Each January I, like millions of others, set goals to work toward throughout the year. According to research, 92% of New Year’s resolutions fail. I would prefer to be part of the 8% that pushes through and succeeds. That’s why I believe it’s important to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). It also helps to focus on areas in which you truly desire to see growth or progress.
I have been guilty of setting goals that were unattainable. Sometimes I set goals that I think I should achieve, but that I am not really motivated to work on. The past few years I have focused more on pursuing goals that appeal to me and get me closer to larger goals I wish to achieve.
For 2018 I have three goals I want to work on:
1) Blog once per week.
Fifty-two posts in 2018. That doesn’t sound like too many but it’s more than I’ve ever done. Toward the end of 2017 I decided that I wanted to increase my consistency of blog posting. I managed to have a new post up each week in November and December and I would like to continue with this consistency. This goal is going to require a significant amount of effort but my intention is to hone my writing skills, share my story and experiences with others, and offer encouragement to whoever reads my writing.
2) One date night per month.
Yes, I realize that this was one of my goals last year. We ended up having at least twelve date nights in the year, which was wonderful. We even had a couples vacation! Being away from family means we have to be intentional about getting a babysitter and making plans. We can’t really have an impromptu date night. My marriage is a priority for me and one-on-one time, especially doing something fun or challenging together, helps keep us close to one another. I want to be more creative with date activities this year. Our fall back is dinner and/or a movie but there are so many other things we could do.
3) One-on-one time with each kid once per quarter.
I see my kids all the time but I am not always good about sitting down regularly with each kid to find out what’s going on with them. I often do fun things with both kids but it’s more challenging to get some one-on-one time outside of the house. I like the idea of taking each kid individually out for an activity or some food and catching up on what’s going on with them. It’ll be different than the usual running errands or helping with school work.
What are your goals for 2018? What areas of your life do you want to see some growth in the coming year?