My Goals for 2019

If you read my taking inventory post, you know that I developed an exercise habit, thanks in part to my fitness tracker–so I won’t belabor the point here. I also mentioned in that post that taking pictures brought me the most joy, so it’s easy to see why I accomplished that goal.

As for the others, part way through the year I fizzled out with the reading habit and reading twelve books off my shelf. Didn’t even begin to save enough money to buy “the Ark” through World Vision. And while I did a stint of decluttering in the fall, I fell short when it came to actually decluttering the bedrooms. And I don’t even think I worked on that new writing project, nor did I revise my novel. Maybe I’ll get to some of those things this year, but I’m adopting an entirely new approach to goals. . .

Hint: It has something to do with the picture. Well, actually, a lot to do with it. A couple of weeks ago I went on the hunt for a new planner–the little books I’ve been keeping the past nine years worked great, but I needed to move to something with more accountability. So I went planner shopping on Amazon, and the one that kept coming back to me was the Jesus-Centered Planner.

While my previous approach to setting goals is a good one, this year I’m trying something entirely different. As per the directions in the planner, I’m making one to three goals per quarter, and then I’m re-evaluating these at the end of that time period and very possibly making one to three brand-new goals, or continuing with the previous ones. It’s not up to me, and that’s the point–and what makes this such a new and adventurous way to make goals. I’m relying on God to show me what He wants me to work on for the next three months.

Admittedly, that’s not necessarily easy. For example, I’ve been wanting to revise my novel since I finally finished it the end of 2016, and I want to declutter my entire house. But when I wrote down what I wanted, including my “I would like” list, I then prayerfully asked what I should be spending my time doing. Very different answers, let me tell you!

With that said, here are my goals for the first quarter of 2019:

1. Learn time management, particularly how to plan ahead.
2. Be more social, saying “yes” to more social situations.
3. Make a budget, to get a better handle on finances.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not excited about being more social. I tend to be in hermit mode a good portion of the time, with my default setting being, “No, thanks, I’m staying home.” If you are an introvert, you get it. If not, no amount of explaining from me will likely help you understand. . . But this goal is what God wants for me, so I’m keeping an open mind.

As nerdy as it sounds, I’m motivated to learn time management for a number of reasons. I also talked about that in the inventory 2018 post under the question “What didn’t work?”. I’m looking forward to learning to manage my time better so that I can have less stress and enjoy my life more. I’m reading (for the second time) Julie Morgenstern’s Time Management from the Inside Out and finding it very helpful! You’ll probably be hearing more about that as we head into the thick of the year.

As for creating a budget, I’m using Dave Ramsey’s Every Dollar app and am still trying to figure it out. That’s not to say it’s hard to figure out, only that I’m trying to learn it. And, really, I don’t mind doing a budget because, again, I have this practical side that likes to keep track of things and build structure. Plus I like to enter the numbers in and see it all at a glance. Also nerdy, I know.

So there you have it. Goals 2019, first quarter. I’ll keep you posted (pun not intended, but it works here) on my progress. And if I blossom into a social butterfly (cue the laugh track) you’ll be the first to hear about it!

Did you make goals for the new year? Tell us about it in the comments!