2010 was an amazing year for us, it brought lots of challenges and blessings. But so much of what happened was in part because we had a plan, a way to get where we wanted to go. Each year my husband and I sit down the week between Christmas and New Year’s and discuss our goals for the upcoming year, both business and personal. We don’t really like to call them “resolutions“, but instead goals, something to aim for. One of the most important things we have learned is to have specific measurable goals. Having an ambiguous goal like “losing weight” won’t get you very far, you will likely have the same goal the next year. Instead, shoot for something like “lose 10 pounds by March”, then think through exactly how you are going to do it.
So, before you get started on your 2011 Goals, be sure to checkout Bradford’s post about Resolutions: Time to Focus, it will walk you through tips on how to successfully plan and hit your goals.
Recap of 2010
In moving forward, it is good to look back and see what you accomplished, there is nothing greater than setting big audacious goals and finding that you hit them! Some of the goals I had for last year were:
Prioritizing My Time. I did a much better job of this in 2010 than in 2009, by setting specific blogging times, getting up earlier and planning out my weeks to see what exactly I could fit into them.
Recipe Box. The Recipe Box has proven to be one of your favorite features in 2010, I am glad I listened to you and got it up! Stay tuned for even more additions in 2011.
Provisions Prep Days. My Prep Days were one of the major planning items that helped me keep healthy snacks on hand for my kiddos this year. I fell behind a bit in the last few months, but I hope to get started back again at the end of January.
:: Checkout my Goals for 2010 post to see them all…
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. ~ Proverbs 16:1-3
Goals for 2011
There are so many things I want to put on the list here, but I have chosen the ones that are most important to me and my family time. The primary area I will be focusing on in 2011 is in my time management skills. I want to get better at getting things done, so I can have more quality time for my family, myself and for the things we love to do. Here are a few items I have on my list:
Personal Goals
Honor the Sabbath. I am almost finished reading The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath by Mark Buchanan.
It has changed the way that I look at rest and why God commanded us to take it. It is not an option, it is a necessity for us as humans. God modeled it for us when he created, he modeled it for us as an example.
Get Organized. As organized as I am online, I am not so much in my home. You will get some before and after glimpses into my home reorganization makeover in the coming weeks on my “Get Organized” series. It has energized me to put things in their place, but to also be a better household manager, to steamline the way things work for us in the home.
Joy in the Journey. The only thing that gets me through a day is my daily quiet time. This is an essential element in my spiritual health. I struggled with finding my joy all last year, I allowed it to be stolen by the most trivial of things. I always felt like things would be better when I hit my destination, but I see now that I need to find joy in the journey. God has taught me a lot this year about putting things into perspective. So, 2011 will be a year I really focus on keeping everything in perspective, in God’s perspective. Bradford told you what we remembered the most about 2010…we did a lot of waiting. I am not a good “waiter” and that was a huge source of angst for me. I know God is sharpening us in our waiting skills for a reason, and I will be happy for the waiting, and I will strive to find joy in all life’s journeys, no matter where they take us.
Read. Read. Read. I love to read so each year I pull together a list of books from varying topics to read and broaden my horizons. Incorporate topics such as motherhood, faith, business and even some great fiction pieces like C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. Be sure to checkout my 2011 Suggested Reading List if you are looking for some good ideas!
Family Goals
Monthly Date Nights. With family close and all the Groupons and half off deals we find locally, we are going to continue to make our marriage and date nights a top priority. I firmly believe a strong family foundation is in the strength of the marriage. We did much better than years past, but we want to do even better this year. I also have a weekend retreat planned very soon, can’t wait for that! Yes…I used a Groupon for that too.
Weekly Family Nights. We get a lot of family time, since we both work from home, but making it quality can sometimes be a challenge. This year we are going to designate one night each week for a family night. The goal will be for them to be pretty much media-free. This year we want to begin reading family novels out loud, there are so many great opportunities to talk to your children from the topics that arise.
Girl Talk. My daughter is getting to an age where I really want to let her understand I am a safe place and she can tell me anything. I was reading in Sally Clarkson’s Seasons of a Mother’s Heart, and she talks about how she had a “Girl Talk” night once a week for one on one time with her girls. So, a few weeks ago we started it and it has become the highlight of our week! I enjoy it as much as she does and it enforces my goals to “rest” and “have joy in the journey”. We simply sit on the bed with a hot drink and a treat and talk, giggle, listen to classical music, read, just whatever she wants to do. I let her determine the direction. She talks about it all week long.
Know the Heart of My Children. I know the title sounds ambiguous, but I have a strategic plan here! While I was at the Relevant Conference I found an amazing resource called Flag Page by Family Matters. After going through the program, I now have a better understanding of how my children are hardwired and how best I can relate to them. An outcome of the results was my daughter beginning violin lessons this week. We have committed to pursuing her love of art, which is showing itself in the form of music and crafts. It has been a joy to watch her blossom. Stay tuned, I’ll have a special gift for one of my readers for the Flag Page in the next few weeks!
Allowance. Now that my daughter is a little older, we are going to start teaching her more about money. How it works, what to do with it, how to get it and how to manage it. We will be starting Financial Peace Jr. with her, in fact we read some of the books this morning, the first was on “Integrity” and we talked about it all throughout the day. Want to try out the Financial Peace Jr. program? Check back in a few weeks, I’ll be giving ten away to my readers!
Blogging Goals
New Site Design! Yes, it should be coming sometime in the beginning of 2011. We have been working behind the scenes diligently to get a new more user-friendly and informational site up for you. It will have more features and it will be easier to find the free resources you are looking for on Faithful Provisions. Stay tuned.
New Series Content. I have heard you and we will be bringing a few new series’ to the mix this year. They include continuing the weekly recipes in my Recipe Box, Q&A Fridays (by the way, head over to the form to submit your questions), Kelly’s Kitchen Tips and Healthy Living on a Budget. The new content will include:
Simply Saving: We will be getting back to basics and covering all the different resources, tools and methods to save money. I’ll be talking about everything from Coupon Organization to Meal Planning.
Ask Bradford: You will have the chance to ask your couponing questions from a man’s perspective. A perfect opportunity to find out how to get your man on board!
Video Blogging: I have not attempted this to date, but I am going to attempt my first ever vlog on Coupon Organization. Watch out!
A Few Surprises!: We have a few surprises we can’t tell you about just yet, but there are some great resources and tools planned for you this year.
Thanks for this post… the whole perspective thing is something I need to work on too. My 2010 was pretty awful. But, now that it’s over, I would like to look at it with fresh eyes and see what lessons I need to learn from it. Thanks again,
dawn hild
Hi! I just wanted to say thank you for all that you do. Your helpful information, couponing tips and great coupon/store/web links have helped me immensely throughout 2010. I look forward to following you through 2011 and am very excited to be a recipient of all of your expertise. Thank you, thank you, thank you. God Bless and Happy 2011!!!!!!
I can’t tell you how much of a blessing and encouragment your site has been. Thank you for all your hard work and being there with me (and many other Moms/wives) through the journey. May you continue to use your blessings in the furthing of His kingdom!
Thank you for all you do! I’m excited about this new year!
amazing goals….i don’t know how you do it all – even after reading your well thought out plan….thank you for all you do!….i tell people on an almost daily basis about your website – it must be hard at times when you are very busy and stressed to feel reassured or that you are making a difference since you ‘touch’ our lives electronically for the most part…but know that we are out here and you are making a difference – and it’s not always about the dollars you help us save….
thanks again!
I am looking forward to new goals and direction, too. I am still learning and have learned to keep leaning on God’s ways and not my own. I ask to see things from His perspective and not my own. He is faithful and will give us what we ask for in “due time” I also know that I can not accomplish much if I do not connect with Him everyday! His mercies are new each day and each day has enough concerns of its own to worry about tomorrow or live in regret over yesterday! I need some fresh ideas for home organization and also the new seasons of life my teens are in! Thank you so much for sharing your valuable time and resources with those of us who share your values!!