My Goals for 2018

The new year has just begun and everyone is talking about their New Year's resolutions and goals for 2018. For the past couple of weeks, I have been thinking of what I want my goals to be this year and honestly, I'm having a hard time with coming up with goals that matter to me. I have a couple of goals, the usual ones, and I also settled on my word for 2018 but that's it so far. Maybe reviewing my goals from this past year will enlighten me to add another goal here and there, and if not, I'm totally ok with having only a couple of goals this year. 

Since 2017 was nothing like I had planned, i.e: starting a job for once and traveling for business on a regular basis, I only focused on my goals for the first few months of the year. And then, life got too busy and I couldn't keep track of all the changes and adjustments that were happening. In total I had 7 goals, which you can read about here:

1. My word for 2017 was TRUST in Him and that I did. It wasn't always easy though and I still need to focus on that but not only did I talk to him on a more regular basis, I also asked him to provide for us. And that HE did...all in a few short weeks. From a house to a job to childcare, HE was always there for us. My trust in the Lord grew much stronger this year and because of that, I was able to let go of the total control I like to have over my/ our life and listen to HIM. I also discovered that what I want can differ a lot from what HE will provide. But that is ok because it usually works out better than what I wanted in the first place. Just give it time and trust HIM. 
2. My goal was to read 26 books and I easily succeeded that goal by reading 30 books and listening to 7 audio books. While renovating the house, I discovered that I really like to listen to autobiographies (read by the author). I 'm working on a book review post to tell you about my favorites read in 2017. 
3. I started the year out strong by participating in a bible study group and I really enjoyed that. But once I had started the new job, I was not able to go anymore to bible study and soon enough I did not put much effort nor time in to keep up with my personal bible study/ bible reading goals. I feel a bit disappointed in myself about that but I also grant myself some grace as this year was not what I thought it would be. 
4. Since we moved again, we naturally decluttered the house, even though I did not read the "Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up". At this point, we moved so often and I sorted out so much stuff that I feel like I'm a pro at decluttering. But there is always more stuff...
5. Focusing on spending more time with my husband was an important goal for me this past year and while we hardly ever went on a date this year, we did enjoy spending lots of quality time together as a family. We also spent more time talking to each other about things that we think or personally care about (not just organizational stuff or family related issues), which is great. The kids are getting more independent and less needy; thus, spending a few extra minutes sitting on the dinner table together or having a glass of wine on the couch before bed time is now a realistic option and a game changer.
6. + 7. I did not complete any scrap booking or new crafting projects as there was just no time for it. I did paint almost 3,000 sq ft (twice) of wall space as well as put together furniture and scrubbed lots of cabinets, so that should count for something in terms of being crafty 😆

And without further ado, here are my personal goals for 2018:

1. I was thinking about a word for 2018 for a couple of days until I stepped on the treadmill, started talking to God and the next moment I knew what my word should be: SAVOR. The last year has been very hectic and with all the changes that happened, I feel like life passed by and I never stopped to smell the flowers. Thus, this year, I want to focus on savoring the time I spend with the people I love the most, watch my kids explore, learn and be there for them. I also want to enjoy what HE graciously provided for us and not just take things, such as our house, the jobs and most importantly our health, for granted.
2. I could have added this goal to my word  for 2018 but since it is near and dear to my heart and I really want to put an extra focus on it, I will list it separately: Spend more time with my friends. I'm a people person and having friends is important to me. So this year, as I learn to savor life, I also want to grow those friendships and savor them. Ladies, a simple girls' night out, an evening spend crafting with friends, or discussing a good book is what I long for and I'm ready to put more effort and allocate more time in to those activities. 
3. Which just made me realize that I do have another goal this year: open up our house more frequently to invite people in. I grew up that way but my hubby is sometimes a bit resistant, so this one is a work in progress. I love hosting people and inviting them in is a great way to get to know new people and become friends. 
4. This year, my goal is to read 30 books. I constantly keep adding new titles to my must-read-list and I'm eager to read some of them. There are so many great books and so little time...
5. Run 350 miles. Running is a stress reliever for me and I truly enjoy it. While 350 miles sound a  lot to some people and not that much to others, I think I can accomplish that distance without stressing myself out about it. 
6. Grow in my job and keep enjoying what I do (for a living).

These are the goals and I even added a couple while writing this post. I do these posts not for others to read but I enjoy reflecting about what I personally have accomplished this year. And while you never know what will happen during the next 365 days and plans easily change, I do like to prepare myself to be more present for things that matter to me and these goals are a way to remind me of what I want to focus on.