Although I still have much to write about Christmas and other events of my 74 year life, it seems appropriate to concentrate on the fact today is New Year's Day and the word, "RESOLUTION."
I have a few which I hope at least to make an attempt. These are in no particular order and the most important idea is an universal idea I hope we all will consider.
1. Eat healthy, including losing weight; this also includes some kind of exercise. All of this is very confusing with my current health condition: you know 'to do or not to do' indecision when you feel you have inadequate professional advice to your satisfaction.
2. Try to find the professional medical advice in which I feel satisfied and comfortable, regardless of whether I like it or not.
3. Don't procrastinate on jobs I dislike.
Did I keep any resolution last year? YES! One that was related to #3! I HATE TO FILE ....ANYTHING. Studying my dislike, I discovered major ancillary moves to relieve stress.
I changed regular monthly payments to EFT (electronic fund transfer), but required paper statements of all who would send one (otherwise how do I know when rates go up or there are a few cents difference in monthly rates--I know on-line bank service.) Not only did I save writing 25 checks monthly, I saved the same amount of stamps or gasoline delivering them. Most of I saved TIME.
At the first of each month, when I entered our EFT deposits I entered many of these EFTs with constant charges in checkbook and Quicken software. The others I entered as I received statements. Usually I immediately filed them.
I labeled a file folder and put other checks and miscellaneous bills as well as medical EOBs (explanation of benefits) in it until I was ready to enter them in checkbook and Quicken, and/or file as the case may be. At the end of the month when I reconciled the paper bank statement and checkbook and Quicken, I had little left to file.
The little glitch is my husband carries a checkbook with different check numbers and no carbon copy, unlike mine. He trys hard to me my criteria which is ticket/invoice and check # minimum, which is not always possible.
But over all, it was, with some satisfaction, I had all of 2010 paperwork filed and cleaned out in about 45 minutes Wednesday. I am ready to see the AARP Tax man as soon as certain other documents are received. My filing cabinet is clean and ready for 2011.
I realize many of you may do all of this entirely electronically, but I have never developed that much trust. My digital beginning had several mantras, one of which was BACKUP! BACKUP! BACKUP! and maintain a paper trail.
Our city just had an exceedingly bad audit in my opinion, because the new clerk allegedly, arbitrarily, chose to do everything electronically without paper trail as the State of Arkansas requires. It was very soon corrected.
4. This is a RESOLUTION every individual on earth could adopt and is from a song I would label a hymn or carol, Let There Be Peace on Earth. I believe the authors/writers is Sy Miller and Jill Jackson.
I have printed it below, and enhanced MY RESOLUTION. By the way it is not easy for me. I believe peace and selflessness are interrelated. I'll let the reader mull this statement.
Peace is a state of mind, and it has to be in the heart of all of us; it is contagious. One person becomes an example which might be so infectious others around would adopt the same mantra. I've never heard of a peace revolution--it is almost an oxymoron.
Imagine settling a dispute over a bill, a family situation, a neighborhood problem, without raising your voice, disparaging remarks, etc? Sometimes approaching the problem with a positive suggestion immediately changes the tone of the situation.
Imagine politics with level playing fields instead of hateful epithets and inuendo. Or local councils and commitees with out temper tantrums, and sulking, gossip, etc.
Ultimately, peace will always dwell in the heart of those who seek it. Even if you differ with the religious context of this song, all of us on earth are family.
LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our father
We are family.
Let us walk with each other
In perfect harmony.
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.
If this YOU TUBE selection does not play, here is the link, and about 100 other renditions! Enjoy!!!
Let peace begin with me.
9 comments:
And, Peace to you, Hubs, and Luckie. May this year be filled with only good, positive things.
Great post honey. I too need to do what you did with bill pay. Any less stress would be a blessing.
Just had to check on you and wish you a very Happy New Year
Love
Maggie
My goodness, dear one, you've been busy with these resolutions.
A couple of years ago, I gave all bookkeeping and bill paying to my husband, who also does our taxes. He put everything into electronic mode, and no longer overspends, as he is in charge of our money and where it goes.
I even gave him the task of doing the laundry and sorting and folding and ironing and putting things away. I gave him a choice, cooking or laundry; he chose laundry.
What I am saying is that it took me a lifetime to get rid of some of my resolutions to be perfect in all things. Now, I have fewer tasks and fewer ambitions to be a perfectionist.
I say resolutions work if we can get rid of some of them.
I have never been a resolution maker at New Year's. If a resolution needs t be made, it is almost always at some other time, so I do it then. The success rate is about the same either way, LOL!
Thanks for the comment, I am enjoying the snow this year, which is a change from the past. It helps to have sunny days after the storms!
The word verification is "dogyrie," and I think it is good wishes for Luckie. I hope she has many dogyrie experiences this year, and that you and Hubby also have a happy new year.
I know you are right about the electronic bill paying but I still like to have that physical,pen in hand control. Maybe someday I will bite the bullet.
Wishing you a peaceful, stressfree, healthy 2011.
I haven't gone electronic yet although my banker son keeps encouraging me to do so! I am a paper person...drives me crazy, but I do love my paper! I'm with you in wanting and wishing for peace. I am so blessed to live in a peaceful marriage (the majority of the time:) but I pray for world peace all the time. If we could only learn to be more tolerant of each other and our shortcomings and differences...what a difference it would make. Hope you have a healthy and peaceful 2011! Give Luckie (my namesake) a holiday hug for me!
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. If that was everyone's New Year's resolution wouldn't 2011 be great?
An Arkies Musings
Happy New Year! Since I'm a retired banker, most of my finances are electronic. I do need to clean out my file cabinet though.
What a wonderful world it would be if everyone embraced Peace in 2011.
And sometimes it's hard to be the peacemaker when i wnat to whinge, grumble etc. A good resolution to make though.
I'm also impressed with your filing. I could certainly learn from that.
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