A Word for 2017

Do you have a resolution for the new year? Read below to see my word for 2017, a nonresolution…

I’ve never been a huge fan of resolutions. In years past, it always felt like I was setting myself up for failure. In an effort to achieve a renewed sense of self and goal for the year, I decided to create a nonresolution for myself. For 2017, I want to take all of the resolve and inspiration that comes with the start of a new year to focus on one word to fuel all aspects of my life.

I typically thrive on chaos, being under pressure, and having a million things to get done. Between work, raising babies, maintaining house, and running this blog, I’m never short of writing and checking off to-do lists. I love it most days, but sometimes, it also causes so much to be on my plate that I forget to live in the moment and enjoy the things that truly matter. So I’m going to breathe, slow down, and try to find balance in the things that matter most in life. It’s not something that I expect to be a constant success. But, it’s more of a reminder for me to pause and remind myself as the year goes on. I don’t expect to be a brand new person, rather someone who is able to find a calming balance between all of the things that bring my life meaning and true happiness.

Work

I’ve written in the past about how being a work at home mom is a constant push and pull of benefits and drawbacks. It’s a daily struggle to feel like I’m giving my 100% to working without feeling like it’s at the sacrifice of my kids. And vice versa. Finding balance in this crucial area of my life will no doubt create a sense of peace and a lifted spirit. I plan on doing this by giving myself grace, instead of wallowing in the wells of mom guilt. Focusing on work during work hours, focusing on everything else outside of my work hours, and keeping up a maintainable schedule are some basic changes that I’m going to add into my work days. While I know that this will be a work in progress, giving myself a bit of structure in my work from home office environment will be a huge step in the right direction.

Family

We are undoubtedly so excited to meet our newest little love. While we still have 5/6 more months until his arrival, maintaining balance in my family life is something that I want to focus on now. I want to spend quality time, enjoying the moments with my babies. I want to play and laugh and make memories that will last forever. I also want to find balance in spending quality time with my husband. It’s something that can easily be forgotten, so I want to be more mindful of scheduling date nights and having real conversations regularly.

After baby boy’s arrival, I’m going to try my best to find balance through the inevitable chaos of raising three little boys. I’m going to give myself a lot more grace and I’m going to take away all of the moments that will slip by so quickly.

Health

I’ve never been one to take care of myself or my body as well as I take care of anyone else in my family. While I am getting routine prenatal care, I want to focus on my overall health too. I don’t want to focus on dieting after having the baby or sticking to a regimented workout routine. But, I want to find balance in taking care of my body without extreme measures. I want to eat healthy, but not deprive myself. I want to be more active, but not overdo it on exercising. One thing that I won’t let slip off my to-do list for self-care is seeing doctors for physical exams and routine annual checks. A major part of taking care of my health means planning/saving for unplanned illnesses. I didn’t really understand the purpose of health care accounts. Through UnitedHealthcare’s new site engagement, I learned a lot of really great information. HSAs are a great way to be financially prepared for any health-related expenses.

There are three types—Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and (Health Reimbursement Account) HRA. The one that is most commonly referred to and used is an HSA. This year, we opted in for the HSA for our family benefits. I know that it will help us with our health care costs, especially with my prenatal care and the safe, healthy labor & delivery of our baby boy this summer. It also makes it easier for me to schedule those important appointments with my doctors and gives me peace of mind for my ongoing health care.

Here’s a few more details about the HSA that I learned from UnitedHealthcare’s new site engagement:
1. It’s a personal bank account to help you save and pay for covered health care services and qualified medical expenses
2. In order to get one, you must sign up for a high-deductible health care plan
3. You own the account, and you, your family, or employer can deposit money into it, like a regular bank account
4. There is a yearly limit to how much you can deposit, but there is no limit on how much you can save over time
5. If you don’t spend all the HSA money in your account in a year’s time, the money rolls over into the next year. It will stay in there until you choose to spend it
6. It is tax free! You don’t have to pay federal or, in most cases, state income taxes on deposits you make, money you spend from the account, or interest earned

Having an HSA is so useful, and UnitedHealthcare’s new site engagement helps you learn all about how they work and why it’s important to deposit money into it yearly. If you want to find out more information, I have a sweet deal for you! I’m hosting a great giveaway to my absolute favorite place, TARGET! Please see the entry options in the widget below for your chance to win! In order to be eligible, you MUST enter your promo code SIMPLYEVERY in the info box you are prompted with at the end of each mandatory entry. BEST part? You can enter once daily through the mandatory options! So be sure to keep entering for your chance to win!

$100 Target Giftcard Giveaway!

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Thank you to UnitedHealthcare for sponsoring today’s post. As always all written content is my own.

How do you find balance in your life? What is your resolution, word, or goal for 2017?

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