Goal Check (Update)

With a little over a month to go in the year, I thought it would be good to take a few minutes to evaluate yearly goals. Back in January, I wrote about setting goals instead of resolutions, and I want this to become an ongoing process with me. My first update can be found here. As I said before, I like having the accountability of reporting to others. It keeps me in line.

For the three areas of my life where I set goals, I can see some progress. I also see areas where I need to either focus more or completely change specific goals. I'm not making excuses, but a lot can happen in a year.

1. My Faith: My daily quiet time became a priority for a good portion of the year, but when school started, I had some trouble. Then in October and November after I started working part-time, I got derailed. I'm trying to get my morning routine back. Reading my Bible daily was the same as above. I failed on the scripture memorization goal. I even tried to do it with the kids, but it didn't become the priority I wanted it to be. I know how important this is, so I don't want to scratch it. I just don't know how to get there.

2. My Health: I did read more books this year. Next year's goal should probably be to turn in a library book before I have exceeded all my renewals. Finishing a book within two weeks would be even better. Getting up at 5 every morning is habit now, since Ashley has swim practice early each weekday. But I'm not getting the productivity here I wanted. With my running, I have become a stronger and faster. I still hate my scale. I try to eat better, but I also indulge. I'm anticipating a new personal record in the marathon next week in Dallas. You will probably get an update on that soon after.

3. My Work: I roughly finished my first book, but it's different from the one I wrote about in January. That one is still in the works. I did launch a running blog in January, so I don't have to bore my non-running readers. You can check it out here. Weekly posts will hopefully be routine on this blog again, now that my training has scaled back and marching band/football season is over.

I hope you were able to set some goals at the first of the year. It's a good time to evaluate where you are, and there is still time to finish some up. I'd love to hear about your progress! 

Goal 1: My Faith

Last week, I wrote about how I make goals for myself now instead of setting new year resolutions.  If you missed it, you can read it here.  I've been working on these goals pretty steadily for a few weeks, with some help from a few blogs and sites that I follow. 

I thought I would do something a little different for my posts in the month of January.  I need some accountability.  What I'm going to do for each post in January is share my goals I've set for a specific area of my life.

This week, I'm starting with the most important one.  Without goals to enrich my faith in God, none of the other areas of my life would matter.  When I don't put Him first, everything else falls apart.  In a big way.  It is probably the most vulnerable area of my life to share as well, but here goes.

1.  Put my daily quiet time first, at the beginning of the day. 
This means I have to make myself get up long before I start waking up kids.  I've been convicted about the amount of time I spend doing other things, but that my quiet time reading the Bible and praying has been "fit in" when I have time.  Translation:  I usually nod off if I push this to the evening.  This week, I've started setting my alarm to get up with plenty of time, so I'm not rushed.  I've also found that I get much more accomplished by putting things in the right order.

2.  Read through the book of Psalm and Proverbs one time each month.
I've posted on this before, and I want to have more praise, comfort, and wisdom present in my life.  What better way to do this than to read the books through at least twelve times?

3.  Memorize one new scripture a week.
I started a spiral notebook several months ago to do this, but it has since become a little dusty.  I dusted it off, and began this week with the last one I had written down.  "Let  no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29.  Let me assure you, I'm being tested with this one daily.  I need it imprinted in my mind.

These three goals will definitely challenge me, but my hope is that by sharing them, I will keep it up throughout the year.  

 

2012: The Year of...?

This is the time of year when you hear people talk about making resolutions.  I stopped doing that a few years ago, when I realized my yearly attempts would most likely be broken.  Then I would feel bad about myself for my lack of follow through. 

Now instead of resolutions, I make goals for myself.  I don't wait until the last week of December to do it either, this is a continual process throughout the year.  But each December, I do look back at what I've achieved over the year, and instead of seeing lack of ambition, I view my successes.  This is much more rewarding, and helps me move forward and build on my goals. 

2011 for me was a big year with beginning this blog, starting to write my book, and undertaking the huge task of homeschooling my high school aged son.  All of this started in the summer.  I ran my first marathon this December.  If I had set resolutions at the end of 2010, I guarantee you none of these things would have made the list.  In fact, after I finished my first half marathon in December 2010, my first words to my husband were, "I'm not ready for a marathon."

Don't wait until the end of the year to make the changes you want to make.  Set goals year-round, but use the end of the year to reflect on what you've accomplished.

Next December, you can look back and say, "2012 was the year of..."