Goals for 2012

Last year I shared some of my goals for 2011. As I read through that post I had to smile. While some of those goals did not become reality, many of them did.

 Reading my goals for last year reminded me of the reason I make those lists. Writing my goals out--whether for the day, month, or year--really does help get things done. An undefined goal can never be achieved. It is just a dream, a hope. When I take that hope, define it to words, write the words as concrete goals, those dreams can become a reality.

What I've decided to do with the goal setting this year, is to think primarily in terms of 6 months, instead of 12 months. I'm doing this for two reasons:

First, I found that last year some of the goals that I set at the beginning of the year did not reflect my priorities later on. I also didn't count on some of the major life changes that my husband and I faced .

Second, this year I know in advance a major life change that will come along about mid-year in the form of Baby. From my current vantage point I have no way of knowing if the second half of this year (post-baby) I'm going to be able to maintain everything I do now, or struggle to maintain basic tasks. There are things that I take for granted now, that may need to become goals 6 months from now.

Therefore, while my personal goals span the entire year, my other goals are "pre-baby" goals. I will revisit this post in early July to set my "post baby" goals for the second half of the year.


Personal

• Finish the Quieting a Noisy Soul course, along with the scripture memory passages before baby comes (12 weeks left)
• Begin memorizing a meditating on the Commands of Christ, plus at least 2 supporting verses per command. Finish two commands a month, or 24 in 2012.
• Exercise 20 minutes a day, 4 days a week
• Focus on habit development, using the 100 day Calendar (more on that in a future post)
• Read at least 30 books

Marriage (6 months)

• Go on one vacation with my man
• Maintain a regular weekly date night. 
• Read at least 1 book together

Baby (6 months)

• Organize home so it can run "without me" for a couple weeks
• Have 3-4 weeks worth of meals in the freezer (breakfast, lunch, supper) by May 1
• Prepare "nursery" in an orderly fashion
• Take prenatal vitamins (yeah.... it's gotta go on the major goal list... :-P) 

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family 

• Make hospitality a part of our lifestyle. Host community group bi-weekly, invite company monthly (more, of course, is better!)
• Write one letter per month (preferably two)
• Continue Keepers. Plan two awards banquets, two semesters, plus monthly summer activities led by another individual while I'm on "maternity leave."