I love a good goal, and the start of a new year is a great time to set a goal… or ten. You can clearly set a goal any time of the year, but the fresh start that a new year brings seems like the perfect time to reflect on the past year and consider the coming one.
Why I Set Goals Each Year
Goals motivate me. They push me the in the direction I am hoping to head. Goals help shape many of my every day decisions and activities.
Last year my husband and I set a big financial goal. We didn’t end up reaching the goal, but we got very close. Am I discouraged? No. In fact I am quite happy. I don’t think we would have made the progress we did if we had not set the goal. We are encouraged to once again dream big, set motivating goals and work hard towards them.
As you consider setting goals for the year, (and no, you’re not too late) consider various areas of your life including:
- marriage
- children
- job
- health/fitness
- finances
- service/community life
- hobbies
I have chosen a handful of goals for 2017, but today I am sharing just 2 of them.
2 of My Goals for 2017
- Get moving for 30 minutes each day. And by moving I mean moving for exercise. I might choose: walking, running, biking, exercise video, a class at the gym. The “what” I do doesn’t matter. I just need to do it for 30 minutes. I am also very happy to do it for a full 30 minutes or break it into smaller time frames based on my day (like 2, 15 minute sessions). Sometimes you just have to make it work.
2. Sleep 7-8 hours each night. Sleep is beyond important to me. When I sleep I am a clear-minded, kind, energetic wife, mother and friend. I have recently developed the bad habit of staying up way too late as I work on growing my blog, but it’s time to get back on track. Warm bed, here I come!
I want to end today’s post with 2 goals that are certainly not concrete because their progress is not easily measured. And yet, I have been thinking about these for awhile and will be striving to grow in these particular areas, so I thought I would share them with you now.
2 More “Goals” for 2017
More Gratitude (Less Complaining)
Ok, confession time. I can be negative. A lot of this negativity is internal. There’s this negative reel that just runs through my head affecting my mind and attitude. I find that some things trigger the negativity (like lack of sleep). I want to break free from my negative thoughts and choose gratitude. There is always something to be thankful for!
Goal 2: Make Time for Simple Memories with My Family
Ok, confession time (again). I am too easily overwhelmed. I get caught up in my thoughts and emotions, and sometimes miss out on beautiful simple moments. I say “no” to these moments when I should be saying “yes”.
This year I want to take a deep breath and jump into the special moments that will remain with my children for years to come. I’m looking forward to more spontaneous dance parties, game nights, t-ball in the front yard, and adventurous walks in and around town.
What about you? Have you set any goals f0r 2017? I’d love to hear about them!
Until next time,
Charissa
Love your goals!!!
Thank you, Kelly!
I love your goals! Mine are similar except I might have to wait a few months for the sleep because I have a newborn! 🙂
Congrats on the new baby, Meghann! Yes, those sweet little ones make sleep a little tricky!
Those are great goals to have for the year!
Thanks, Kate!
Oh these are so good. I think writing down a goal is a great way to stay accountable, any time of the year. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Yvette!
I love the get 7-8 hours of sleep. I rarely get that much sleep every day especially since I have 2 toddlers and have started blogging. I usually do all my blogging related work at night after they go to bed.
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Hear you on the “up late blogging” situation, Belle. I’m trying to step back from that a bit just because my lack of sleep over the last few months has really affected a number of areas in my life negatively. Trying to stay focused in the evening, do some blogging and then get to bed by 10:30!
The “get moving + get sleep” are on my list too!
Great minds think a like, Denaye!
I really like setting goals too. Goals motivate me and allow me to track my progress toward them.
Yes, Sophia, goals are great motivation!
I totally agree with your goals especially about sleep ??? It is so needed.
Yes, Jem. I often think, “Oh, I’ll be fine with a little less sleep this week.” But then it totally catches up with me.
Fabulous goals! Putting them out there is a great way of committing and being accountable 🙂
Hi, Ros! Yes, I was thinking about how cool it is to be blogging at the start of a new year (since I wasn’t blogging last year at this time). I am sharing my goals with many more people than just my husband. Keeping me on track!
I need to get moving more this year too. So much easier said than done. Thanks for the inspiration!
Yes, Angela! I find that breaking it into smaller time frames is sometimes the easier more doable option. I do know that I sometimes dread the exercise but never regret it after the fact.
These are great goals! I’m planning to start implementing regular exercise into my schedule in February. I just had my second child, so I can’t do much yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
Yes, it’s good to take time to rest and gain strength after having a baby! What type of exercise do you generally like to do?
I am the exact same as you! I am also a goal setter. And I think it is helpful that we monitor our progress, but not be too devastated when we don’t achieve them. It is good to be able to recognize that we have improved. I think of goals as steering the ship towards a better destination 🙂
I like that,…steering the ship. We sometimes get off course, but we can see the destination ahead!
I love your 2 additional goals. I hope we get to achieve our intentions for this year!
Thanks, Sharon!
My favorite out of all of your goals is making more time for simple family memories. I need to work on doing that more myself while my kids are still small! Great post.
Thanks, Breyona! I hope that you and I can both make those memories with our families this year!