Jesse and I spent time really discussing what my focuses should be for 2014 and we nailed down four areas that are my priorities for this year:
- Marriage: to continue to invest time and energy to strengthen and nurture our marriage and make it one of the greatest priorities
- Mothering: to continue to invest in our children with the goal of teaching them character, life skills, and raising them to be responsible adults
- Myself: to make my health a priority and to invest in my personal growth as a Christian, business owner, writer, speaker, and leader
- MoneySavingMom.com: to invest time into blogging — not just overseeing the business and my team, but making writing content pieces one of my top blogging priorities
Having these specific areas determined at the beginning of the year is really helping me to prioritize and giving me much clearer direction on when, where, and what to say no to this year.
September’s Update:
Can I just be really honest? I feel like I’ve struggled a lot with goal-setting this year. I think the move and many different life changes has thrown me for a loop.
I’ve grown a lot this year, I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve processed a lot. It’s been good, but it’s also meant that I haven’t made traction in many areas like I’d hoped.
I know I need to give myself grace and be okay that all of these changes have meant I’m moving at a snail’s pace or at a complete standstill in certain areas of my life. As you well know, though, my driven personality struggles a lot with the whole “give yourself grace” thing. That’s something I’m still working on. 🙂
In the mean time, here’s an update on how I’m doing (or not doing, as is the case with many of these!) on my goals this year:
Marriage Goals
1. Read 6 marriage books. (I’ve finished 4 marriage books so far.)
2. Write 50 love notes to Jesse. (I’ve written 35 love notes so far.)
Mothering Goals
3. Read 40 books aloud to the kids. (We’ve finished 9 books so far — yes I’m probably going to fall woefully short on this goal this year.)
4. Finish memorizing Romans 1 together.
5. Go through a cooking course with the kids. (I have been teaching the kids some cooking skills here and there but we’ve not done anything official yet.)
Personal Goals
6. Read through the Bible. (I’m mostly on track with this.)
7. Memorize Romans 2. (I’m working on this.)
8. Run a 5K race and go through P90X again. (I’m still hoping to make a race happen before the end of the year.)
9. Read 150 books/ebooks. (I’ve read 67 books so far this year.)
Blogging Goals
10. Write 150 substantive content pieces for the blog.
11. Write 50 DIY/Recipe posts for the blog. (I’ve written 35 DIY/Recipe posts so far.)
12. Blog about/participate in the 12 Months to a Healthier You Challenge (I finished September’s challenge.)
Did you set goals for 2014 yet?
If you’ve posted an update on how you’re doing on your goals for 2014, I’d love for you to share your link in the comments. Or, if you don’t have a blog, feel free to just leave a comment with an update on how you’re doing on your goals. Let’s encourage one another to live lives of intention and purpose!
If you’re brand-new to goal-setting, be sure to read my post on How to Change Your Life By Setting Goals.
MaryEllen@ImperfectHomemaker says
Um, girl, you are doing great! You’ve still made really good progress, and definitely more than if you hadn’t set the goals to begin with!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks for your kind encouragement!
Nancy says
You’re doing great amidst some turbulence! Keep trying to give yourself grace. I heard some advice once (about nutrition and healthy lifestyles) but I think it could apply to forgiving ourselves too: try really hard to have the same attitude of encouragement and grace for ourselves that we would extend to a sister, daughter, or friend. It helps me keep things in perspective.
Crystal Paine says
Such great words of wisdom. Thank you!
Christy Largent says
I have to say how thankful I am to read you too have experienced a correlation between missing the goals you long to accomplish and the reality of a life full of change and children and new things.
I know every time I read your lists of goals for the weeks and months I have tended to berate myself for not being as focused and disciplined as you are. Yet, I’m doing the best I can and reviewing my goals regularly (which you help remind me to do) helps me stay on ‘my’ track. The victory is in staying the course.
Thanks for sharing honestly. And here’s to finishing 2014 strong!
Crystal Paine says
“The victory is in staying the course.”
What a great quote! Thanks so much for your encouragement!
NaDell says
Shorter kids books. =) You’re doing great!
Ann says
I was going to say this! You have been reading more substantial chapter books to your kids instead of shorter ones. I bet if you counted pages and compared last year to this year you aren’t as far behind as you think you are. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
That’s true… thanks so much for giving me encouragement there!
Carrie says
I purposely did not set any big goals this year so that I can give myself all the grace I need to figure out new motherhood (my first baby was born this March). Instead I’ve been doing small monthly goals. In March it was honestly take a shower every day. We’re moving up to wear something other than my pajamas every day this month.
Crystal Paine says
I LOVE this! And I love your idea of one small goal. When I had my first, taking a shower was a *BIG* accomplishment! {Hugs!}
Sathya says
Crystal, I find you inspiring. Your dedication to your role as a Christian, wife, mother, and businesswoman (among the many other hats you wear) is so refreshing. This world needs people like you as role models. People who are passionate about GOd and family, and are honest and conscientious. Any plans to do a meet-and-greet or the like in NJ? I would love to meet you.
Crystal Paine says
Aw, you are such a sweet encouragement!
I don’t have any NJ plans in the works right now, but I’d love to visit there someday! I’d love the chance to meet you, too!
Kimberly says
Crystal, does your library have childrens’ audiobooks? It’s a little less personal than mom reading aloud, but it might help with your reading goals for the children.
Crystal Paine says
Yes, my kids LOVE audiobooks. I haven’t counted those in our books read this year, but it would definitely bring the total up by quite a bit. 🙂
Julie says
Crystal,
I really appreciate your transparency through your blogging. You have grown leaps and bounds over the last three years I have read your blog.
May I encourage you that sometimes we set goals for ourselves and other times God sets them for us. It doesn’t mean you’re failing or not growing. It just may be a season of following His goals for you day by day. You have definitely been growing this year, in grace, flexibility, spending more time with your family and as a business owner.
It’s impossible to see into our future, so remaining close to The Lord and following His steps for the year, even if it means not accomplishing everything on our list, is the healthiest way to grow spiritually and as a woman of God.
I can see your heart is in the right place in this regard. Keep up the great and rewarding work of pressing into Him!
Crystal Paine says
These are such good words… and they truly encouraged my heart. Thank you so much!
Quinn says
That’s what I was wondering about is how to I set goals in line with what God wants. As I replied to the first comment. That’s what was on mind when I read Crystals goals and I honestly didn’t expect it to be mentioned in the comments, so cool!
Roma says
Your words seem so kind!
Shelli says
I totally understand how you feel! On May 1st we moved 10 hours from Kansas to Texas. My youngest son started kindergarten this year too, so it has been so hard to start over in a new place with so many changes … and to keep up on my life and writing goals! You are not the only one who has fallen behind 🙂
Crystal Paine says
{Hugs!} It’s a big transition!
Florence says
I wonder if perhaps you are setting goals that you think you should do rather than setting goals that you really want to do. Then there is the possibility that you may be setting goals that are unrealistic at this season of your life. There really are only 24 hours in a day and most of us really need some unstructured time to savor the day.
Crystal Paine says
I think I set goals at the beginning of this year that felt very realistic, but didn’t account for the big move and life changes and the upheaval that would cause. It’s good change and I’ve learned so much from it — and I’ve also learned that a move like this requires at least 3-4 months where you just need to streamline and focus on processing the changes as a family instead of expecting you’ll hop from one place to the next and jump right back into where you left off. Live and learn, right?? 😉
Rachel says
What marriage books are you reading? I like to read a new one every year?
Crystal Paine says
You can see the books I’ve read so far here: http://www.pinterest.com/msmblog/books-read-in-2014/
Rachel says
Thanks! 🙂
Laura says
With your encouragement and prayer, I set some solid goals at the beginning of 2014. It has been very helpful to go back and evaluate what I think God is calling me to do in this season of life. I have verses that go along with my goals, so it is inspiring to go back and re-read them.
I am not a type-A person, so this may be a little easier for me, but I have had to learn to give myself grace and accept that we don’t always make progress. Sometimes we may even lose ground. Success sometimes is just not giving up, despite our circumstances. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for this encouragement!
Quinn says
That’s what Ive struggled with in setting goals how do I align my goals with what God wants, not what I want.
Im afraid if Im focused so much on what I want I will miss what He wants for me.
Can you share some examples?
Thank you!