I love a fresh start.
I enjoy flipping the wall calendar to the new month. I really enjoy hanging up a brand new calendar for a new year. I like that feeling of setting goals, making plans, and organizing the path to get there. So, a new year is just my thing. A new beginning. A fresh start.
2011 is already a great year for my planning and goal-setting tendencies. In previous years, it seemed we were in the midst of crisis management. The dust is settling this year, so I have the chance to enjoy some brainstorming and planning.
I have been evaluating my life overall. In many ways I want to re-prioritize the way I live, to fall in sync with what I value most. There are many areas where I seek to improve. I think I am going beyond the concept of a New Year Resolution. Instead, I am pursuing a series of goals to be accomplished in 2011. I like having my priorities in focus. It gives me a sense of direction. This year, I hope to keep moving forward toward all of these goals.
Bible Study: Spending time in God's Word is the highest priority. I want to get better about completing the homework assignments for the Bible study I am participating in at church, in addition to completing the Sunday School lessons each week (whether I am able to attend class or not). Then, I want to add a devotion time with the kids. I bought some simple Veggie Tales devotions that should give us a nice start. Lessons on treating each other with kindness seem like a good idea.
Marriage: I am excited that we are in a rebuilding season. The Referee and I need more together time as a couple. I am already brainstorming date nights, and ways to celebrate our anniversary this year. Even on a daily basis, I need to make more time to make him a priority. It is easy to let our busy-ness as a family distract us. We were a couple first, before we were a growing family. We will return to being a couple again, as our nest empties. It is so important to keep that relationship growing strong.
Health: It is no secret that I need to lose weight. That is a common resolution for folks in general, but for me it is a necessity. Youth and activity have allowed me to be overweight without health issues for a long time. But, it is not a good path to be on. It will catch up to me. The solution is not quick or easy, but it is simple. Eat healthier, exercise, and sleep. So, that is my health goal. As Jersey #1 pointed out to me a couple years ago, "Mom, you and Dad would not have to worry about losing weight if you ate and played the same way you make your kids." Good point. Replace the sodas and junk foods with fruits and vegetables. Run. Get to bed on time. One motivator for The Referee and I both, is to become more fit this year, so that we can add another life insurance policy (at the lowest price) that is not tied to our employer.
Mothering: I am filled with schedules, routines, activities, and tasks for caring for our kids. What I seek to improve is to make more memories. Stop and smell the roses. More rocking together. More cuddling. More baking together. Join them outside when they play. Coach their teams. Play card games and board games. I am seeking all the opportunities I can to spend play time with my kids, as this season of motherhood goes by so quickly.
Service and Relationships: Much like my mother goals, I need more focus in areas of service and strengthening relationships with friends and family. With the attitude that it is good to go out of my way for others, I seek to serve and love. In simplicity, I hope to prepare more meals, make more phone calls, send more cards, and let others know that they are not alone in this journey of life.
Homemaking: Housework is usually the first to go when times get tough. It starts with the laundry and dishes, which quickly pile up. Raising a young, active family, I do not expect to have a house that resembles a museum. But, I do think it is reasonable to have things organized, clean, and easy to quickly straighten. Organizing chores, teaching the children how to help complete chores, and finding the discipline to wash up the dishes daily and run a couple loads of laundry daily, seems worthwhile. Add in meal prep and yard upkeep, and our home will be a nice haven.
Finances: I have finally made my peace with working outside the home again. Our financial goals are clear--pay off all consumer debts, followed by building up a savings account for adoption expenses. Those goals seem to be justification for the time I am spending away from home, the long days and late hours, and the overall adjustment. Plus, it is temporary. Our planned focus in this area, should yield great strides toward those goals, throughout 2011. Our debt snowball is growing!
Education: I have education goals for our whole family, it seems. The Referee is working on a Master's Certificate that will benefit his career as well as set him up to return to Graduate School and complete that Master's Degree he began over a decade ago. I keep my eyes open for continuing education opportunities at my work, to help enhance my career path as well. One day, I hope to pursue a degree in an area of medicine, as preparation for medical mission trips...my "next career" plan for that season after our children are grown. The direction for which medical field to pursue is not yet clear to me, so I take learning opportunities as they come and wait patiently for direction from God. Since we are a homeschooling family, I have many, many education goals for our children. Recent advice for how to educate gifted children has opened my eyes to some needs in our children, and ways I can alter our curriculum schedule to encourage our children to follow their interests. I also seek to be more mindful of enrichment classes for their specific interests, so that they can continue to be challenged. Managing their education is a BIG job, and a high priority.
Discipline: Many of my life goals can be accomplished by growing in the area of discipline. I am not referring to training my children. I am referring to self discipline. Washing a load of laundry every day. Exercising every day. Buying only those items on the list. Staying within the budget parameters. Reading the Bible every day. Hug my children and kiss my husband every day. I have grown lazy. I have settled for a lower standard of living. I have gone all day without a shower. I even run late. I do not like that about myself. It is easy to dream big about goals and resolutions, but the path to get there is one very disciplined step at a time.
So, for 2011, I am keeping my big-picture goals in mind, while I attempt to discipline myself to success.
* It looks like I will have to begin my disciplined life starting on January 2nd, as I ran late to work on New Year's Day. Yep, I've got my work cut out for me...
I enjoy flipping the wall calendar to the new month. I really enjoy hanging up a brand new calendar for a new year. I like that feeling of setting goals, making plans, and organizing the path to get there. So, a new year is just my thing. A new beginning. A fresh start.
2011 is already a great year for my planning and goal-setting tendencies. In previous years, it seemed we were in the midst of crisis management. The dust is settling this year, so I have the chance to enjoy some brainstorming and planning.
I have been evaluating my life overall. In many ways I want to re-prioritize the way I live, to fall in sync with what I value most. There are many areas where I seek to improve. I think I am going beyond the concept of a New Year Resolution. Instead, I am pursuing a series of goals to be accomplished in 2011. I like having my priorities in focus. It gives me a sense of direction. This year, I hope to keep moving forward toward all of these goals.
Bible Study: Spending time in God's Word is the highest priority. I want to get better about completing the homework assignments for the Bible study I am participating in at church, in addition to completing the Sunday School lessons each week (whether I am able to attend class or not). Then, I want to add a devotion time with the kids. I bought some simple Veggie Tales devotions that should give us a nice start. Lessons on treating each other with kindness seem like a good idea.
Marriage: I am excited that we are in a rebuilding season. The Referee and I need more together time as a couple. I am already brainstorming date nights, and ways to celebrate our anniversary this year. Even on a daily basis, I need to make more time to make him a priority. It is easy to let our busy-ness as a family distract us. We were a couple first, before we were a growing family. We will return to being a couple again, as our nest empties. It is so important to keep that relationship growing strong.
Health: It is no secret that I need to lose weight. That is a common resolution for folks in general, but for me it is a necessity. Youth and activity have allowed me to be overweight without health issues for a long time. But, it is not a good path to be on. It will catch up to me. The solution is not quick or easy, but it is simple. Eat healthier, exercise, and sleep. So, that is my health goal. As Jersey #1 pointed out to me a couple years ago, "Mom, you and Dad would not have to worry about losing weight if you ate and played the same way you make your kids." Good point. Replace the sodas and junk foods with fruits and vegetables. Run. Get to bed on time. One motivator for The Referee and I both, is to become more fit this year, so that we can add another life insurance policy (at the lowest price) that is not tied to our employer.
Mothering: I am filled with schedules, routines, activities, and tasks for caring for our kids. What I seek to improve is to make more memories. Stop and smell the roses. More rocking together. More cuddling. More baking together. Join them outside when they play. Coach their teams. Play card games and board games. I am seeking all the opportunities I can to spend play time with my kids, as this season of motherhood goes by so quickly.
Service and Relationships: Much like my mother goals, I need more focus in areas of service and strengthening relationships with friends and family. With the attitude that it is good to go out of my way for others, I seek to serve and love. In simplicity, I hope to prepare more meals, make more phone calls, send more cards, and let others know that they are not alone in this journey of life.
Homemaking: Housework is usually the first to go when times get tough. It starts with the laundry and dishes, which quickly pile up. Raising a young, active family, I do not expect to have a house that resembles a museum. But, I do think it is reasonable to have things organized, clean, and easy to quickly straighten. Organizing chores, teaching the children how to help complete chores, and finding the discipline to wash up the dishes daily and run a couple loads of laundry daily, seems worthwhile. Add in meal prep and yard upkeep, and our home will be a nice haven.
Finances: I have finally made my peace with working outside the home again. Our financial goals are clear--pay off all consumer debts, followed by building up a savings account for adoption expenses. Those goals seem to be justification for the time I am spending away from home, the long days and late hours, and the overall adjustment. Plus, it is temporary. Our planned focus in this area, should yield great strides toward those goals, throughout 2011. Our debt snowball is growing!
Education: I have education goals for our whole family, it seems. The Referee is working on a Master's Certificate that will benefit his career as well as set him up to return to Graduate School and complete that Master's Degree he began over a decade ago. I keep my eyes open for continuing education opportunities at my work, to help enhance my career path as well. One day, I hope to pursue a degree in an area of medicine, as preparation for medical mission trips...my "next career" plan for that season after our children are grown. The direction for which medical field to pursue is not yet clear to me, so I take learning opportunities as they come and wait patiently for direction from God. Since we are a homeschooling family, I have many, many education goals for our children. Recent advice for how to educate gifted children has opened my eyes to some needs in our children, and ways I can alter our curriculum schedule to encourage our children to follow their interests. I also seek to be more mindful of enrichment classes for their specific interests, so that they can continue to be challenged. Managing their education is a BIG job, and a high priority.
Discipline: Many of my life goals can be accomplished by growing in the area of discipline. I am not referring to training my children. I am referring to self discipline. Washing a load of laundry every day. Exercising every day. Buying only those items on the list. Staying within the budget parameters. Reading the Bible every day. Hug my children and kiss my husband every day. I have grown lazy. I have settled for a lower standard of living. I have gone all day without a shower. I even run late. I do not like that about myself. It is easy to dream big about goals and resolutions, but the path to get there is one very disciplined step at a time.
So, for 2011, I am keeping my big-picture goals in mind, while I attempt to discipline myself to success.
* It looks like I will have to begin my disciplined life starting on January 2nd, as I ran late to work on New Year's Day. Yep, I've got my work cut out for me...
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