2018 Goals + Goal-Setting Strategy

Starting a new year is one of my very favorite feelings. I feel so energized and excited when I see people talking about what they want to accomplish and what kind of people they want to become in the next year. You can almost see everyone recognizing their potential and wanting to improve.

Last year, I spent some time in St. George between Christmas and New Year's just thinking about my life and setting some thoughtful goals. I was AMAZED at how many of my goals I was able to reach, so I decided to do it again this year, with a better process and strategy.

Step One: Reflect

I started out by listing everything noteworthy in 2017. I wrote down my accomplishments, things I was proud of and things I felt like I could improve, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Most of my list was dominated by being pregnant and having a baby, but there were also things I did at work that I would have forgotten about if I hadn't taken the time to reflect on them.

Step Two: Brainstorm

Next, I put together a list of goals/dreams/resolutions/ideas I had for 2018. I really tried not to censor myself, and instead I just made a long list of projects and ideas for different categories (physical, mental, spiritual, social, financial, etc). There were some things I had on my mind for a while, but there were other things that came to me as I started thinking.

Step Three: Get Serious

I let my ideas marinate for a while. I wanted to make sure I had captured everything on my mind and that I didn't make any rash decisions. After a day or so, I went back to my list and circled everything that I felt excited about. *If there's one thing I know about goal-setting, it's that you should only set goals that excite you. Setting goals out of obligation only leads to guilt and anxiety.* I took all the things I had circled and created a more formal list of my big goals, organized by category. I didn't prioritize my list, mostly because it was overwhelming enough to narrow them down, and I didn't think there was necessarily one goal that mattered more than the others.

Step Four: Make a Plan

Once I had my high-level goals, I made a plan for concrete ways I could reach those goals. This was the hard part for me. I knew I wanted to be a better mom in 2018, but how could I do that? How often should I really work on that goal? I found myself creating several specific actions for some goals, and making vague plans for the others. I told myself I could change or add goals as needed.

 
growth & personal development
{Create just for the sake of creating}

• Write on my blog 1x each week without feeling obligated to promote my work.

{Make a greater effort to reach my goals} 

• Host a girls "goals group" where I can make friends, get help on my goals, and stay accountable. 

• Review my goals each month and set new goals.

• Read two books every month.

career & business

{Enjoy being a working mom}

• Go back to work in February!

• Find a way to continue earning money while I'm in Texas for the summer.

finances

{Reduce impulse spending}

• Document my purchases every week.

• Use something up before buying something new.

health & fitness

{Develop a habit of exercising regularly}

• Find a form of exercise I enjoy.

• Exercise for 60 minutes total every week.

spirituality

{Experience greater joy in my church calling}

• Attend two singles ward activities every month.

• Prepare lessons for my Temple Prep class.

{Become more spiritually minded}

• Read the scriptures every day.

• Pray every day.

love & marriage

{Fall more in love with Cob}

• Go on a fun weekly date with Cob AND document it!

• Take family pictures and have them printed.

friends & family

{Learn how to be a better mom}

• Identify qualities of good mothers.

• Spend time with moms I admire and learn from them.

• Read Peter 1 book every day.

{Document my life in a fun way}

• Instagram 5-7 highlights of each month.

• Make a chatbook of #petersfirstyear.

{Be Vivacious!}

• Practice being a good conversationalist.

• Do my visiting teaching every month.

fun & recreation

{Have more fun}

• Limit my time on social media

• Celebrate holidays

service & giving

{Look out for new moms}

• Take dinner to anyone I know who had a baby.

• Donate to causes that empower women/mothers.

physical environment

{Make my home more beautiful and zen-like}

• Paint the kitchen table white.

• Clear off the kitchen table before bed each night.

Spelling out all my goals took a considerable amount of time, but I felt so excited when I was done! I printed out my list, put it on the back of my kitchen door, and made a daily/weekly/monthly checklist so I could track my progress. I love goals!!!

♡♡♡
Rebecca