2013 Resolutions (Let's Beat the "Typical Outcome!")

Since the world didn't end with the Mayan calendar, it's time to reflect on what we've accomplished (or didn't) in 2012 and then look forward to 2013 with hope, opportunity, and love.

 Typical Resolutions Timeline

January-- You are definitely, no questions asked, going to complete every goal you set!
February-- Ya might have missed a day or two but you're still going strong.
March-- You're doing awesome on some goals but waning on others. Although, still hopefully.
April-- You start to wonder if its even possible to accomplish every goal on your list, so you ditch the the "less important ones." (if you're like me you set a goal for each of life's categories: physical, spiritual, secular, mental, family, couple, financial)
May-- Summer is in full swing (if you live in Texas) and you're struggling to even remember majority of the goals you set! You're hope is pretty much gone by now, but the guilt you feel keeps you hanging on to one. last. goal. 
June-- By this point you've been on vacation and missed several weeks of accomplishing the one goal you have left. You try to pick up the momentum for a few days but finally decide- you can't accomplish them all, so let's just ditch them all!
July-- The trend stops here. You figure the year is half over so you might as well wait for next year to "try again."
August, September, October, November, December-- Life happens.
January-- The cycle begins again.

Team Tolman 2013 Goals

My dad gave us some of the best advice: Choose ONE GOAL a year. 
Now you're thinking, but I desperately need to lose 20 pounds, save more money, improve my relationship with my spouse, be more patient, finish painting my living room, take a family picture, and graduate from my 7-year college career?! Reality check. You will feel much more accomplished knowing you have completed a goal rather than setting too many and accomplishing none. Also realize you can (& should) set another goal after you've completed the first. Make this year simple. Set one goal. Do it. Feel accomplished.

Having said that, here are Team Tolman's 2013 Goals.
Travis- 100% Home Teaching (assigned monthly visits to members of our church)
Brittany- Officially graduate from BYU (one online class still lingering...)

Couple- Focus on saving 70% of our income (buying our first house here we come!)
Family- Weekly Family Home Evening https://www.lds.org/topics/family-home-evening?lang=eng

Wish us luck We can do this!            

Team Tolman

Avoiding the Inevitable...

Life is about moving forward. We occasionally stumble and take a step back but the idea is to keep going and that means change. I graduate in three weeks (wahoo!) and reality just hit-- I'm growing up. I thought I grew up when I could finally wear mascara in the 6th grade or when I drove away for the first time by myself (probably way too fast w/ the radio way too loud). I grew up when I realized there was something much bigger than myself: a Savior who died for me, just me. I grew up when I left for college, married the perfect guy, and definitely grew when we added the Lil' Munchkin to our family.


We've made amazing friends here at BYU. They're the kind of friends who you take annual trips with (minus the kids of course). The ones who laugh at your quirks but love you all the more for 'em. The ones you secretly hope that one day your kids will marry their kids;) Some friends have already taken that leap and moved away, but most are still here. Sadly, graduation means the inevitable will happen. The inevitable is that everyone will go their separate ways. We'll all move off eventually. But for now, I'm okay with limbo. I'm okay with simply avoiding. 


Graduating means closing a chapter of our lives that we've absolutely loved and moving on to something new. Instead of debating on what TV episode we should watch or what Thai restaurant we should try, we're discussing our future. We're talking about careers, where we want to permanently live, raise our family, and when to buy a house. These are big decisions I'll know we'll need to make soon. But for now, I'm not sure I'm ready to grow up.


For now, I want to avoid the inevitable.

Sincerely,                         

Me