I’m sure many of you have heard the saying “A goal is a dream with a timeline” or “A goal is a dream with a plan” and since it’s the new year and I promised I’d share a little bit more about my goals and dreams, now seemed like a good time to write this post.
I used to set goals that were a lot more about what my life would look like from the outside. Usually they corresponded to big events or rewards- maintain a certain GPA, graduate, get into a certain school, do a certain number of plays a year. Most of these goals were the tip that fed my perfectionism. They had a very all or nothing feeling and if it became clear I wasn’t going to reach that “all” status I quickly gave up on them in the first few months of the year or else spent the rest of the year beating myself up for not doing better.
Starting this blog and having some of my focus revolve around new adventures I wanted to take based on letters of the alphabet has helped me move away from those type of goals and enjoy getting through whatever new adventures life sends my way. Listening to some new books and podcasts this year along with finding the Cultivate What Matters company has helped me reshape the way I think about goals yet again- I’ve begun to think about them as far as long term life building habits to push me towards my own definition of success instead of the world’s and to help me consider what kind of life I’d like to have years down the road as opposed to what kind of accomplishments are going to get public acknowledgement right this minute. It also means that while the focus of my blog is still going to correspond with going throughout the alphabet, some of my big personal goals for the year are not going to be limited by a letter. In fact, my word for the year is not a D word at all, but instead “FRUITFUL” inspired by a focus on the fruits of the spirit and also by my children- the fruits of my body and love.

This shift could not have come at a better time than when I’ve been so physically limited and exhausted. Finding small, daily habits that will lead to bigger things is encouraging during the days where I wish I could do it all. I can’t do it all. But that doesn’t mean I can’t do anything. So as I dream about the future and prepare in every way I can, I came up with five main goals for this year. I will probably add a few more once I’ve made it through this time of so many transitions, but I’m really excited about this starting place and I’m excited to share these dreams with you. (What I found really helpful about the prep work for setting these goals was that it asked not only what your goals are but WHY and how it well help others as well as yourself, so I will share a little of that as well!)
1. Practice self-care and healthy physical and emotional choices BECAUSE I need to “fill the well” first and my husband and kids need me healthy. I also want to set an example and find myself happier with more energy to give to others. (Some of my baby steps for this include simple things I can start doing now and throughout the newborn period like HYDRATING and setting aside ten minutes a day to drink a cup of tea in peace.

2. Turn my good marriage into a great one BECAUSE I believe marriage is a sacrament and the most important relationship in my life and we want to model that for our kids. (I’ve already talked about one of the central baby steps for this goal- a renewed focus on DATING this year!)

3. Cherish my time with two young children BECAUSE it goes SO FAST and they won’t be little very long. (I know this will be difficult in those sleep deprived, spit up all over me, stressful days, that’s why I want to be intentional about WHY I am home right now. Baby steps include taking pictures/documenting this time, letting myself have individual time with each child, and most importantly ACCEPTING HELP when it is offered- something I struggled with when I had my son.)

4. Steward our resources BECAUSE God provides and we need to use his provisions well. (Baby steps include financial check ins and evaluations, cleaning and improving our house, and SIMPLIFYING what is in occupying our house and our time so we can be more hospitable and of service to others… this one will probably need the most work and time and is probably going to be tough while the baby transition happens, but little by little progress adds up!)

5. I’ll leave you with a picture for this one:

Note the fast, messy handwriting- it’s nice to give myself permission to just get ideas down on paper and not everything has to be in a perfect, finished, prime time ready state…

The PowerSheets I’m using are sold out for this year, but the creator of the company is hosting a giveaway for some on her blog where she has even more great tips for goal setting and cultivating what matters in 2017! I highly recommend checking her posts out 🙂 I am so glad for this resource and feel like without it I would just be putting any kind of dreaming and goal planning on hold until the baby got here and I felt a little more autonomous again, but it’s always the right time to dream a little more, right? So I’m glad I’m not delaying and starting with small steps right where I am. I’d love to hear about some of your goals. It might feel super intimidating and vulnerable to share (I was weirdly nervous writing this post!) but it also feels great and can open you up to more support in your goals! I’d especially love to hear about your WHYs behind each goal or dream 🙂 I’ll leave you with a little inspiration collage I made for myself: