My 15 Goals for 2014

I love fresh starts!  I love that God created a world with new beginnings each and every day.  There are some times we just need to start again in the morning, right?

This is probably why I also love starting a new year.  Although I tend to think more along the lines of the school calendar {I am married to The Teacher, remember?}, I still love an excuse to re-set some goals and start the new year off on the right foot.

In this crazy, chaotic world we live in, goals help to keep me focused.  I’ve learned to not let my goals limit or restrict me, but to use them to guide and direct my days.  Let’s face it, with two little ones, I need all the focus I can get.  Time is limited, so I’d rather live each day with purpose and intention…and some spontaneity thrown in there too!

So with all that said, here is my list of goals for 2014.

Marriage
1.  1 date night each month {can be at home dates but must be 1 date out each quarter}
2.  Enjoy 1 weekend away or attend 1 marriage conference
3.  Read 1-2 marriage books

Mothering
4.  1 play date and/or date night with Savannah each month
5.  Attend dotMom or some other motherhood conference

Personal
6.  Read 12 books this year
7.  Work to get 7 hours of sleep each night
8.  Finish my year-long devotional book {I got behind and have a lot of catching up to do}
9.  Begin exercising again

Blogging
10.  Plan blog posts 1 month out
11.  Submit 4 guest posts to blogs I enjoy
12.  Read 1-2 books on blogging

Financial
13.  Fully-fund our emergency fund
14.  Save up to purchase some extra insurance this summer
15.  Buy a new computer

When I first started my list of goals, I quickly realized why I usually end up failing to meet many of my goals – I bite off way more than I can chew.  I had a separate category for home improvement projects, health, and  spiritual goals and it was adding up to way more than I know is achievable.

There are plenty of other things I’d like to accomplish, but I need to keep it simple.  I tried to keep them general enough to allow for flexibility but also actionable so I can really make some traction.  My plan is to do a monthly recap to give you an update on how I’m doing – good or bad.  If I find I’m having trouble staying focused, I may copy a friend’s idea and try breaking these yearly goals into more specific monthly goals.