Resolutions? Goals? I want your thoughts.

[ChristyB in TN]

Every year my husband and I have a "Guinness and Goals" night. We don't really make resolutions but we list our goals and share them with each other. It is fun to see the goals at the beginning of the night and the see how they change after a few of the Guinness are consumed! :D Anyway, it is my very favorite part of the entire season and I am putting some thought into my list today. I have a lot of the same old, same old things but am adding to it. To add to the pressure of this year's list, I am turning 40 in a couple of weeks! There are a few things I really need to do just because this is such a great year to do them! So far, this is what I have:

1. Run two marathons in 2009. Last year I ran one marathon, this year I will run two.

2. I will finally start writing a blog. The kids are all in school now so I will have time to write!

3. I will read two books a week and then I will blog about them.

4. I will make more friends. I love my "old friends" but I also love new people and will make an effort to add to my circle of friends.

5. I will volunteer my time. I will find at least two volunteer opportunities and will commit to spending my time there at least once a week. Maybe this will help me with my friend issue in #4!

6. I will learn Spanish. I will learn Spanish. I will learn Spanish....This one is always on my list and I will do it this year, darn it!

7. I will practice yoga every day. I will find the time and money to attend a yoga class at least once a week and will concentrate on my home practice.

8. I will keep my house cleaner. It's a mess.

9. I will not use any negative language and will not harbor negative feelings. I will not gossip nor relay any negativity to anyone. I will love.

10. I will simplify. The economy has helped us with that already! I am actuallyl loving it and will work hard to simplify every day.

 

Okay, that's where I am right now. I want your lists! What are you all doing? Have any suggestions for me?

Christy

[Kris]

The only thing I've resolved for the past few years is to just try to be a "kinder, gentler person." Unfortunately, some idiot always sidetracks me in the first few weeks. :lol:

[WTMindy]

The only thing I've resolved for the past few years is to just try to be a "kinder, gentler person." Unfortunately, some idiot always sidetracks me in the first few weeks. :lol:

 

LOL!!!

[WTMindy]

That sounds like an amazing list. How are you planning on learning Spanish? My dh started out with reading childrens books in Spanish and then proceded from there. (He had some basic spanish from high school).

[ChristyB in TN]

That sounds like an amazing list. How are you planning on learning Spanish? My dh started out with reading childrens books in Spanish and then proceded from there. (He had some basic spanish from high school).

I have basic Spanish from high school and college but that's about it. I have Rosetta Stone from our homeschooling days and plan on using it. I also found a "learn Spanish" podcast and will subscribe to it. There seems to be so much available at the library, too! Is your husband fluent now?

[Happy]

One thought on your list...add some 'hows' to it. For example, how are you going to make room in your life to blog, go to yoga class, and make new friends?

 

When I get the how part down I do a lot better at reaching my goals.

 

I like to pick a theme for the year. Last year it was 'do it.' Whenever faced with a decision, I went with the do it thought. Late in the year, do it became finish it with good results.

 

This year's theme may be 'make it happen.' Haven't decided yet.

 

Specific goals...

 

Oversee youngest ds's final semester of homeschool. We have a lot to cover before he gets to graduate. ;) THIS goal is my priority for the next few months.

 

Write and finish three romance novels. Write one non-fiction book. I've started all of them. I have set specific word count goals for each day that will help achieve this goal.

 

Begin and finish two large scale quilt projects.

 

Weight 146 lbs. That's about 18 more pounds to go. More if I don't stop eating Christmas cookies. Figure out a number of miles or minutes I need to walk this year goal.

 

Blog on my Creative Soul blog three times a week. Blog on my Bible Study blog two times a week.

 

Enjoy my flower and veggie gardens. Put up produce in the fall.

 

Visit the farmer's markets twice a month when open.

 

Travel somewhere with my dh.

 

Spend less time doing church stuff and more time praying, studying, and seeking God personally.

 

Develop an inspiration journal.

 

Scrapbook one box of photos per month. :D They are big boxes with highly emotional photos inside. This is my tough goal of the year.

 

And, if there is any time left over....study French. Next fall, maybe take a French class at the CC.

 

I love, love, love setting goals. Even more fun is reaching them!!!!!!!!!

Edited December 23, 2008 by Happy

[WTMindy]

I have basic Spanish from high school and college but that's about it. I have Rosetta Stone from our homeschooling days and plan on using it. I also found a "learn Spanish" podcast and will subscribe to it. There seems to be so much available at the library, too! Is your husband fluent now?

 

He is fluent in his reading, pretty fluent in his writing and listening skills, and pretty fluent in his speaking, but he just doesn't get that much practice speaking. :-) He reads novels in Spanish and will listen to Louis Palau (a Christian speaker in Spanish) on the internet. He has taught our kids to be pretty fluent already (at least in reading and translating books) They also don't get any practice speaking.

[ChristyB in TN]

He is fluent in his reading, pretty fluent in his writing and listening skills, and pretty fluent in his speaking, but he just doesn't get that much practice speaking. :-) He reads novels in Spanish and will listen to Louis Palau (a Christian speaker in Spanish) on the internet. He has taught our kids to be pretty fluent already (at least in reading and translating books) They also don't get any practice speaking.

Good for him! That is great. I hope I can be consistent this time.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

This resolution is to live closer to the earth and seasons (as I think God intended) and to bring beauty into my and my family's life in several categories. I plan to choose new projects to tackle (learn how to do) each month/season.

 

My categories are spirituality, relationships, food/cooking, home furnishings, clothing.

 

Spirituality is already set. My spiritual director and I will begin Ignatius' steps in January.

 

For relationships I plan to choose one thing about myself that I think is ungodly or imperfect or whatever that will make my marriage, my relationship with my daughter and my relationships with other ppl more Godly. I have many imperfections but the first one I plan to tackle (january) will be my smart mouth. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this and will try a few different ways to tackle this.

 

Food and cooking will be closer to earth/seasons easily. I am committed to eating/cooking/preserving seasonally and have even signed up for a preserving class. I havent' heard back from them so I hope it makes! I had planned to make pomegranate jelly for January but I'm so psyched about that that my daughter and I are actually going to make that TODAY! I would also like to learn to make new things from scratch like crackers and mixes, et c. One thing I would like very much to do but know better than to resolve to do is start a garden. :001_huh:

 

Home furnishings would be things like curtains, pillows, hangings, et c. My first order of business is a sewing project for my daughter and me that's a wall haning for her room. After that, I would like to make curtains for the kitchen.

 

For clothing, I'd like to first clean out my and my daughter's closets. After that I would like to identify the core components of a good wardrobe and get (hopefully make) them. Get rid of everything else.

 

The joke is . . . I love making resolutions but I never keep them. Here's hoping!

[ChristyB in TN]

Happy, I am getting the hang of using quotes. So far I am doing it wrong! I am editing a lot.

I love your goals! I particularly like the farmers market one and the garden one. I live in a subdivision with teensy tiny yards and a bunch of rules about what can go in those yards. They really frown upon the whole vegetable garden. However, I had forgotten that I wanted to grow some things in pots like tomatoes and such! I will add that to my list! I will also start supporting the farmers market by making it a regular stop. Thanks for the ideas! So.... when are you starting on those books? :)

Edited December 23, 2008 by Mad Charity
Terrible use of quotes!

[ChristyB in TN]

This resolution is to live closer to the earth and seasons (as I think God intended) and to bring beauty into my and my family's life in several categories. I plan to choose new projects to tackle (learn how to do) each month/season.

 

My categories are spirituality, relationships, food/cooking, home furnishings, clothing.

 

Spirituality is already set. My spiritual director and I will begin Ignatius' steps in January.

 

For relationships I plan to choose one thing about myself that I think is ungodly or imperfect or whatever that will make my marriage, my relationship with my daughter and my relationships with other ppl more Godly. I have many imperfections but the first one I plan to tackle (january) will be my smart mouth. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this and will try a few different ways to tackle this.

 

Food and cooking will be closer to earth/seasons easily. I am committed to eating/cooking/preserving seasonally and have even signed up for a preserving class. I havent' heard back from them so I hope it makes! I had planned to make pomegranate jelly for January but I'm so psyched about that that my daughter and I are actually going to make that TODAY! I would also like to learn to make new things from scratch like crackers and mixes, et c. One thing I would like very much to do but know better than to resolve to do is start a garden. :001_huh:

 

Home furnishings would be things like curtains, pillows, hangings, et c. My first order of business is a sewing project for my daughter and me that's a wall haning for her room. After that, I would like to make curtains for the kitchen.

 

For clothing, I'd like to first clean out my and my daughter's closets. After that I would like to identify the core components of a good wardrobe and get (hopefully make) them. Get rid of everything else.

 

The joke is . . . I love making resolutions but I never keep them. Here's hoping!

I think you will do it this year! Your goals sound wonderful and they sound like attainable ones, too. Maybe one of your goals can be "sticking with my goals!"

[Needleroozer]

I'll play. Not in order of importance, necessarily, but here goes:

 

Career: My (beginning) goal is to earn $1000. a month through my art. This will be two-fold: Create more workshops and teach several a quarter; and to be making art daily for the purpose of self-expression (art-journals, etc.), and for sale (screens, canvases, and wall-hangings, etc.). Some of the how-to's for this involve: getting my business license in January, applying specific marketing strategies, and creating samples/portfolios/proposals for the remaining workshop/classes that I want to teach. More how-tos are getting a camera, taking photos of finished work, and putting art up on Etsy (see computer goals below for more on this one).

 

Another part of my income is that I am doing respite care again. So I really need to stay healthy in my mind and body in order to do it well. If I don't, it will end up just being stressful. On that note, we move on to health.......

 

Self: Get to the Dr.'s and get some support for the various health issues that have been plaguing me this year, but that I have been ignoring. Continue to work on diet and exercise (I lost 30 lbs this year and have about 20 more to go.), and work on being joyful this year. Do this by practicing self-calming and meditation techniques, etc. For exercise, I have plans (and schedules and punch cards in my purse) for water aerobics and the gym at the local community center, as well as a walking buddy in Jean in Newcastle. I also would like to ban myself from eating out at junk food places- this has been what I do to escape in the past, and I'd like to replace it with more art, time by myself, and spiritual growth and meditation.

 

Spiritual growth: Taking vacations by myself, daily journaling and blogging, and attending Unity at least 2 Sundays/month.

 

Vacations: I took two vacations by myself this year- one to Dy's, and one to the Oregon Coast to help my sister when she was grieving the loss of her mother, and I had such a wonderful time- it was truly amazing to be on my own, and I really thrived from them. I have two trips to AL to see Dy scheduled, and I also want to visit my sister a few times as well. I also want to take more weekend trips with the family, and have a few ideas planned out for that, too.

 

Organization/home: WTM Cassandra and I have another decluttering party scheduled for February. I hope to tackle the last few hot spots. I want to get to the place where I am taking care of the house in little bits every day. I will need a concrete plan for how to fit art, gardening, tidying, cooking, fitness, etc. into every day. The how-tos for this part are not clear to me yet- this one has really been eluding me. BUt I know I can figure it out. I also want to paint several rooms in the house. I HATE painting, and have been putting this off the entire 6 years we have lived here- this has GOT to be the year of paint!

 

Blogging/technology: I haven't blogged regularly for some time. Part of this has been dealing with depression in the last year, but part of it is that I do not have a functioning computer of my own, and all I have for a camera is a point and shoot. Once I have these two things, it will make blogging easier- and more effective. I want to be using my blog to promote my art studio, and I need a good camera to take good-quality photos of art to put in etsy shop and on blog.

 

Family: We are all still adjusting to the Dude traveling for work, and the kids doing online school instead of homeschooling. I need to find ways to parent that support these new things. Not sure if this makes sense written out, but I need to be focusing on my own life and career, and still be a good supportive mama to the teens. Mostly this will involve making sure they have a hearty breakfast, have good study habits, and that we still make time for trips to the zoo and the park, as well as lots of long conversations and our nightly read alound time. Sounds easy, but this adjustment really stressed all of us out this fall, and I want to work on it. Also would like to figure out ways to spend time alone with the Dude that wasn't just he and I going to the grocery store together- I love it that he is coming with me again, but would like to do dinner out, or a walk on the beach now and again.

 

 

Other family stuff- Gramma: I do fairly well having grace with my Mama (demensia, blindness) while I am with her (3X week), but then am stressed afterwards. I still let the things she says (hurtful, but not intentional memory loss-related arguments, for example) get to me. My goal in this area is to be supportive and loving to her, and to encourage her to do the things that are hard for her (meeting new folks, learning new things, etc.) but that the Dr. tells us will strengthen her mind. I want to embrace my role as her caregiver with joy and will grace. I also want to be able to have better communication with my two sisters about Mama's care plans for the future (Dude and I want her to live with us, other sisters' want in home care or a nursing home.). I would like for us all to be on the same page when it comes to these plans by the end of the year. Not sure at all on the how-tos for this one!

 

Lastly, I would love to feel like I was doing a bit of all of the above daily- that I could develop a type of lifestyle (like homeschooling was- not just something we did, but HOW we lived) where I didn't feel pressured or overwhelmed with expectations, but that I felt pleasantly exhausted and fulfilled every night when I fell into bed. The how-tos for this probably have to do with my attitude; and making choices to act versus to sit around and worry, which is my natural bent, lol.

 

Whew! It is good to see it all in writing, but as I said, my natural inclination is to look at what I wrote and think it is impossible- when did I develop such a defeatist attitude?! When you have a lot on your plate, how do you look at it all positively?!

[ChristyB in TN]

Needleroozer,

 

I loved the part of your post where you discussed making these changes part of your lifestyle, like homeschooling. I need to work on that, too. I think your goals are lovely and I know it will be a good year for you. Your heart is in a lovely place. I needed to be reminded of meditation, too. I have a friend/yoga instructor who occassionally teaches a centering prayer/meditation class. I really need to sign up for that. I am adding it to the list! Thanks for playing along. Christy

[Happy]

Mad Charity--the books are begun. They *just* have to be finished. LOL. I love beginnings...not so good with follow through. But, to really answer the question, January the clock starts ticking on my word count.

 

Needleroozer! Let's be artsy buddies. I'd love to hear more about your art and budding career. I'm attempting to keep an artsy journal this year. In fact, I'm planning to artsy up my Bible study journal. My soul needs color, beauty, and creation. I'm planning on indulging it this year. :D Hopefully, it will feed my muse, too. You'll have to pop into my blog to see what crazy things I come up with.

 

Don't be overwhelmed with your list. I found it inspiring and challenging. I love the idea of living close to the earth and seasons. And joy in dealing with your mom. Joy is a fine goal. I love your idea of personal vacations. I hope to do a couple of creative retreats of some sort this year, too. (Being free of homeschooling may go to my head. LOL But staying busy will help with empty nest syndrome.)

 

A friend of mine says any time a project seems too large...swiss cheese it. Just do something on it as if you were poking holes in a block of cheese. Poke enough holes and the cheese disappears. ;)

 

A writer friend (who has several published books) says she doesn't go to bed at night until she has written at least one sentence. That way days and days don't slip by without writing.

 

Those are the thoughts that propelled me into claiming 'do it' as my theme last year. Make it happen will guide me this year. Mark some dates on the calendar as check up dates. Those will help keep you on track.

 

Have fun. I look forward the hearing more about the things you get accomplished. Even if you only get half of your list done, think of all you will have managed to do.