I can’t help but chuckle when I read last year’s goals. I met exactly zero of them and yet I’m not upset. At the time I wrote them I couldn’t begin to understand how much better my year could have been.
My goals were:
- Marathon training plan
- 50 blog posts
- 365 pieces of mail
- Bible reading plan
- 50 books
While I didn’t complete a marathon, or even the marathon training plan, I did start a regular running habit. It was nice to get out of the house and clear my mind a bit. I’m not opposed to running a marathon in the future, but I think a healthy habit rather than a single goal is the better outcome here.
I fell massively short of 50 blog posts. It’s easy to get caught up in the “side hustle” aspect of blogging promoted on social media. I lost sight of how I really enjoy it for just record keeping and journaling. I’m happy with the scrapbook and calendar I kept for Jasper but hope to get a bit better at the multimedia opportunity that blogging offers.
I’m not sure how much mail I sent as I quit keeping count. Birth announcements, Christmas cards, and postcards to students over quarantine must have added up significantly. This is something I’d like to build on in the future.
I quit my bible reading plan when it became a chore. That was not a feeling I wanted to get from something that was supposed to be spiritually fulfilling. I am on the lookout for something to get me into reading my bible more regularly but without a goal or accomplishment aspect to it. That was the wrong way to go about reading my bible regularly.
I am surprised that I didn’t get more reading done. I found it incredibly difficult to concentrate on an entire audiobook this year and filled my time with podcasts and the Hamilton soundtrack instead. I have let go of my goal to read all of the Newbery award-winning books because some of them just weren’t that good. I’m not one to slog through a book when I’m not enjoying it- my free time is more precious than that.
All of this to say, I’m beginning 2021 with the only goal of having no goals for the first time in my adult life. I finally realize that I have used goals as a measure to feel unworthy instead of a way to move me forward. I look forward to a year of just enjoying life, especially these precious moments with a little one at home.
Ironically, said precious moments have made this post take four hours to write. I love this season of life as a mom with a little one and I hope to find time to document it on the blog more, even if it does happen in tiny bits here and there. I hope you’ll follow along.
Love reading your mom’s and sister’s blogs, and will love reading your “little bits” as you have time to share them!
When I saw your goals last year after just having a baby, I thought you were having euphoria from labor. The love and care of a child is so time consuming and rewarding. Bless you for coming to the reality of motherhood with a job! Glad you were able to let yourself off the hook. Bless your 2021 year with health and happiness.
I really like the way you describe goals as making you feel unworthy. I completely agree! If I dont accomplish my goal I feel like a failure. Things are very black and white for me. I either accomplished it or I failed. I may join you in the no goals goal!
I’m busy too and find having a daily Bible devotional book of some kind in a handy place keeps me reading. Most daily devotionals can be read and pondered in 5 minutes or less. OK I can read it in a minute or two 🙂
There are devotionals for moms, women, runners, men, horse lovers, etc. You get the idea.
I keep mine in my bathroom as it may be the only place I pause for 2 minutes each day. To be honest, I also keep a wall calendar in the bathroom so I can see the planned week at a glance.
Have a great day!
Ha! I like your bathroom idea!
Some people are super goal orientated and some are not. I don’t need to set goals to feel like I have made headway or had a full day. I used to read more when my children were little, it was our shared quiet time before bed, each of us reading in our beds for a hour and then we would share at dinner the next night our book. It was a really good way to encourage our youngster to read and then to interact with us on a no judgment subject. To this day they both still read before bed, I’m going to try doing it more often and call to chat with them about there current book. We may even read something we would like to share. I love seeing the updates on Jasper, your a great mom. The blog will be here when you have more time to share.
Thanks, Kim!
Welcome back. Can’t wait to see what the year holds.
Thanks, Amy!
Glad other from you again. I really happy you’ve decided to give yourself permission to enjoy life and your family. That’s a worthy goal, whether you make it a formal one or not! These years fly by and won’t come again so grab what you can!