New Year + January Goals

Hey there pretty gal!

Welcome to a new year friend! We made it. We made it to a new year. A fresh start. I welcome it. How about you?

Yes, one of my goals for the year is to try to blog more but we have heard that before. To be honest, my newsletter is where my heart is at right now. But journaling whether on the blog or via my notebook is one goal for the year. More creativity through writing.

6 years ago I started this blog. Sometimes I think about that first post. Little did I know what writing would unlock for me. Almost 900 posts later, writing has brought about healing. In the midst of the crazy and the humbling experience of life, thoughts to paper is so nourishing for my soul. Since I want to write more, I decided instead of saying I am committing to blogging 4 times a week, I will write as I have time and leave a little grace for myself. Grace sounds good.

So why set goals? To be honest, I still feel unsettled in all my goals not just for this month but for the year. I feel God is reshaping me, refining me, that things are changing. My priorities are different. My motives are different. And guess what? That is 100% okay. If you feel the same way, unsure of your goals, there is comfort in that. Set goals anyway. Write them down. And just keep praying. Keep talking. Keep being open to his plan. Besides, his plan is far better than any idea I have in my mind.

One thing I have been using for goals this year that has rocked my world (truly) are Powersheets. Go buy them now. They are an investment that has been worth every cent. They make you evaluate, they encourage, they lift up, they bring clarity. In case you cannot tell, I am all about them.

On my tending list for the month of January, I wrote Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. -Gloria Steinem

Dreaming is okay sweet friend. 100% okay. Dream away. What we have to do is put that dream into motion. Slowly, in his will, but in motion. You deserve to live out those dreams, of all size. Go for it sista!

I plan to do a larger post for overall yearly goals (I am still refining them) but monthly goals are here to stay! My goals are a variety this month. A bit of everything.

Find a delicious recipe and bake a chicken. I want to find a recipe that is clean, wholesome and tasty to boot. With baking a chicken we can eat on it throughout the week. It saves us money and it healthy, financially and literally. Also I have never baked a whole bird.

Style and photograph wedding invites. I recently completed the most beautiful and classic linen paper invites for a sweet bride. She was an absolute gem to work with! I cannot believe how kind her soul is. It feels good to create something that both of us were proud of and excited to share with others. That is just one of the reasons I adore paper.

Finish reading Big Magic. I started this book at the end of 2017 but with the holidays I didn't find much time to read. This book is so good and I cannot wait to finish it.

Begin the contentment challenge. A few years ago I read Nancy Ray's contentment challenge blog posts (here, here and here) and immediately felt convicted. When this happens I know that it is a sign of something I should pursue or at least learn more about. I intended to start the year with this challenge but only do it two months. We have plans to start our hall bathroom remodel project this spring and I wanted to feel guilt free when it came to designing that space as to why I am pursuing two months. BUT the more I get into this challenge the more I realize longer may serve a better purpose. I keep praying about this. Also I did start this challenge on January 1 but (yep, another but) I feel I am somewhat failing. The thing with these challenges is that you can make your own rules. I think I need to re-evaluate what I consider "stuff". Here is the truth I have still bought coffee and new pillows for sleeping at night and to me, well, we can make it with what we have. So yes, I may start again. I am still learning. Still being challenged. Still praying.

And if you want to join in this challenge with me, I would love that!

These are some of my goals for January. How is your new year so far? I want to know. I am finding that seeing these goals daily is changing things up for me...in the best way possible! And if you don't feel successful in your goals, start over, make new ones, pray. It isn't too late to make things happen. Little by little is still progress. :)

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