Radvent - Challenging

I've been creeping Princess Lasertron's blog for a long time. I think she is incredibly driven and brave. Her willingness to continually put all of her energy out into the universe day after day is admirable and inspiring. Last December she started a blogging project and 14 days ago I told myself I'd carve time in each day to participate. Well, I'm 14 days behind, but it's never to late to start something! So here I go!

What is challenging me the most right now? My biggest challenge right now is money. We are struggling to pay down our credit card debt, student loans, and mortgage. It is frustrating and talking about it makes both Pat and I upset. I want to be able to have frank and honest conversations about our budget every week and when I find myself in a store, I want to be realistic about what I am considering buying. I want spending money to be a conscious decision.

How can I be grateful for it? I need to learn how to be grateful for what we already have an not what we can’t afford right now. We went on 4 vacations in 2011. FOUR. To awesome places too! NYC, New Orleans, Duluth, and Denver. And a long weekend in Okoboji. It was incredible and I am grateful that we were able to have all that time together.

Reflect on one challenging thing in the past year that you kicked butt at: In the past year, I kicked butt at becoming satisfied with myself, my choices, and becoming an adult. I’ve integrated health and exercise as a part of my daily life. These decisions have put me at odds with a few people in my life who have not been as willing to accept the sacrifices caring for your health requires. It’s a weird thing when people can’t understand why going to bed at 9pm instead of going to the bars is a better overall life decision, but after an adjustment period, I am more at peace with it now. It caused a few arguments and tears between Pat and myself when I felt like he was choosing to go out and not spend time with me, but we’ve adjusted and understand that we both need different types of interaction.

…what would you have told yourself?
It will be fine. Pat loves you just the same, he just wishes you were at the bar with him because he loves your company. It will be a good year. You know marriage isn’t always easy and you know that we love each other to work through every situation, we’ll be better partners to each other for it.