Some goals for January + 2015.

januarygoals

“And so the meaning of our lives is not dependent upon what we make of it but of what he is making of us.” -- Emily P. Freeman, A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live

There are a lot of opinions and methodologies surrounding goals. Some focus on feelings, some focus on words, some swear by certain planners or spreadsheets. Honestly, I'm not a big New Years resolution person. In fact, I was reading an article the other day about how the Meyers Briggs types choose to make their goals every January. As an INFJ, I prefer to keep my goals to myself. If I share them, people will know when I come up short. And accountability always made me squeamish, so there's that.

But I've been thinking about ways to branch out here and there and be more well-rounded in this space -- so in that spirit, I thought I would share some goals for the month of January:

1. Host a group of women in my home for a night of fellowship. This is something I have been feeling called to do since back in October, when I was writing all about identity. When I take a small inventory of my resources, I have the space, the money, the time, and the desire to live openly and create a place for people to feel at home in my home. This goal is part of my larger goal for 2015, which is to bloom where I am planted.

2. Take more walks. I haven't tried the gym out yet. I thought it would be incredibly cliché of me to show up requesting a membership on New Years Day, so instead, I went on a three mile walk around town with our dog, and it was great! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to walk again because of extensive travelling over the past week, but I plan on getting back into it soon.

3. Read three books. Technically, finish one book and read the other two currently hanging out on my dresser. They are all about art and daring and desire and saying yes, which is what I want my 2015 to look like.

4. Abide by the cleaning schedule. I did it -- I made a cleaning schedule, with two to three chores per day. Our house was spic and span before the in-laws came up the week of Christmas, and we haven't quite recovered since they left. And besides just being nice, a clean house helps me to feel spacious.

5. Host a link up here. I'd like to start doing this monthly. I have some ideas floating around, so we will see where this goes. Ideally, the link up will be posted the last week of each month.

6. Plan a capsule wardrobe for the month of February. I love the idea of getting creative in the closet, and I think it will be a fun series to do here (side note: one of my yearly goals for this space, in particular, is to do more series).

7. Take more pictures. C got a wonderful deal on a fancy shmancy camera for us for a birthday/early Christmas gift. Because I've been horrendously busy with work and it has been so doggone cold outside, I haven't taken it out much, but I am so excited to play with it!

8. Sit down with C and set up the bank draft for tithing. More about this later.

9. Organize my kitchen. At this point, our entire home is a tribute to hand-me-downs, and since we've been married, a few things have been duplicated or simply given up the ghost (like our old toaster oven).

And perhaps some goals for all of 2015:

1. Give myself and others the gift of connection, instead of vying in competition. I learned last year from Shauna Niequist that you can connect or compare, but you cannot do both. I will carry those words into 2015 in my family, in my office, in my church, and online.

2. Tithe. This is something I've been wanting to do for awhile, but in 2014, my thoughts on tithing shifted. I think a lot of people focus on tithing as something they have to do out of obligation, rather than something that they get to do in order to expand the Kingdom. And our church has an automated draft system for giving, so we don't have to worry about writing a check every week.

3. Write weekly. Do four series on the blog. This space has turned into such a beautiful online home for me and my words, and I want to steward it well by continuing to hone my craft.

4. Mentor a college student. We drive about half an hour to a church in Toccoa, and it is filled to the brim with students from TFC (where C and I both graduated from). I'm currently in a season of life where, despite how exhausted I have been, I feel like I have a lot to offer. Of course, this is something that I will continue to pray (and ask you to pray) for wisdom and direction.

5. Host more dinner parties. I love cooking and having people over, so this one is a no brainer.

6. Exercise three times a week. Lose 30 lbs. Yikes, this one is hard to talk about. I've always been one to say that the number on the tag doesn't matter, but inwardly, I cringe at the thought of picking up pants sized in the double digits. As I scrolled through the pictures taken over Christmas, I was taken aback by how heavy I look. I don't necessarily feel as heavy as I appeared, but my dad has faced some health issues recently due to his struggle with weight, and in November, I had my own little scare with high blood pressure. Honestly, the number 30 is kind of arbitrary, but you have to start somewhere, right?

7. Investigate masters programs and other avenues of certification for life coaching. Originally, I thought I would apply for a masters degree in marriage and family therapy, but last year, I really started to feel drawn to pursue life coaching. Nothing lights a fire in me like helping people identify and pursue their dreams, so it makes perfect sense for me to go that route.

8. Simplify. All of my spaces feel a bit crowded right now, and I'm finding more and more things that I (we) don't actually need. So in the spirit of spaciousness, I'm planning to clean house and live a bit more minimally.

Do you have resolutions and/or goals for January and beyond? I'd love to encourage and pray for you as you pursue them.