This part of my adventure in giving my monthly resolutions focus through a yearly focus. You can read my initial post here and my January reflections here.

This year, I’m focusing on three areas: mental, physical, and spiritual. Each month, I’ll share my specific focus within the broader resolution in each of these areas. Sharing these here will help me stay accountable, and it will also force me to articulate what I am aiming to do each month within the larger context of the year.

Mental Focus: Clearing the clutter clears the mind, so this year I’m focusing on home organization, especially as it relates to clutter and cleanliness.

A new month means a new focus as I work my way around my house, decluttering as I go. This month, I’m taking my energies upstairs to our bedrooms. We don’t keep toys in the kids’ bedrooms, aside from a few favorite dolls and, of course, books, so I will be focusing on clothes, clearing off dressers, and perhaps even a bit of decorating. Last year, we finished our remodeling upstairs, so I have flawless walls that are begging for photos and paintings to be hung — photos and paintings that I own, but have just not taken the time to hang.

Our time upstairs is usually time sleeping, but as the days get longer, I might find myself using the upstairs for storytimes. Who knows? If I add beauty there, we girls won’t be able to stay away, I’m sure of that. And if the girls are upstairs, I’ll bet Daddy will find his way there too.

Physical Focus: My body is not just a convenient dumping ground, but a tool that can help me accomplish my goals. Like any tool, it needs to be tended, so this year I’m focusing on getting myself moving, little by little.

I flunked this section in January, and it was only ten minutes a day! I’m still upping the bar in February, though, in part because I know this is something I NEED, and in part because, well, maybe I just need a spur to my side. 🙂 This month, my goal is 15 minutes a day. That’s it. Fifteen minutes of movement, be it walking or running, chasing children or jumping for joy. The lambs get really fun this month, and Shepherd Dan has a whole new set-up that I should take the time to visit (kids in tow — they are big fans of lambs!).

Spiritual Focus: Spending silent and screenless time is essential for my spiritual well-being. This year, I am focusing on making time, especially at the beginning of my days, for prayer and silence.

Before I do anything else each day, I will pray the rosary, even if I’m running late or having a rough start. It’s that important, and having this as the priority of the start of my day will impact the rest of the day for my whole family. In January, I’ll be continuing the Online Retreat in Everyday Life. I am just finishing the other two devotional books I was working on (reviews coming soon!), and so I think I’ll use my morning devotional time to finally finish St. Faustina’s diary. (It’s only taken me two years!)

In the evenings, from after dinner on, I’ll continue to observe offline evenings. This will give me time for reading and my family, or, as was true in January, for falling asleep when the kids do.

My iPod, which has been an incredible source of catechesis in the last year, will be in my ears, but must never invade on the necessary silence (i.e. of early mornings) that helps me keep my focus.