I’ve been writing down monthly goals to help me focus in on what is important. Many of the things listed are daily habits I’m seeking to maintain or grow in. The goal is not to obtain perfection, but to make steady progress…and months when there isn’t any progress, to give myself grace and start again the next month. That is my hope for you too as you strive to implement daily/weekly/monthly habits.
Untouched Goals
Going over how I’ve done in the previous month also helps me make adjustments and reconsider some of the goals. I didn’t even attempt any of these goals:
- Check out a small group in our church.
- Painting one of the boys’ bedrooms. I have the paint – I just have to do it! (NEW-ish)
- Work at least 15 minutes in the basement with hubby. Our 1 in, 1 out rule has been sabotaged for the basement contents in the last month and it’s been difficult for me to even want to deal with it. But we’ll start anew again next month.
Tracking Daily Habits
I’m also going to start tracking my daily habits (prayer, gratitude, movement, tracking expenses, and sleeping) – not for anyone else to see, but for me to know how many days of the month I’m actually doing a habit. I have a vague sense of how I’m doing, but I could be completely off base! So starting in March I’ll be collecting data. This might help me maintain my habits as a Questioner. If you didn’t take the quiz to find out which of the four tendencies you are, you can go here to take it!
The Habit of Prayer
I went on a retreat with our church in February and came away with several different methods of prayer. The types of prayer were contemplative rather than prescriptive and I’ve been practicing them since then during my daily times of prayer.
I enjoyed them all, but in particular I enjoyed “holding people in the light,” which has roots in the Quaker tradition. The speaker encouraged us to picture those we love in our minds, or to write their names with colored pencils on a piece of paper, and while doing so – to hold them up to Jesus, the light of the world. I particularly enjoyed this because I frequently don’t know what to pray for a person. Instead of praying what I think this person needs, I rest assured that God will work in that person’s life according to their need as I hold them in the light. This type of prayer might sound foreign to you, but it might also be very freeing. I would encourage you to try it.
februARY’S TOP 3 LIST:
As part of these monthly recaps and goals, I’m sharing the top 3 posts and top 3 things I was grateful for this past month.
TOP 3 POSTS IN February
- 10 Lessons Learned After a Year of Decluttering
- Editing Clothes with the KonMari Method, Part 1
- Stress Free Meal Planning for Beginners
TOP 3 THINGS I WAS GRATEFUL FOR IN February
- Weekly yoga classes at work
- Being debt free so that our reduced income isn’t quite as scary.
- Finally making the decision about where our oldest son will go to high school.
MONTHLY GOALS FOR March
SPIRITUAL GOALS:
- Continue to follow my 5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan
- Pray for my husband, children, and loved ones daily “holding them in the light”
- Continue to ask God for specific verses to pray for my husband and children individually
- 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 if possible with the weather).
- 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-ish)
- Work at least 15 minutes in the basement with hubby. We’re planning on tackling the basement with renewed vigor in the new year.
- Budget and track daily expenses using the free EveryDollar app. (NEW)
WRITING GOALS:
- Get organized with a blogging editorial calendar for the month! (NEW – ish)
- Post at least twice a week on my blog
- Develop longer pieces I’m working on to submit to various online sites (NEW-ish)
- 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 March?
This post shared at these lovely link ups.
I use a Passion Planner and recently noticed that I rarely use the monthly calendars and goals areas. Like you, one of my new goals this month is to … well, set a monthly goal.
Hi Jill! I’ve been setting monthly goals but not tracking if I do them on a daily basis! I’m going to try tracking this month to gather concrete “data”
Have you looked at Stormie O’Martian’s Power of a Praying Wife? And she has one for parents.
Hi Melinda! Yes I used to have the Praying Wife book before I decluttered my books! ? It was a good resource at one point.
Hi Angela!
I love the purposeful way you live and organize your goals and ideas! You’re an inspiration! Thanks for the great tips! Visiting today at the Linkup on Living in the Season.
Thank you Pam for your sweet words and for visiting!
I love that you are starting to track your daily habits! That is such a great way to set the habit as something you do every day! I’ll be curious to hear how that works for you!
Thanks for linking up at With Grit & Grace!
Thanks Emily! I’m curious to know the raw facts as well.
I love that your goals seem to be a good mix of attainable and ambitious. You make me want to start writing down monthly goals, too.
Great goals! I hope the weather cooperates for you now that spring is finally coming! Thanks for sharing on the Small Victories Sunday Linkup!
Thanks Heather. Today feels like summer so now no excuses for more movement and running.
Congrats on being a HuffPo contributor! Did you see a good boost in traffic to your site? I have not tried to submit anything yet. I also have a painting project on my goals list. Our two story family room is still the original painters white. I can’t commit to a color I’m such a huge space but it needs painting. I did get the last sample color yesterday. Need to see how it looks and then call for estimates to just get it done. Tracking habits is very helpful, I didn’t do well tracking them I’m March but doing better in March so far. I use checklists in my Plum Paper Planner.
Good luck in March! Hope you’ve linked up with our goals linkup too, just posted it last night.
Thanks Tanya, traffic is hit or miss from HuffPost, but I think it helps with followers on Twitter. I actually really love painting but just need to take the time to do it! I’m actually enjoying tracking my habits on a daily basis – it helps me get back on track faster and see my patterns so far.
I definitely need to sit down and write these out. I love how organized you are here. I’ll be mirroring it. Glad to be your neighbor at Women With Intention Wednesdays. Have a blessed week.
Thanks Carolina! I was glad to be your neighbor as well. Have a wonderful week.
I love reading these types of posts! Good luck on achieving all your goals…looks like you’re doing really well so far! Thanks for sharing with us at Share The Wealth Sunday! xoxo
I love your goals. Thanks so much for sharing them on the #HomeMattersParty
Thanks Jeanne!