Looking Back at 2012 Goals

It’s that time of year when people are asking, “Did you make a New Year’s resolution?”  Before I made any goals for this year I wanted to check and see how I did on last year’s goals.

Everyone says that the secret to reaching your goals is to write them down.  Everyone is right! Since I am a list nerd girl, last year I made 3 lists:  Goals for 2012, Long Term Goals and a Book List.  A perfectionist may look at my progress and frown, but I am going with the attitude “Any progress is good progress!”

My Booklist:  I have mentioned before that I love to read, but I get stuck on one topic and become obsessed enthralled with it.  My 2012 book list contained different genres and topics to try to stay more well rounded!  I didn’t read every book on my list this year, but I did read half!  I read a variety of books so I say, “Goal accomplished!” As always other books were suggested to me throughout the year so I did a little off list reading too.  By far the best book was Redeeming Love.

 

Long-term Goals:  This was the list that I found most encouraging.  Last year I wrote down all those things that I would say, “Someday I want to…” I was inspired by Mama Bird’s goals posts!  One of my “somedays” included “Plant a Garden.”  (insert something here about the success of the garden experience, and then insert something to the effect of: Another “someday” was to sign up for a fitness challenge that I had been contemplating for six years.)  I signed up for a fitness challenge that I had been contemplating for six years.  I begin this week!  We achieved some of our family’s financial goals this year, and even though working with yeast scared me at first, I dove head first into making bread, buns and cinnamon rolls.  What a great year!

Goals for 2012: I made four goals for the year.

1.      Try new things (Foods specifically)

2.      Pray more

3.      Consistently speak gently to my kids

4.      Kill my sugar habit

#1 New Foods: I ate a lot of foods that I had either never tired before or previously thought I didn’t like.  Brussels sprouts, parsnips, quinoa, cabbage, lamb, ratatouille, egg rolls, cole slaw and chocolate covered bacon!  (They were giving out free samples at the Des Moines Art’s Festival so I thought I might as well try it!)

#2  Prayer: This was less quantifiable than my first goal.  It feels like I can always pray more.  In the last few months I have started a thankfulness journal, and I am so glad that I did!

#3 Gentle words:  I am so glad that this goal was in my face all year.  I have NOT mastered this, but my conscience is picked each time my voice gets too “edgy” and I am quick to ask my children for forgiveness.   If I can’t be a good model of gentleness I should at least try to model humility!  The other day I heard myself say to a certain little boy, “I am sorry I yelled, but I had to keep you from killing your sister!”

4# Sugar: Can’t I skip this?  There were times I did really well at this.  I have to keep a food journal with my fitness challenge.  This week I keep telling myself, “I’d better eat this before I start the challenge and it’s off limits.”  There is currently ice cream off to my right.  J

I am not done with my 2012 goals.  I want to take them with me into 2013, but I am ready now to put together my 2013 list and see what I can get done!

 This post is linked at http://www.raisingarrows.net/ and http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/