Back in January I shared my goals for the coming year. At the time, I knew that my priorities and motivations would likely shift once I became a mom, so I held these goals loosely and pledged to reevaluate them midway through the year. Here we are in July, and it’s time for me to check back in. I’ve been surprised by how many of these goals still feel relevant and attainable. I have had to make a few adjustments, and I’m giving myself grace regarding the goals I’m choosing to abandon, acknowledging that failing to meet a goal does not make ME a failure. Here’s a look back at those goals and what I’m doing with them.
Record-Keeping
Journal every day in my Day One app. I’m keeping on top of this one and have grown to appreciate journaling more now than ever!
Use a service like Shutterfly to create a family photo album at the end of the year. I still hope to do this and have been taking PLENTY of photos to fill our album. I would like to start getting more pictures of our whole family (not just of Charlie).
Start and maintain a baby book to record all of the memories and milestones of our little guy’s first year. I’m not in love with the baby book I decided to use, but I’ve at least been doing a decent job at keeping it updated. I also plan to print and bind the baby updates I’ve been writing for Charlie each month.
Parenting
Have a healthy and natural labor—with our midwife at the birth center—with no interventions and no hospital transfer. Healthy and natural happened! Midwife and birth center, not so much. I’m still sad that we weren’t able to deliver in our place of choice, but I know that we did what was best for Charlie in agreeing to a hospital delivery. And I’m still holding out for a birth-center (or possibly home) birth for the next baby!
Breastfeed for at least one year. So far, so good! Breastfeeding has been such an amazing experience and we plan to continue as long as possible.
Become comfortable with—and use—cloth diapers. . . most of the time. We could be doing better with this one. We are using (and enjoying) cloth during the daytime when we are home, but I’d like to find some diapers that don’t leak so we could rely on cloth at nighttime and when we are away from home as well. If you have any recommendations I’d love to hear them!
Join a mom’s support group. I joined MOPS and loved attending the biweekly sessions this spring (we are on hold for the summer). I have an awesome small group that frequently met on the off-weeks during the school year and has continued to get together over the summer, so I definitely feel like my needs are being met in this department.
Marriage
Go for walks together at least three times per week. Luke has been hitting up the gym most days after work, but we try to go for walks together on the days he comes straight home.
Work through the 15-Minute Marriage Makeover Workbook. We made it through the first chapter. . . and then we had a baby. We need to pick this up again!
Go on a monthly date night. Not to point fingers, but one of us is having a hard time with the idea of leaving our little guy for an evening out, so I think this goal might need to be set aside for a few more years months. On the bright side, Charlie goes to bed pretty early so Luke and I get some quality time together most evenings.
Reading
Read at least 24 books: one fiction and one non-fiction per month. My reading has slowed a bit this summer, but thanks to audiobooks and my Kindle I’ve already exceeded my annual goal (I’ve read 44 books so far this year). I’ve also been good about getting in at least one fiction and one non-fiction per month.
Become more intentional about my book selections. I’ve read or am currently reading eight of books on my 2015 TBR List. So far, What Alice Forgot and StrengthsFinder 2.0 have been my favorites. Of the nine remaining books, seven are non-fiction and I’m wishing I’d included more fiction on my list!
Spiritual
Memorize a Bible verse each month. I’m on track with this goal and have been reaping the benefits. I’ve enjoyed sharing the monthly verses with you all here on the blog.
Meditate at least three times per week. This was definitely an aspirational goal and it simply hasn’t been happening. Rather than feeling guilty about my lack of a meditation practice, I’ve decided to scrap the goal altogether. However, I have been working on simply being more mindful throughout the day. I’ve also been going on headphone-free walks, during which I talk and pray aloud with Charlie; for now, that is as close as I’m going to get to meditation.
Read from a daily devotional book each evening. Still reading a daily devotional, though in listening to my soul’s cravings I abandoned A Year With C.S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works in favor of the more uplifting and less academic Jesus Calling.
Join an adult fellowship (aka Sunday School Class) at our church. Hasn’t happened, and at this point I think we’ll wait until after our move, when we are settled into a new church.
Finances
Pay off our second car by the end of the year. We may or may not achieve this goal, depending on our move situation. We could technically pay off the car today (we do have the cash), but for now we are keeping the money set aside to make sure we can cover moving costs.
Fitness
Walk at least 5,000 steps per day. I go for walks with Charlie most days, so I’ve been nailing this one.
Attend a Mom-and-Baby yoga class. Hasn’t happened and, to be honest, this no longer really appeals to me so it’s getting crossed off the list.
Blogging
Continue blogging, even after the baby is born. You’re reading this now, and it’s July, so I suppose this goal has been achieved!
Participate in some sort of professional development. I’m keeping this goal on the table, but still haven’t determined what it will look like. Luke is trying to talk me into joining him in an online writing seminar so perhaps that will be my route to achieving this goal.
Miscellaneous Goals
Have newborn pictures taken. Done! One of the best decisions we made as new parents.
Send out Christmas cards this year. Still hoping to do this; we’d love to use the photographer who shot Charlie’s newborn photos to take family pictures for our cards.
Switch to a password manager. Still needs to happen!
Frame some family photos for our home. We’ve added quite a few family photos to our walls and I want to add more.
Establish some new family Christmas traditions. Hasn’t happened yet, for obvious reasons.
In addition to setting traditional goals, I started off 2015 by selecting a “word of the year.” My word, “OPEN,” was chosen as a reminder to myself to be receptive to change, opportunities, and adventure. At the time I had no idea of how relevant this one word would be. My year has seen more than its share of unexpected events, and I’ve been stretched beyond what I could have imagined seven months ago. That’s not to say that I’ve entered into these “growth opportunities” gracefully, but I have certainly been flexed outside of my comfort zone. Now that we are well into the second half of the year, I am continuing to focus on making OPEN my daily mantra. I don’t know what the rest of the year will entail, but I am praying for the courage to face whatever lies ahead with a positive attitude and a sense of peace.
This Thursday I will be sharing the updated approach I will be taking to setting attainable goals for the remainder of the year. Until then I’d love to know how you’ve been doing with your goals for 2015. Leave a comment to let me know about the goals you set back in January, and how they’ve been going!