I decided this year I wanted to live with goals a little bit before posting them. AND I wanted to finish the 31 People(s) project as well. I’m still enjoying the feeling of finishing a project that meant so much to me (even if it was a little later)! But now, it’s time to share! I need the accountability of sharing these things with the world. There’s nothing magical about a goal or a resolution, and it’s okay if you don’t like them. But for me and my Type A personality, goals motivate me. They help me live my life with intention and not just let it slip by, and I welcome that.

As you might recall, my words for last year were fight and love. They REALLY became the theme of the year – fighting for my best life along with the Holy Spirit to live a life that demonstrated the Gospel and fought for the things that mattered and loving the people in my life fiercely. I’ll probably post a recap soon of what goals happened last year and what didn’t, but fight and love happened in big ways all year.

For this year, the word that kept sticking out as I thought through all my goals was the word light. I want to bravely do things that scare me this year. For me, to not take risks and not do scary things is to stay in the dark. To do scary things and take risks is to live in and chase the light. I want to be brave enough to write and talk about the hard things – bringing them out of the darkness and into the light. I want to continue the fight I started last year – continuing to not let sin control me by living in the light with accountability and my gospel family fighting with and for me. I want to believe that God has given me dreams and that it’s okay to chase and believe in them – living in the LIGHT. Dreams are bright. Bravery is bright. Fighting against sin is bright. Hope is bright. The opposite of not having dreams, not being brave, not fighting, and not hoping against hope is darkness. More light! 

All of my big yearly goals fit into three categories – simplify, live abundantly, choose healthy. I want to stop buying unnecessary things and exchange frivolous spending for more simplicity. I want to live abundantly, bravely, chasing dreams, doing scary things like not being afraid to talk to boys, have hard conversations, or call myself a writer (or start new jobs and quit old ones – CHECK!). I want to choose healthy options like physical activity and better food.

• {simplify} Buy less. For every new clothing purchase, 3 others must be donated. Shoes 1 for 1. Makeup 5 for 1. No more impulse buying or buying things just because they are on sale. A purchase has to a be  thought out commitment when it requires getting rid of other things.

• {simplify} Save more and towards future possible car payments.

• {simplify} Tithe regularly and bless others.

• {live abundantly} Do something scary every month.

• {live abundantly} Only check social media every 2 hours for 5-10 minutes, max 1 hour total a day. (This has proved to be way harder than I thought, but I’m still attempting it!)

• {live abundantly} Be a good writer. Good writers write, read (BOOKS! Not just blogs and social media articles), connect, believe, and try.

• {choose health} No solo drive-thrus.

• {choose health} Eat less sugar.

• {choose health} Workout for 30 minutes a day, 3-4 days a week at the gym, at home, or outside (do something even if it doesn’t seem “big”).

My main focus for monthly goals is to read all the books I didn’t read last year! But I also want to be intentional to make the big goals happen through monthly goals too. This is a rough list and I know I’ll add more, but it’s a good start. I also readded some of the monthly ones from last year that I either never did or liked so much I wanted to do it again.

January: Finish Let’s All Be Brave by Annie Downs. Send snail mail. Finish 31 people(s). Write notes to coworkers. Talk to a boy.

February: Finish Harry Potter on audiobook and Make It Happen by Laura Casey. Make and share Valentine’s cookies. Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

March: Finish The Selection Series by Kiera Cass. Write coworkers notes. Buy a stranger coffee once a week. Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

April: Finish I Want God by Lisa Whittle. Bring neighbors and landlord baked goods. Plan 33 Things. Write gospel family notes. Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

May: Finish A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman. Do 33 things (TBD, but load a Starbucks card to gift Instagram followers with coffee, send snail mail, & other things). Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

June: Finish Love Does by Bob Goff. Host a game night pot luck. Write prayers for roommates. Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

July: Read The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. Make ice cream in barely used ice cream maker once a week. Wear my two-piece swimsuit somewhere (with all girls, it’s not a scandalous swimsuit but a classy one that terrifies me and a body image challenge). Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

August: Read Restless by Jennie Allen. Write coworkers notes with a new school year survival happy. Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

September: Read Simply Tuesday by Emily Freeman. Master a new baked good. Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

October: Finish 1000 Gifts by Ann Voscamp. Bring neighbors and landlord pumpkin bread. Attempt 31 days again (maybe). Invite a gospel family household over for dinner.

November: Restart/read Wicked Lovely Series by Melissa Marr. Make a real turkey. Host a girls’ night.

December: Finish Wicked lovely Series by Melissa Marr. Send Christmas cards. Bring neighbors cookies.

And I made pretty printouts to put places again. Seriously, I love a January –  a new year, new goals, and new motivation. I already feel like a much braver person and not as cripplingly terrified to do scary things. I already feel like I can’t rely on shopping therapy as a controlling crutch, and that feels good. Now to figure out how to actually make the working out thing happen again and I’ll be off to a good start!