reverb10 day 11: 11 things

Today's reverb10 prompt comes from Sam Davidson, author of the book 50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need:

What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

When I first read this prompt I thought, "Forget it. I'm not answering this. Why do I have to look back at my life and think of 11 things it doesn't need? Why do I have to get rid of 11 things?" I felt like I was being judged - who was this guy, and why did he think I needed to eliminate 11 things? Maybe my life is great! Maybe nothing needs to be eliminated.

Then, one by one, things started popping into my head.

So I decided to approach it like this: I wouldn't struggle to find 11 things. I wouldn't start making things up just to fulfill the 11 items necessary to complete this post. I would come up with a list of things I really and truly would like to rid myself of in the coming year. Realistic things. Things I may have already started working on. So here goes:

1) Six pounds. So cliche, I know, but I have six extra pounds between me and my comfortable weight. I have been exercising at least four times a week these days, this goal is in progress.

2) To stop complaining about my weight. It's so easy for me (and many other women I know) to talk about how fat we are. To feel the need to bring it up every time I eat anything. To go on and on and on about it, basically making it OK for others to make fun of how I look as well, if they so desire. Well eff that. I have made a major effort to stop doing this in the past month or so, so this goal is also in progress.

3) I really want to get rid of the chaotic bedtime routine we current have with Jane. She doesn't want to go to bed, I lose my mind almost every night because she's driving me nuts - this has got to go. There HAS to be a better way. I need to read up on this and figure out a way to make that hour of the day more pleasant for everyone.

4) My OCD tendencies when people are coming to my house. I've mentioned this before. People know I have a child and two dogs - they don't expect to come to Martha Stewart's house everytime they walk through my doors. I need to cut myself a lot of slack in this department. I have people coming over tonight, so we'll see how I do - let's call this goal in progress.

5) The internet. Ha ha, right? The girl who has focused every evening since December 1 on writing and reading reverb10 posts, as well as a full month before writing NaBloPoMo posts, along with all of the other sites and blogs I visit on a daily basis - I really, really need to unplug from the internet a lot when the calendar flips to January, at least for a while. My brain needs a rest from the constant onslaught of information.

6) Guilt. Again, this is something a lot of women deal with, in particular working moms. I need to take more advantage of the free time that is available to me if I just take it - when Greg tells me, at the end of the day, to just go off and do something fun for myself, to stop feeling guilty, to stop feeling like I have to be home, running around like a lunatic doing chores, all night. I need to be much kinder to myself in this regard. The more balanced and relaxed in my mind, the better off everyone in my household is. And me being around 24/7 is not always the best thing. It's OK to take a break - and I have to let go of the guilt associated with that. Of course, I repeat this to myself over and over all the time - but it hasn't taken hold in my brain yet. We'll see what happens in 2011.

OK. That's what's in my mind right now. And per number five on my list, I am going to log out for the rest of the day today, focus on my family, focus on the pile of magazines that have arrived this week, and (OK, OK) focus on getting ready for my little gathering tonight. Have a great day!