Getting Started

Why Queen of Better?
I am certainly not "better" than anyone.  Definitely not you, dear reader.  This blog is dedicated to getting better - I want to be better than I am today, better than I was yesterday.  This quest to be my best has always been a personal mission but my previous efforts have been sporadic, inconsistent, and riddled with the half-done.  I am full of endless optimism and the feeling of possibility, but exhausted by a sense that I haven't accomplished exactly what I hoped and frustrated that I often can't seem to finish anything.
Who wants to feel exhausted and frustrated?  Not me.  So, I've crowned myself queen and put together a of resolutions* to help me on the journey to better.  This blog, should you choose to read it, serves as a means to document my progress (good and bad), a method to help me meticulously track the highs and lows, and sort out difficulties.

The Plan

1.  Eat Right. 
Yeah, yeah - who doesn't start out with this one?  For me, eating right involves choosing that which is ethically produced, locally grown, and organic.  To accomplish this there are complex machinations on how to source all these goodies, plan meals accordingly, and eat in better restaurants.  AND, because I also have a goal to be more financially responsible (#2), achieving this while on a strict budget will be and adventure in and of itself.
This goal is about health and quality, but not about being pretentious.  I am hoping I can achieve the former in an accessible and financially reasonable manner.

2.  Spend Well.
You guessed it: create a budget and stick to it.  Be prepared for charts, receipts, and other mind-numbing details.

3.  Maintain a warm, happy, clean, and minimalist home.
I am not entirely starting from scratch here, we have been reducing our consumption and possessions for a number of years.  But, it is time to refine, polish, and perfect said lifestyle.  There are a few nooks and crannies which need serious attention and lessons in letting go are still to be learned.
Also involved here is my continued quest to use safe cleaning and personal care products.

4. Take time away from work seriously. 
This one is about planning real vacations, adventures, and experiences.  I hope that family outings can become more about learning and exploring and less about eating in crummy restaurants and watching movies.  We live in an amazing place full of museums, parks, and events - there is plenty to explore and with planning and budgeting, I am convinced we can do more than we've previously imagined.

5.  Improve efforts to relax and learn more.
Very closely related to #4, but a little more personal.  I need to indulge more of what I enjoy and makes me happy - reading, yoga, exercise, entertaining for friends, painting, drawing, culture, and discovering new talents and interests.

So, it begins.


*A couple of friends told me not use the word "resolution" - "resolutions are meant to be broken, goals are meant to be achieved", they said.  Challenge accepted.