Mindful Living - And So It Begins!

I've been working on simplifying things for a few years now - a little here and a little there. Some things are now part of my routine; others have fallen by the way side. One big thing was accomplished: I am now debt free (except for my mortgage)!

That being said, I have decided I am now ready to step it up and start practicing a more mindful way of living on an ongoing basis. Of course, all of you who know me know I have the urge to jump in and do everything at once. Guess what? I just may do that ~ kind of. There's no harm in trying to tweak things in multiple areas at once, right?

There is only one thing I have done to 'prepare' for this quest - my step one: a yearly spending plan on paper. This will hopefully be adjusted to the better over the coming months. I am now working backwards to 4 week spending periods (since I get paid bi-weekly). This will be part of my map.

I have not spent months stocking up on everything imaginable, though I do have certain things on hand as I always do (an extra package of TP, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. and a few extra boxes of mac/cheese and such). I'm not going on a crazed crash diet of the house or necessarily even of spending...just looking at things in a slightly different light.

My official start date? Christmas day. I know, it sounds kind of odd for a start date. However, that is a pay day for me - the last one of the year, but it also falls into the first part of January and will be what covers a good portion of January's expenses. Had I finished the first step (for me) sooner this year, I would have started sooner, but it is what it is and that's the date I've picked. This isn't a New Year's Resolution (those are mostly evil and typically fail by February), it's a quest for a better life (in my opinion, of course). One that will encourage me to be a better stewart of my blessings and a better manager of my resources.

Like I said, this isn't a diet, but a quest. Let the adventure begin!