2014: Word, Goals
Happy New Year!!
A New Year, full of new possibilities, new opportunities, new experiences all waiting to unfurl.
A New Year always brings with it the thought of fresh starts, a chance to begin again. Yet are we really beginning anew? It’s rather difficult when we aren’t starting with a blank slate, we travel into the New Year with ourselves, with our past successes and imperfections already imprinted.
Reflecting over my past words and resolutions I see that my interests haven’t changed, each year I still struggle in certain areas, my goals are relatively the same, and I’m good with this, I’m comfortable.
The word that has chosen me this year I’m defining as an active verb. The dictionary doesn’t quite define it as this but it speaks as such to me.
Be Present
Be Available
Be Listening
Be Responsive
Be Gracious
Be Consistent
Be Prayerful
Be Silent
Reflecting upon my goals which are similar to past years I decided to change how I defined them slightly. Pam recently wrote about keeping resolutions and this advice particularly struck me.
Make them specific and measurable
Therefore rather than being ‘airy-fairy’ I’ve focused on clarity.
Spiritual
- Family to gather for prayers each morning and evening.
- Family Faith studies on a regular basis, more on this goal later.
- Read at least four ‘thought provoking, mind expanding’ books a month.
- Regain my stomach muscles through regular exercise.
- Family diet to be overhauled, healthy, nutritious real food diet.
- Focus on individual moments with my husband and each child. Every day to spend focused time with at least one individual.
- Academic excellence for each child, particularly Einstein who is undertaking his last year of studies with us. So many needs for each child, I’ll be more specific later.
- Daily cleaning routine to become a strong habit.
- Bedtime routine to be overhauled.
- Screen time parameters for the children to be adhered to. Out of balance here.
- Take at least 10 photos daily, focusing on photos of children and our daily life.
10 Comments
Bec - Mumma Tells
Isn't it funny how something seemingly simple, like being, is anything but! Well at least consciously being does not come easily to everyone. A great word to focus on. Best wishes for the year ahead.
Ingi Mc
I think most families struggle constantly with "screen time" – we are no different. Helps to have goals, though 🙂
Coal Valley View
Happy New Year to you and your gorgeous family Erin….I agree, my biggest gripe is screen time, more specifically game-playing which is pretty lax during the holidays. Hope you are all having a lovely break. Mel x
Mummy Manifesto
Some lovely goals for your family in 2014-I think you will be very busy! Best of luck in 2014 x
Jenny
Thank you so much Erin for breaking your word down into the specifics. I can see where this would be helpful to me. And so happy to see you link up! I host a weekly link up on Monday sharing our daybooks. It would be lovely to see you there.
Cassie Williams
Love your goals! I like how they are things that you and your family need to work on, but yet they are realistic. How very little I know you from the short time I've been reading your blog, but I know you can pull these off. I don't rarely write mine down, but they would be similiar. Happy New Year!
Emily Davis
Fantastic choice. Be is BIG!
Being something – sad, happy, loving, holy, present… that's BIG!
Blessings,
Emily
Laura Dominick
Great goals! May God give you the grace you need 🙂
Bron Maxabella
'Be' has purpose and clarity, Erin. So many wonderful goals for you to focus being in the moment for too. x
Erin
Nice to know I'm not alone with screen, oh to go back to the days when we didn't have one, so much simpler.
Thank you all for your encouragement, wishing you a wonderful New Year with lots of possibilities{{}}