Preparing for 2016
As I look back on 2015, it thrills me to see how much I’ve been able to accomplish. From personal goals, to goals I wanted our family to achieve…I feel as though this year has been more productive than last year. Praise the Lord for progress!
But with all the accomplishments made, the truth is, there were many goals I failed to meet. Needless to say, I totally missed the mark! Of course, I can’t go back and start 2015 over again, but I can look forward to a new beginning. Now is the time to press the restart button!
Ready, Set, GROW
I don’t really like to make “new year’s resolutions.” In the past, I would find myself breaking them shortly after the new year began. Instead, I like to look at the new year in terms of setting specific goals. When I plan my life out, it helps me to begin to grow personally and forces me to live life on purpose! If we’re going to be what we need to be as single moms, we have to be willing to grow. Make goal setting a priority.
The Importance of Setting Goals
It’s been said, “Failure to plan is a plan to fail.”With this in mind, I would say that setting goals are good. They help keep us on track when we feel like giving in to the temptation of quitting. We can always refer back to what we’ve written down and check to see if we’re sticking to those plans. It’s true, if we know where we’re headed and why we are doing what we do, it’s so much easier to stay focused.
My Goals for the New Year
Ok, so I talked a lot about setting goals. Some of you may be thinking, “How do I start the process of making plans that will stick?” My suggestion to you is that you put goals into categories.
About two years ago, I was introduced to an amazing leadership company called LIFE. The founders came up with a concept called, The “8 Fs”~Faith, Family, Friendship, Freedom, Finances, Fitness, Following (leadership), and Fun. They describe these eight categories as being ways in which people live their lives. This has helped me so much to really define what I want to accomplish in my own personal life.
My Goals Defined
Now that you know how I organize my goals, here’s a brief overview of what I would like to accomplish in the new year:
Faith
▪Pray and read my Bible more
▪Win more souls to Christ.
▪Die to self more; learn to follow in Christ’s steps.
Family
▪Spend more one-on-one time with each child~”Date Days.”
▪Memorize more scriptures together.
▪Have more family fun days~find creative ways to spend more time together.
Friendship
▪Spend time with a friend in need.
▪Mentor my “single mommy” friends.
▪Organize a girls day out with friends.
Freedom
▪Study more about our country’s freedom.
▪Share what I’ve learned with others.
▪Vote
Finances
▪Live by a budget.
▪Be more proactive in growing my businesses/pay off some debt.
▪Save more (emergency, life, and targeted savings).
Fitness
▪Exercise more consistently.
▪lose 20 pounds.
▪stick to my gluten free diet for better health.
Following
▪Lead my family, business, and Sunday class by example.
▪Grow my leadership skills by reading, listening to audios, and associating with other leaders. Apply what I’ve learned.
▪Serve~That’s true leadership.
Fun
▪Have more “mommy time.”
▪Do more of the things I love: reading, watching old movies, writing, and of course, EAT MORE CHOCOLATE!
Are you ready for the new year? What are your plans for 2016? I would love to hear them! Send me an email or leave a comment. I pray you and your children have a blessed, prosperous New Year! Until next time…Happy Parenting! ♡
For those of you that homeschool, Check out my next post, “Homeschooling as a Single Parent”~Coming Soon…
