Goals 2021

 

After reflecting on last year's goals, I've settled on this year's ambitious goals.

1.    Grow your mind: Read 52 books  This was one of my favorites.  This year I'm going to try to keep up with my book blog

2.    Cultivate creativity: 52 5x7 works of art, 6 large paintings.  I was able to do 52 works of art last year ranging from ATC to full 9x12". This year, I considered how I could increase that goal reasonably...when it was such a challenge last year.  I settled on 52 works of small size AND 6 big paintings.  

3.    Practice gratitude: 52 acts of gratitude  What exactly is an act of gratitude?  I left this one fairly open on purpose.  Maybe one week I will write a card to someone I'm grateful for...I have a lot of those people in my life!  Maybe one week, we will sit down as a family and list our many blessings... I want to raise grateful, not entitled children and I want gratitude to be an intentional practice.  Ideas: volunteer at a soup kitchen, pick up trash on a trail, random acts of kindness...

4.    Rest and play: 52 fun things with my children.   Last year my goal of playing with my children for 30 minutes a day was too hard to track.  I often forgot so this year I chose a weekly format...but it can't just be anything.  I bought The Adventure Challenge: Family Edition to help with ideas.

5.    Rest and play: 52 board games.  This will be easy!   One board game a week!   We own over 50 games....so we need to play every game once.

6.    Cultivate a healthy marriage: 52 fun things with Chase.  The pandemic made it hard this year to go on "dates," so this year I changed things up.  Of course I bought The Adventure Challenge: Couples Edition to help us out.

7.    Nurturing my body:  fasting, no soda, no fried food.  I read in Mom Hacks last year that aiming for a number isn't motivating enough to maintain a lifestyle change for weight loss...and it seems to my experience.  This year,  I'm not aiming for a number; I am aiming for a healthier life.  Why?  So I can be there for my kids and so I can set a good example. 

8.    Exercise: 3 days of cardio, 2 strength

9.    Explore nature:  26 hikes; 6 camping adventures.  This one might be tough!   We've already booked one camping adventure, but I hope to fit in a few more this year!  We had a blast camping last year.

10.          Declutter your house: 52 zones.    Each week, pick an area to declutter.  I'm trying to go more minimalist since there are 5 of us in this house..7 if you count pets!  Things are crowded and I'm constantly cleaning.  I want a house that is easy to keep clean...and that means less stuff!

11.          Combat Scarcity: No-spend weeks.  This one is aimed at breaking my Amazon addiction.  YIKES.  Allowed expenditures: repairs, groceries, necessities (and Chase has to agree it's a need not a want...), stuff for adventure books.  If there is something I really want: comes from my art fund and buy used.  This one will be the hardest goal I've set.   The first thing I do when I'm stressed is "add to cart."

12.          Financial goals: Pay off ECSI, Nugget, and Purple.  Save 10 k in retirement, save 10k in emergency.  This year I'm paying off that tiny student loan (still pretending the big one doesn't exist).  I'm also paying off the 2 things we bought on credit in 2019.  The savings goals should be no problem.  Last year we adapted to me putting 16% of my income on accident....so i might as well keep it that way this year.