2016 + Goals Are Good

I'm a little late to the game when it comes to publicly sharing my goals for the new year. I say "goals" because let's be real: for most of us, when we say "New Year's Resolutions", we know there's about a .000023159% chance of actually trying to maintain said resolutions, and an even higher likeliness that we'll be dropping those suckers like it's hot by January third.

Show of hands?

If you didn't raise your hand, well, then good for you.
(yes, that's a bit of sass you're detecting)

We can still be friends... I guess...

Anywhoo, the last couple of years have brought on some tough situations that required me to mature in many areas; I'd like to think that I've grown and learned what I needed to. I decided that 2016 is the year that I'm going to set aside fear and be the grown up that I need to be. For me, the best way to start making that happen is to make some goals for the new year. I think goals are good for life in general and sharing them with others can be a good way to stay motivated to stay the course.

Personally, I like to set some ground rules for my goals; it just keeps me from being an overachiever and subsequently hosting a pity party with the invite list consisting of me, a bottle of wine, and french fries.

Usually my rules are as follows:

-Be reasonable! Don't set goals that you know you can't keep (e.g. vowing to loose 10lb.s by Friday... when it's Tuesday)
-Be honest with yourself. Again, don't set a goal that you know you can't keep; but don't be afraid to stretch yourself a little. The trick is to challenge yourself enough so that the goal is definitely attainable, but not so lofty that if you're unable to hit the goal, sadness will ensue (see aforementioned pity party with wine and french fries).
-Taking the above rules into consideration, also be sure to set the goal high enough so that you will actually have to work for it (saying that you won't binge watch "New Girl" on Netflix when the remote is sitting in your lap is just plain dumb)
-Don't set too many goals. Yes 365 days is plenty of time to do some cool stuff (insert Morgan Freeman voiceover here: "get busy livin' or get busy dyin'". ) but it is totally possible to set too many goals for that amount of time. It's easy on the ego to add new goals when you've reached the ones you've already set; missing a goal is just, well, depressing.

Note, for all of the above...

So! Without further ado, 

Goals for 2016

1. Embrace rest.

As a stay at home mom there is always something or someone that needs my attention. It's hard to remember that God rested on the seventh day and He commanded us to do the same. 

A really great quote that has stuck with me from this book has helped me to make rest time a priority:

"Life isn't an emergency"

Whoa. 

So it's okay if the laundry doesn't get done every day. It's okay if we eat chicken nuggets for dinner- sometimes more than once a week- so that I can spend less time cleaning up and more time with my family. It's okay if I sit and actually enjoy my morning coffee, instead of reheating it ten times in the microwave (who doesn't like their coffee with a side of radiation?)

2. Be the adult I want to be.

So this one sounds kind of vague, but actually it's a big deal. It requires me to get over any internal analysis paralysis and just be the woman God created me to be- even when it feels awkward. It means not letting the fear of what others might possibly think about me hinder me from stepping out with confidence. It means being secure in the decisions I make in how I take care of my home and family. It means figuring out all that God has instilled in me to do the job that I love most- being a wife and mom.

3. Making "me time" a priority.

I'll admit it: I'm totally guilty of falling prey to the old cliche of being "that mom" that fully gives herself over the frumpy side of The Force and doesn't really do anything that remotely resembles the woman she was B.C. (Before Children). 

Before I had kids, I used to paint. I used set aside time every week to give myself a pedicure. And I wouldn't be caught dead leaving the house without makeup.

Oh how the mighty fall.

Just thinking about my former self gets me feeling all the feelings...

But! There is still time to course-correct. I've been choosing to make an intentional effort to set aside a little time here and there to do things to care of me, and make me happy. Things like trying new fashion trends, reading a book during the kids' nap time instead of folding laundry, and being creative.

4. Blog it up.

For reals! I have a dream of being a regular blogger. The dream is for this blog to be a source of not only pride and joy, but also income. I'm not expecting that to happen quickly, or even this year, but my goal is to just be more consistent. 

I've said it before- I'm an insecure blogger. But I'm hoping that by making some of the previous changes I'll be able to step up my game and really give this blogging thing the 'ol college try. So if you guys could do me a solid and leave a comment every once in a while to let me know that someone out there is actually reading this (hi mom!), that would be super cool. It helps to know I'm not just shooting words out into cyberspace.

5. Party, party.

When I was growing up, my parents invited people over for dinner often and as a result, I have a lot of fond memories of sitting around our dining table over a yummy meal with lively conversation. My mother has an amazing gift of hospitality that she has graciously tried to pass on to me. 

I love having people over for dinner or for a party or just to hang out. Unfortunately, I've let fear and apprehension get the better of me and thus preventing me from extending a welcoming hand to our home. But that is coming to an end. 

I'm learning to let go of shame over how far away we live and just say "hey, come on over". You want to know what? It's really fun. I love the anticipation of preparing to fellowship with others in the comfort of my home; there's something really deep about building relationships within the sacredness of one's home. 

***

Well, that about sums it up. I hope that you all are off to a good start with your goals for the new year, and hopefully you've found a little motivation/inspiration from this post.

What are your goals for 2016? What are some things that you're doing to help you reach those goals? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Here's to 2016, whoop whoop!