Inside: I’ve spent this January waiting and listening while making my goals for 2020. With a new planner, “simple” is my guiding principle in the new year.
My Goals for 2020 Made Simple
I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those people who likes to make goals. And I’ve studied up on the process, too. I’ve listened to the gurus and the perpetually driven and productive among us. How you’re supposed to make goals specific and actionable and time sensitive. Know your “why.” That some are habit goals, like drink more water. Walk ten miles a week. Dust. . . occasionally. (Before you can write your name on the bookshelf.) So you might be surprised at how I’m breaking the “rules” with my goals for 2020. They aren’t uber specific, and, as they’re written, don’t have actionable steps or time limits.
But I do know my “why.”
My goals for 2020 are, simply:
- Declutter my house.
- Work on my health.
- Use my gifts.
When I brought those goals to share at my writing critique group’s first meeting of the year, admittedly, I felt like mine paled in comparison to some of the exciting, ambitious goals from my fellow Scribes’ Tribe members. It didn’t help that we’d also reviewed our previous year’s accomplishments. My friends had checked off an amazing list of achievements.
Me, not so much.
And my 2020 goals? Simple. Uncomplicated. Vague. And, yet, the direction felt right. For me. This year.
For this season of life.
So I’ve spent January fasting, praying, listening for the way forward. One thing my friend Candace said at the meeting was that she’d heard of someone who’d done something similar, with three major goals, and that this person’s daily to-do list included at least one task working toward one of those goals. That stuck with me.
Another idea that took hold was the image of the boy with the loaves and fishes who gave Jesus what he had. Though meager, Jesus took that small meal and multiplied it into something amazing. I felt Him gently say, “Give me your efforts, and see what your accomplishments list looks like at the end of this year.”
A few unwritten goals have sprouted up as a result: Read at the critique group once a month. Gather one trash bag per week of either things to give away or throw away. Continue on the simple eating plan I started January 2. But these are filed under the larger headings of using my gifts, decluttering, and working on my health. For whatever reason, not putting these specific goals down in writing has made the process so much less overwhelming, and, one month in, here I am keeping up with all three of these unofficial goals. I’m scratching my head on that one. The only thing I can figure is that maybe if I’d jotted down these specific goals, the pressure to do them perfectly would weigh heavily on me. As it is now, even if I slip up with one of these, I’ve still kept to my main written goals.
A Change of Planners
If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’ll notice that I’m back to my simple planner for 2020 instead of the Jesus-Centered Planner. Why did I go back? Simple. . . That’s the reason. It’s simple. And that makes sense to me. Write down to-do list. Jot down notes of extra things I’d like to get done. Put a check mark by what I did and cross out what I didn’t get finished.
Planners are very subjective. You have to find the right one that works with your personality. While there were some aspects of the Jesus-Centered Planner that I liked–Jesus being the center, goals prayerfully created on a quarterly basis, weekly focus on what those in your life as well as yourself need–the amount of introspection was overwhelming. Granted, I’m an introspective kind of gal, but I don’t always like answering guided questions. I like to go my own direction with spiritual thoughts and meditation. I ended up not filling most of that in, and, at some point, I just quit using it. It was heavy and bulky and too large for me. I tend to leave my planner lying around on the couch or on a stack of other books or wherever.
But I think this would make a good planner for a lot of people. If you’re wanting a planner to help you with your relationship with Jesus and others, this might be a good fit for you. If you like journaling, particularly with guided questions, this would be right up your alley. It also has a daily Bible reading plan. (Again, I like to do my own thing.) Quarterly goals are encouraged rather than a yearly focus, which is great for someone who needs variety and something new.
Onward 2020!
We’re one month in, and so far so good. I’ll keep you posted from time to time on how the process is going or if I make any tweaks to the plan. Right now I’m enjoying the simple. More on that in a later post.
February, here I come.
Do you use a planner? Share in the comments.
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Resources and related posts:
PlanAhead See it Bigger 4″ x 6″ Planner
When Your New Year Didn’t Go as Planned
It Just Ain’t My Year by Katie Blackburn for Coffee + Crumbs
Posts from a year ago:
Lemon Wellness Tea for Sick Days
The 5 W’s for Thriving in Winter
From two years ago:
Our Favorite Essential Oil Blends for Winter
Simple Suppers: Creamy Cheesy Cauli Soup
Patsy Reiter
Onward, Amy. I can’t commit to much anymore. Just when I think I’m on track, well, you know. Thanks
for the great post! Patsy 🙂
amy@amyharkemoore.com
Very understandable! You do get a lot accomplished, though! 🙂