In a very big and bold move, I decided to not set yearly goals in 2020. That might seem super out of character for someone like me who has long been a huge proponent of goal-setting.
And it is very unusual. But I feel so happy about this change for this year.
Here’s why: I’m writing a book, having a baby, and we’re likely taking in at least one (if not multiple) kids who are in foster care for longterm placement this year. And those are just the things I know are on tap for 2020!
Because of this, I decided not to set yearly goals (especially considering how all the unexpected played into my goal-setting in 2019) and I’ll be setting weekly goals instead.
I’ll be sharing these goals every Monday here on the blog. I’m guessing that there will be somewhere between 6-12 goals each week, depending upon the week and how much is on my plate that week.
Even though it’s not quite 2020 yet, I decided to jump in and start weekly goal-setting today. Here’s my list of goals for this week:
2020: Week 1 — Goals
Personal Goals
1. Get in 50,000 steps total.
2. Finish reading Parenting and An Invisible Thread.
3. Get up at 5:30 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Home/Family Goals
4. Declutter the entire house (This has needed to be done for months! Follow along on Instagram stories this week as I’ll be sharing more behind-the-scenes of my decluttering!)
5. Finish reading aloud A Single Shard together.
6. Start a new family devotional book together. (Any great suggestions for this?)
Work/Blog Goal
7. Spend 12 hours on my manuscript outline.
8. Open up the blogging Mastermind to new members.
9. Get everything ready for course sale next week.
Word of the Year Goals
10. Pop popcorn and watch a movie as a family.
11. Take Kaitlynn out shopping.
12. Make tea, light a candle, and write thank you notes.
*Note: I’ll be sharing my word of the year for 2020 tomorrow. Any guesses as to what it is, based upon goals #10-#12 above?
Want to join me in weekly goal-setting? I’d love for you to check in every Monday and share how you did on last week’s goals + your goals for the coming week. Leave your goals for this week in the comments below!
I always love your goal updates. You inspired me to do yearly goals this year on my blog. My word for the year is heal. It’s emotional healing rather than physical but self-care is critical for me to move forward. Happy New Year! I look forward to your weekly posts.
Thank you so much for your encouragement! And I love your word choice!
Love the idea of weekly goals! My word is balance and I feel like your weekly goals do exactly that!
Is your photo at Opryland hotel?!
Yes, it is!
I like your idea of weekly goals because they are short term achievements to celebrate (or adjust for the following week);). Best wishes for a healthy delivery for you and the baby. I love your blog and look forward to receiving it. 🥳
Aw, thank you so much for your kind encouragement!
Word of the year could be: Me. Not in a selfish way, but necessary for you to take care of yourself, so you can lavishly love on your family.
Great guess!
I love this! My weekly goals:
Body- do first MommaStrong video
– eat with Healthy Plate for 4 suppers
Mind- write in 1 sentence journal 7 times
– finish Paris novel
Soul- read Bible w/guide 6 days
-do 100 Days to Brave 6 days
Relationships- read ch 3&4 of Becoming Us
– Finish Better Than Before
House- reset furniture from Christmas
Great goals!!
You could always do monthly goals if yearly is too long of a time-frame. Last year I set yearly, quarterly, monthly and weekly goals but I’ll admit that many times I forgot to review the higher levels when setting weekly goals. If I had, I might have stayed on course better.
My guess is your word for the year is Intentional.
I think my word for the year is going to be Gather. I had another one that seemed more goal-oriented but I like this one. My overall focus for the year is to gather people around me, and surround myself with things that truly matter.
I thought about doing monthly goals and had initially planned to do that, but when I sat down to draft them, I realized that was likely going to be planning too far in advance for this season of my life! I do have two big goals for the year: have a baby and write a book. 🙂 Other than that, I’m just going to take it one week at a time and try to live fully and love wholeheartedly each day and each week! I’ll be curious to review how things look at the end of the year as a result of this change!
I completely understand that late pregnancy and everything else you are doing calls for short-term goals! 🙂
My guess is the word capture. I am too wordy to just choose one word 😆, and I don’t often choose. This year my mantra is: Get it done. I saw it on a mug at Target and bought it–haha! My focus is on doing the next best thing. I will have a to-do list but I want to be more aware of people and not tasks(something I have to work really hard at!). I want to get things done the best I can with the time I have to be available to love my husband, kids, family, friends, and self well. And I am going to be intentional with reminding myself that “interruptions” are “opportunities to serve”. I also want to really focus my devotional time on Who Jesus is instead of what’s in it for me. Love your idea to do weekly goals–so wise!!! You’re very good at readjusting for each season and not being afraid to say something doesn’t work. You are so flexible! Wishing you an amazing 2020!!!
I love this! Thank you so much for sharing!
I have always admired your transparency. I pray the Lord will continue to give you strength and wisdom. The word…there are so many…FOCUS. Have a great New Year!
Thank you so much for your encouragement!
Please post what you find for goal #6! We were just talking last night that we have become very lax on our family devotions at night since we finished our last series, The Bible Answer Book for Kids, and aren’t sure what to do next. Thanks!
We decided on The Ology — a book we already had on hand and have been meaning to go through!
We have that book too and still need to finish reading through it. I think we’ll try to start it again.
You had me at Thank You notes. I’ve long been a proponent of Gratitude (and I have years of journals to show for it) – but a TY note is more than gratitude. It’s Appreciation. (Gratitude is an Attitude and Appreciation is an Action). I’ve had a W4Y the past several years and ‘think’ (based on last year) I know what my 2020 will be.
Your weekly goal setting is causing me to consider… 🙂 Happy New Year to You!
I love your differentiation between gratitude and appreciation!
My guess is connect
Great guess!
Your word of the year…my guess is “Present.” I should make that my word of the year…so many distractions! My poor children (ages 9, 7, 5, 3) constantly hear…”Just a minute, hold on one sec, be right there, coming…” way too much!
You have inspired me to make goals this year–weekly ones. One year was too daunting for me when all my kids were so little, but weekly, that’s much more doable!
1) lay with each kid before bed once this week
2) one “really good” family devotion night (instead of the five minute forced dinner time ones)
3) write and MAIL a note to someone on my heart
4) wake up before the kids to spend some quiet time with the Lord
5) plan and make four meals this week
I LOVE these goals! Thank you for sharing!
Our family has loved using Nancy Guthrie’s Dinner Table Devotions. We started when they were pre-teens and are still using it 5 years later. We highly recommend it!!
Thanks so much for the recommendation!
Being realistic about seasons of life is crucial! Good for you!
We have a few current devotion favorites:
Dinner Table Devotions by Nancy Guthrie
Long Story Short (old testament) and Old Story New (new testament) by Marty Machowski
We have children from 5-15 years of age, and find that there is usually enough to hold the interest of everyone, usually. : ) It’s always tricky to find some for everyone, but we so value that family time we think it is worth it.
Thanks so much for the suggestions!
I really loved your weekly goal lists several years ago, and I followed your example at the time. I kept that up for a while after you quit sharing, but ended up going the yearly goal route the last few years. I am so excited you are doing weekly updates again – I love seeing your progress! Praying for you this year – can’t wait to hear what your word is (“encourage”?)
Thanks so much for your encouragement!
Love breaking them down into weekly goals! I’ll play along this year, too. Here are mine:
1. Start week 11 (of 12!) of my workout program
2. Work out every morning with my accountability buddy
3. Read 1 book
4. Declutter garage
5. Take kids skating and/or to SkyZone while they’re still on semester break
6. Create a family “movies to watch” with everyone’s input
7. 2 lessons a day on Duolingo
8. Take an enneagram test so I can see what all the fuss is about 🤣
9. Research a low cost way to learn piano (one of my “shoot for the moon” goals)
10. But new running shoes in preparation for upcoming 5k training
11. Practice beginner handstand moves Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. (My other shoot for the moon goal)
I think your word of the year is “relationship.”
You’ve got some GREAT goals for the week! I can’t wait to see how you end up doing!
Julia, I love your goals – especially your “shoot for the moon” goals! Remember, progress not perfection. You can do this!!
My guess was connect for your word for the year.
As for a devotional, my hubby bought our family the Kingdom Family devotional by Tony Evans for Christmas. We haven’t started it yet, but hubby has been very impressed by much of the Evans family products.
I have a word for the year, Release. But I am still working out my strategy for goal setting. I really appreciate your shorter time frame idea.
I love your word for the year! And thanks for the devotional suggestion!
Nurture?
Great guess!
Crystal, I understand your word and weekly goal choice- my words are cherish time. I’m 48 in good health and had an unexpected health crisis this past August. I had a heart attack and 1 stent put in. I’m doing very well now and have been cherishing time now and plan on that being my phrase for 2020. Our daughter will be going away to college this fall and I plan on cherishing time with her before she goes away. Happy 2020! God bless!
I love your word and I’m glad you’re doing well now!
“relax” or “embrace” is you word?
Great guess!
I think your word for this year is family. I have yearly goals but broken down into weekly or monthly smaller goals. Thank you for all your inspiration and letting us take this journey with you.
Thanks so much your encouragement!
Is your word gratitude?
I’m not a word of the yearbook person but love hearing what people choose.
Do you do a verse for your year as well?
I love the idea of weekly goals.
Year goals are too hard for me.
I am an odd blend of type a & type b.
Great guess on my word!
I don’t choose a verse for the year, but I usually have a verse that’s especially encouraging to me and it changes every few months.
I just read something about setting goals for definite shorter time periods as year-long goals often get put off. They recommended 12-week goals with week and monthly plans to reach them. I am thinking your word is either “family” or “moments” for being in the now. If you are interested in the author(s) reach out to me and I will share their link.
I thought about doing longer timeframes for my goals, but I realized that this was a season for super short timeframes! And great guess on the word for the year!
We all really enjoyed “The Radical Book for Kids” by Champ Thornton as a family devotional this past year!
Thank you for sharing!
We got that book for the kids for Christmas! Can’t wait to read it as well.
My guess is Intentional
Great guess!
I love that idea of weekly instead of yearly. I wrote out my year goals and will now break them into more manageable parts. My goals this week:
1. Gym 3x’s
2. Work 10 hours on current book
3. Family game night
4. Declutter
5. Eat out only 1x
6. Date night with hubby
7. Get up at 6am M-F
8. 3 current work projects done
9. Take my oldest driving (permit)
10. Take my teen daughters to see Little Women
Is your word connection?
Great guess!
Relationships
Good guess!
I’m thinking your word is savor.
I say it’s savor!
Great guess!
I love that idea of weekly instead of yearly. I wrote out my year goals and will now break them into more manageable parts. My goals this week:
1. Gym 3x’s
2. Work 10 hours on current book
3. Family game night
4. Declutter
5. Eat out only 1x
6. Date night with hubby
7. Get up at 6am M-F
8. 3 current work projects done
9. Take my oldest driving (permit)
10. Take my teen daughters to see Little Women
These are such great goals!!
Try the book of common prayer for family devotional. We’ve been using it for years and love it. In the Anglican one there is a “family prayer” liturgy for morning and evening. Bible readings, recitation, written prayers for the day. It’s really reshaped my faith. And you’d be joining so many other believers reading the same thing on each day. My kids have learned soooo much theology from the repetition.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Our are such a kind giving person Gods blessing to you How awesome you foster children you are doing Gods woek.A blessed New Years to you and your family.
I am with you on weekly & monthly goals being a much better fit in this season of my life! I have a big vision, but broken up into smaller, prayerful goals gives me so much more hope in following through! I will absolutely be checking in at times. Thank you for the inspiration and accountability, Crystal… my goals this week are 1. Take down Christmas Decor & re-organize living areas 2. Set up an SAT study schedule for my oldest sweetie 3. Schedule an overdue well-baby appointment for my 2-year-old 4. Prep for back to homeschooling next week 5. Plan my husbands birthday party for next week 6. Write thank-you notes with my kids for Christmas gifts 7. Take one child to a movie & another to an art museum 8. Start my 2020 Bible reading plan 9. Get in 3 strength workouts!
I love these goals! You can do it!! I’m cheering for you!
Thank you! You two!!
I love that idea of weekly instead of yearly. I wrote out my year goals and will now break them into more manageable parts. My goals this week:
1. Gym 3x’s
2. Work 10 hours on current book
3. Family game night
4. Declutter
5. Eat out only 1x
6. Date night with hubby
7. Get up at 6am M-F
8. 3 current work projects done
9. Take my oldest driving (permit)
10. Take my teen daughters to see Little Women
I’m guessing your word is cherish!
I am interested in knowing more about your thank you note goal, if you are willing to share. Who are you writing thank you notes too? I am hoping to find more gratitude and focus on the good in 2020 but have never thought of writing thank you notes. I also do not have much interaction with anyone except my immediate family and co-workers at work on a routine basis. We do go to church on Sundays but we do not get to see those friends during the week.
I’m writing thank you’s to a few people who went out of their way to do something special for me recently. 🙂
Our are such a kind giving person Gods blessing to you How awesome you foster children you are doing Gods woek.A blessed New Years to you and your family.