A new year! Since I’ve been writing and reflecting on monthly goals for a few months now, new years resolutions don’t seem as important to make. This whole blog is about developing and maintaining daily, weekly, and monthly habits which I’ll continue to try to maintain in 2016. There is one new habit that I’ll be adding in 2016 which I’ll write about soon.
How Did I do on December Goals?
- I have yet to wake up early enough every morning to do my morning routine before the kids wake up. I’m fine with that, although I won’t give up trying!
- I didn’t visit any small groups, but plan to try again in January!
- We celebrated Advent with our Advent candles and short daily readings from an Advent calendar I made several years ago. We celebrated with both sides of family – Christmas Eve with my husband’s family and Christmas with my sister and her family. We were missing my sister and mom, but grateful for extended cousin time!
- I’m maintaining my fitness activities – running on my days off and walking 2 miles on days that I work. I just did a kettlebell video that I have recently and I was sore for days!
- I’m sleeping 6 hours a night, but my schedule is really off because we’ve been on vacation mode. I’ve been staying up too late and getting up in the mornings too late. Time to get back on track in January!
- My husband and I actually had 2 date nights in December! Woo hoo! We did a babysitting exchange again with my brother-in-law and then had another date night when we were at my sisters.
- Meal plans – check! They’re nothing fancy, but they’re planned ahead of time and it reduces so much stress.
- I haven’t done as much decluttering in December due to the holidays and traveling, but I decluttered our ornaments and Christmas decorations as we unpacked and packed them back up again.
- I posted 7 times in December. I took a break from the blog during Christmas and it helped me enjoy the celebrations we had at the end of the year.
- I went to my midwife for my annual well woman appointment and got the prescription for my mammogram – it’s scheduled for next week!
Monthly Goals for January
SPIRITUAL GOALS:
- Continue to follow my 5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan
- Pray for my husband and children daily using these prayer calendars
- Ask God for specific verses to pray for my husband and children individually (NEW)
- Take 10 slow, deep breaths in the morning. Silent prayer and meditation.
- Check out a small group in our church.
PERSONAL GOALS:
- Exercise 5 days (running at least 2 of those days).
- Sleep at least 6 hours a night.
- Write down 3 things I’m grateful for daily
HOUSEHOLD GOALS:
- Meal Plan dinner for the weeknights
- Maintaining the decluttered areas
- Painting one of the boys’ bedrooms. I have the paint – I just have to do it! (NEW)
- Work at least 15 minutes in the basement with hubby. We’re planning on tackling the basement with renewed vigor in the new year. Stay tuned!
WRITING GOALS:
- Get organized with a blogging editorial calendar for the month! (NEW)
- Post at least twice a week on my blog
- Develop longer pieces I’m working on to submit to various online sites (NEW)
- Contribute an old post on Huffington Post. I was so excited to become a contributor to Huffington Post. You can find my entries so far here.
MONTHLY GOALS:
- Date night with hubby (where we actually go out of the house together…without kids)
- One on one outings with each son.
What are some goals that you have for January?
This post shared at these lovely link ups.
Great goals. I definitely need to focus on date nights with my husband as well. Visiting from Mommy Monday Blog Hop.
Yes – date nights! I think I might try one scheduled out of the house night and one in home date night
Date nights? What are those elusive things?? 😉 But seriously, I think hubby & I will have an actual date night this month – I mean, it is our anniversary this week!
Happy Anniversary! Get out there and enjoy yoursel Suzanna! You may actually get to eat and have an uninterrupted conversation with your husband! 🙂
I love this list and the idea! I have my goals in my brain, but let’s be honest…they won’t stay there very long. Or if they do, they’ll get lost behind everyday life. This is such a wonderful way to do it little by little throughout the whole year
Absolutely Karyl. It really does make a difference when you put it on paper. I’m starting to print them out too and keep them in my planner too so I can see them everyday. Thanks for reading and commenting – I appreciate it!
Thank you for sharing your goals! It is inspiring to read other people’s goals as well. I am glad I found you through Tuesday Talk 🙂 God Bless!
Hi Johanna – thank you for reading my goals! It sounds like you do goals as well so I’m hopping over to take a look!
Fabulous goals! I only set blogging goals for this month, but this has definitely inspired me to set goals for all the other aspects of my life too!
Thanks for sharing and I hope you have great success this month!
I want to set up more detailed blogging goals as well. Thanks for stopping by Victoria!
Oh these are fantastic goals! I love the one about taking 10 slow deep breaths! And your writing goals sound great! Really, though, all of them had me nodding my head!
Thank you Branson! Yes, the deep breaths are so centering
I love how intentionally you are living! I, too, have been trying to get up earlier than my 3 kids so I can have time to pray/meditate/write/relax before the day really gets started, but sometimes I think what I need most is more sleep 🙂
Also, my husband and I can sure use a date night as well. It’s been WAY. TOO. LONG.
(P.S. I’m glad I found your blog on #authenticbloggers!)
Hi Shelly! I agree that more sleep can definitely be in order. It’s so important to listen to our bodies. I hope you and your hubby are able to get out soon!
I love how thorough your goals are! I need to incorporate your sleeping and exercising goals. The big thing I am starting on this month is exercise because I know it will also help a ton with the sleep!
I am hosting a monthly goal link up here and this would be a great post to add if you are interested! 🙂
You have great goals! They are encouraging as I think of my own goals!
Your 5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan looks great. I may look into it. 🙂
Thanks Emily! I love the 5x5x5 plan. I’ve given up trying to read through the bible in 1…2…or 3 years. Im working my way up though.
I so need to make date nights happen around here! Good food, grown up conversation…yup, that’s now my one and only January goal!
That is a very good goal Abby! You deserve a night out busy mama!
Great goals Angela. I am checking out the Bible reading plan.
Good luck with the editorial calendar.
Thanks Micha!
Love the idea, Angela. I also plan to have a date nights here, not easy with small kids but it is so necessary.
Thanks for sharing with us at #2usestuesday!
I agree Pili! It may not happen every month, but if we don’t make it a goal, it just gets pushed to the side doesn’t it?
These are wonderful goals! My husband & I have planned to date more this year. 🙂
Wishing you all the best in 2016!
Thanks for joining us at #MMBH!
XOXO
Good for you! I think that all married folks struggle with keeping this on the schedule!
Such good goals for this month! We are also in the midst of painting rooms for our kids. It’s such a project but it will be so worth it to have it done!
Thank you Victoria. I’m really hoping I can do the painting this weekend. I love how it can transform a room.