How I’m setting goals for 2017

For the past few days, I’ve been working on my goals for 2017. I would say I’m a fairly disciplined and intentional person, so goal-setting (and achieving) comes pretty naturally for me. However, I haven’t been as organized with my yearly goals since having children. For 2017, I feel the most focused I’ve been in years. Now that I’m well into my 30s, I think I have a clear vision for my life, and I know the areas I want to invest in (ministry, fitness, reading for fun) and those I don’t really care about (crafting and DIY, keeping up with TV and film). I also know my daily and weekly rhythms (teaching days, cleaning days, etc.), and I work with them (instead of against them) when planning my goals.

A link for $10 off the Inkwell Press planner here.

Here is an overview of all my goals broken down by category. These categories have emerged for me after years of goal-setting. For example, I divide my personal spiritual goals from my ministry goals, and I give blogging its own category. Find the categories that work best for you. For years, I have aimed for certain monthly goals like reading one book or sending an encouraging note to a friend. They are starting to become habits or rthymns for me, but they aren’t entirely set in stone, so they still earn a place on the list. Tomorrow I will show you how I take this list of goals and break it down by month.

SPIRITUAL

___ Write homiletic Bible Study

___ Memorize Romans 8

MARRIAGE

___ Write one note of encouragement per month ( 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

___ Date night once per month (1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

___ Speak life daily (thank you, apology, encouragement, compliment – using goal tracker for this)

___ Prayer in journal once per month (1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

PARENTING

___ Date with one child once per month (swap months with Micah… 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

___ Start monthly memory verses

___ Written prayer for each child once per month ( 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

FRIENDSHIP

___ Send a note to a friend 1x/month

___ Send a meal to all close friends when a new baby, miscarriage, or surgery occurs

___ Local playdate once per month ( 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

___ Invite a family to dinner once per month ( 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11  12 )

___ Join MOPS

PROFESSIONAL

___ Update teaching website

___ Decorate office

___ Submit scholarly article

HEALTH

___ Try Orange Theory Fitness and barre classes after pregnancy

___ Follow a nursing-friendly healthy diet

___ Establish anti-aging face routine

FINANCIAL

___ Keeping these private, but there are four goals and one is to build our cash vacation fund!

HOME/ORGANIZATION

___ Frame and hang family photo gallery

___ Write down six favorite recipes for family recipe box

___ Finish baby books for Z + T

___ Clean photos and videos off computer

___ Make Artifact Uprising album (2016) and Shutterfly album (Vol. 6)

BLOG

___ Post every Monday/Wednesday/Saturday

___ Fix and build email subscribers list

___ Create and give away Bible study freebie

___ Pin posts once per month ( 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12 )

___ Share post from archive 1x week

MINISTRY

___ Serve teen moms

___ Serve in formal capacity at church

PERSONAL

___ Read 1.5 books per month ( 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18 )