Sunday, October 30, 2011

2011 Resolutions Catch-Up and Things Still Undone

For 2011, I selected a "one little word" (health), an intention ("to be fabulous at 50"), and created a list of resolutions or goals. I've been tracking these in three separate art journals.  I recently posted my September page in my intentions journal and you can click on the label "2011 intentions" below to see more pages.  Today's art journal page is about my resolution to "organize, purge and don't buy supplies."  I've been very good at not buying supplies this year - I quit the monthly scrapbooking club I've belonged to for ten years and have probably only shopped for crafting stuff three times. And I still have more supplies than I could ever use in my lifetime! I haven't been quite as good on the organizing and purging front, but I think I will be able to do a major clean our once my semester is over in early December.
When I look at the list of things still undone on my resolution list, I have to admit that two of them are things that I have been putting off for too many years: finish settling my parents' estate and create my own will and estate plan.  I'm not sure why these are so hard for me to accomplish.  I don't think they're technically hard or even that time consuming. But something else is keeping me from checking them off my list. Thoughts?
Which brings me a page from my one little word journal:
As good as I have been about getting healthy this year, there are three things that I have been avoiding:  finding a doctor; getting a bunch of tests (you know, all those ones I should be getting every year); and going to the dentist. Not sure why I keep putting these off. I really want to do these before the end of the year.  Any ideas for motivation?
All suggestions appreciated!

8 comments:

Maria Ontiveros said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
alexa said...

I always find it hard when I realise I am procrastinating on something! The thing that gets me moving is to remind myself of a quote from Thomas Huxley: "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you like it or not". Always gets me mentally doffing my cap and saying "Yes sir!".

Sian said...

I love your page. And you have hit home here today - making a will is something I have been talking about for far too long. You are right. It needs to be done.

Best of luck with the final couple of months of your year of resolution. Your journey has been a remarkable one.

Oh, and Christmas Club? I don't know..I'm a bit worried everyone might get fed up with me and my ideas!

Anonymous said...

You've done a fabulous job with your OLW and intentions. The things like doctors and tests have always been things that automatically show up on my calendar. I think it's because my mom put off going to the doctor when she first got ill. I don't think it made a difference in the end, but I resolved then to get an annual check-up and have all those awful tests done when I needed to. That's the kind of motivation you DON"T want to have.

We just rewrote our wills and had Sarah and Matt sign notary documents when they were here. Our wills were so outdated we still had guardians listed for them! What kept us from doing it was the need to find a new lawyer, and we finally got a great recommendation. (That shouldn't be a problem for you.) We're still procrastinating about making a decision about long-term health care, though.

I got behind this summer with my documentation for OLW, but I must admit it's hard to recap now. What was checked off the list got done early in the year and during the spring. Now the items on my list are so different. I can't decide what to do about getting back to the things that need to be FINISHED.

scrappyjacky said...

I think you've done a great job with your resolutions....and documenting them.
There's always some things we put off doing,isn't there.We definately need to update our wills....like Karen's they still have guardians in them!!
Because health care is 'free' over here...people tend to get a doctor and stay with them until they move away from the area.....I'm still not good at going to see him for check ups though....I usually wait til there's something actually wrong!!

Carola Bartz said...

You're just as good at procrastinating as I am. Finding a good doctor was a huge thing for me, until I found a wonderful woman and liked her a lot - and then she decided to quit and work "only" in the hospital. I've found another one, but I am not sure about her yet. Grr. I have a wonderful OB/Gyn and go to her every year for my tests and also the mammo. I'm pushing the colonoscopy on the backburner all the time - so scary. I don't know how to motivate you in this regard - it just sounds too familiar.

Melissa said...

Motivation for creating a will - think about how difficult it will be for those left behind to settle an estate without one! I've had to settle several estates in my lifetime unfortunately, and I cannot tell you how much it easier it was for me when there was a will. For one thing, I knew I was doing my loved ones wishes (much better emotionally for me), and it was a lot less paperwork (much better stresswise for me)!

Motivation for the healthy stuff - think how good it will feel once you have an established relationship with a doctor, great test results letting you know you are as fabulous at 50 as you thought, and the knowledge that you'll keep your teeth longer because you're taking care of them. :>)

GlorV1 said...

I pretty much completed most of the things I wrote at the beginning of the year. There is one other thing and that is to lose 15 pounds. I haven't dones that yet, tee hee. You've done good though. We've already got our small plots, paid for cremations but we need to get the living trust. We've yet to do that. Life is just going by to fast now.:( sadly. Glad you are doing the things that need to be done. Take care.