There’s just something so fresh and invigorating about the start of a new year. It seems to give us all the gumption we need to make the changes we’ve been sitting on, waiting for, planning out.

But while the turning of the calendar from the old to the new is a great way to start over again, we needn’t always wait for it to make the changes we know need to be made.

Each month, week, day, and yes, even hour, is an opportunity to seize the moment, and change the course.

Thomas Jefferson said “Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today.”. And it begs to be attended to.

If I find that my day is heading south with the kids, attitudes, and we’re getting consistently off-track, there’s no sense in waiting until the next day for a fresh start. Hit the reset button immediately, and declare a do-over! You’ll all be better off for it in the end. Take a quick walk around the block, break from whatever you’re doing to separate for a few minutes, then come back together ready to begin again.

When I know I need to make changes to the time I spend online, how much and where, it makes little sense to wait for a holiday break or the summertime to do so – if you know it needs to be done, why wait? Do it now, there’s no time like the present!

Just because we’re already at Thursday and I didn’t do it beforehand, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t plan out or fill in the remainder of our meal plan for the week. We’ll all be much happier, fuller and healthier if I just do it now! :0)

While some of you may enjoy preparing and planning miles in advance, I, however, am a bit of a procrastinator. It hasn’t done me too much damage in the past, but it does tend to add stress to our days if I am not well-prepared. One of my goals for 2014 is to get better and more consistent at planning ahead, taking the necessary steps and making changes to how I spend my time so we can get each day off to a great start. And for heavens’ sake, stopping and re-starting or changing what I’m doing AS SOON as I notice it needs to be done!

There seems to be a lot of others who are going along this route as well this year, and I’m already so encouraged by seeing we’re together in this! I’d love for you to be encouraged, and challenged as well, because now that we’re in a new year, it’s a great time to make some changes.

Here’s where you can join in some simple, fun and encouraging daily and monthly challenges to help you simplify and streamline the coming year.

Joyful Mothering: Simplify Life Project

Bold Turquoise: The Bold Year Challenge

I’ll be sharing a bit more next week as to what specific areas I’m going to be working on, but as a teaser for now, I’ll give you a hint: it has something to do with this mess!

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What about you? What areas do you need to make some changes in or need to hit the reset button? What helps you to make those changes?