Thinking about Goals | Be Intentional

For me, January usually comes unwelcome. I love the holidays, I'm basically a Christmas baby, and I even enjoy NYE. Nick and I have a fantastic tradition of spending it at this hometown bar with my family and a bunch of old people (we aren't the partying type). Just kidding any of those "old people" that might be reading this: You're not old...you are way more fun than most of the people I know! 

This year may have been my holiday season because I got to spend it married to my best friend, and I got to spend time with my family which takes on a whole new meaning now that I live far, far away.

But then January came without knocking, and Nick and I quickly rushed home to get back to "real life." I was sadder than usual to say hello to January...but with a new year always comes the hopes for new, good things as well! Being the completely unorganized person that I am, January usually comes with setting new goals to become a better me! I like to set a ton of goals, typically, and then fall through with most of them (I don't like the second part, it just happens). Each year feels like a brand new opportunity to become the absolute perfect version of myself...the very thing that I completely failed at the year before (and the year before that, and so on). At this point, I'm really sick of putting super high expectations on myself and then nearly always falling through. I want to be more organized, I want to be a better teacher, I want to write more, I want to find a way to be more involved in the world of health and fitness, one of my passions, and I want to, most of all, be a better wife, sister, daughter that seeks God first. And I want it to happen all at once. Honestly, though, sometimes I want these things selfishly. I want my life to be an interesting and adventure packed book that others couldn't help but read. But the message I want them to get by reading it, that's where I usually go wrong. Sometimes, I selfishly set goals and deep down I hope I will look better and impress others. My intentions go awry, really, when I set goals for myself.  So this year, instead, I decided I want to be intentional. As I wrote down my goals this year, I decided I wouldn't set goals at all, but rather intentions. And the biggest intention of all, is through following these goals, or intentions, and keeping myself accountable, I want to be what God made me to be. I want to write a book with my life, but I want the message to be all love.  It has been most important that the intentions I set for myself and the story I am writing has the direction that God is leading me in mind. And can I just tell you, these intentions have been so much easier to follow than any new years resolution or stringent SMART goal. These intentions have wiggle room. They don't put me down when I get them wrong. They include a little bit of grace within them. Because I am continually keeping in mind that I can't achieve them on my own. And if I don't prayerfully rely on God, I can expect to fail, but I can also expect a million second chances.  So here is my list of personal, full-of-heart intentions. I know we're about halfway through January, but just remember that the start of the year is honestly just another day. It feels symbolic for a clean slate, and I love symbolism, but you can start at any time. You can have a clean slate on any day, at any hour.  My 2015 Intentions: 1. Seek God. Listen. Read about Him. 2. Serve and love my husband better. 3. Move more and make healthier choices. 4. Be a better organized teacher- but do it because it means you are loving your students better, not because you feel like people around you are watching/ judging. 5. Enjoy and cherish time with family. 6. Make a new friend. Or two or three. 7. Enjoy my new (and most likely temporary) home while it lasts. And there you have it. I can pretty much say that I've been consciously taking steps toward each of these intentions from the beginning of the year. I have been slowly falling into them, though, because going full force ahead usually means falling full force off of a cliff. And really, I like where I am, I like the grace I'm giving myself, and falling off a cliff usually does some damage.  Just a little note: Of course there is a time for measurable goals. I make measurable goals basically every day. I just don't want to measure out a whole year in ceaseless striving. I want to measure it in love and grace.

A picture of some family cuddle time...definitely a great way to follow a few of my intentions!
How do you set your goals or resolutions or intentions for the year? What is most important to you in 2015? P.S Don't miss a post! Follow me on bloglovin or get my posts sent to your e-mail!