aggravating. I am going to continue to figure out what to do with it and try my best. I will not kill myself because it's not worth it. But I will do what I can. That's all I can ask for myself (I need to be patient with myself!).

-Continue to work out 4-6 times a week. 4 minimum (This is something that I already do, but I want to keep it going!).

-Be able to run a 5k by summer!

Social 
-Keep improving and writing on my blog as much as possible! (Switch blog to wordpress). I want to shoot for writing on my blog at least once a week (2-3 if possible), but I can't promise. Again, I will try my hardest!

Maybe: Start my photography cards!
Try to make my bed as often as possible (Guys, I really hate to do this!!).

HAPPY NEW YEARS. 

I Am Enough.

via Pinterest

The past few weeks, I overviewed my blog year in review. I talked about how I didn't really make any new resolutions, but am rather just continuing some pretty huge emotional, physical, and mental goals that I made back at the beginning of October. As I was driving up the canyon the other day, I realized that I hadn't chosen my "Word of the Year." Even though my New Years Resolutions are not exactly cookie-cutter, I have made some internal goals that I really am trying to work on. I am constantly trying to improve my self in all facets of life and I hope that others know that I am trying. I am not perfect, but I am trying to be the best person I can be. That's all we can really hope for, right? So, on this drive, I thought about some words that I need to work on: homemaker, peace, patience, etc. But none of those really fit. Then, finally, I realized that I wanted a phrase that encompasses all of the things that I strive to be and want to improve.

I Am Enough.

I am choosing a mantra instead of a word to help me in 2016 year.

I am enough, even though my body has changed and it is not perfect.
I am enough, even though I struggle to be confident in my teaching ability at times.
I am enough when it comes to my relationship with the Savior, even when I screw up and questions my religion and try to defy everything! Haha.
I am enough and have value, even if others don't see it sometimes.
I am enough, no matter what mistakes I make.

I am a confident person naturally, already. However, I want that confidence to be turned into true belief that I am enough. I am enough and I want to my confidence to help me spiritually, emotionally, mentally, socially, and physically.


I have loved reading all of your phrases and words for the year. They have been inspiring! 
What are your words/mantras/phrases for this year? 

Why I Drink Lemon Water

It's a New Year. Here we go. 

I mean, It's a New Year! Here we go!!! (That's better, right?) 

Here's the truth: I don't love New Year's Eve. I don't have any amazing memories of the holiday. I always seem to stay up late and just play games. It's fun, but it's not that different than what I do most nights. Yes, I play board games at least once a week. For hours. We are card and board game freaks 'round these parts. This New Year's Eve was a little bit different, better even. I was in Portland, Oregon and went over to my sister's with in-law's. We stayed up until 3 am playing Cards Against Humanity. I truly have not laughed that hard since, well, last month. But, seriously, I almost peed my pants. I love sarcastic, ridiculous, PG-13 humor, apparently. It's fine. 

I will not lie, I am dreading going back to teaching school tomorrow. Winter Break is over and I want to cry. I am excited to get back into the routine of things, get healthy again. I do better on a routine, in all facets of my life. When I am teaching, I have to have my water-bottle with me at all times. One of my favorite things to do is put lemon or other fruits in my water to give it a little "sweet taste". 

But, I drink lemon water not just for a little taste. There are also many health benefits to drinking water with lemon. 

1. It helps balance PH levels in your body. 

2. It helps digestion.

3. It makes you feel more awake/ natural energizer. 

4. It helps your skin. 

5. Helps weight loss. 

What are some other health benefits that you have seen from drinking lemon water? 

This year, I am doing a program called "Be Better" (see my Be Better Post!). This program gives you a weekly challenge to "better" yourself. It is a completely free program, but every time you post on any type of social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) it donates two dollars to a charity. The first charity is Kenya Keys, the program that I went to Kenya with.  I would love for you to participate. Let me know if you are interested. It is a good way for me to keep working on myself: physically, mentally, and socially. For more information on this go HERE.

Happy New Year! Here comes reality.

What drinks do you like to keep you awake, motivated, and healthy?