My Goals for 2019

I have found that writing our quarterly bucket lists out and publishing them on the blog has helped keep me focused and, more often than not, we do just about everything we set out to do each season.

Typically I do not make resolutions or even regularly set goals for myself but I thought it was a worth a shot to put my goals in writing and have it out there for you all to see.  This way I might actually hold myself accountable to working towards those goals!



I thought I'd start fairly small and easy for this year and see how it goes.

Personal goals:




1.  Make more time for cardmaking, scrapbooking, and personal crafts making sure to do at least 2 projects a month.  I do lots of crafts with my boys as part of our schooling but I rarely make time to sit and do any myself.  I've branched out to try a few blogging challenges in 2018 and found that I had really missed crafting.

2.  Go on one date a month with my husband (or 12 dates in 12 months).  Our kids are older now and we don't have to scramble to find sitters anymore but other than running errands together or working on our house/ cabinets we rarely make time for just the two of us.

3.  Read More Books for the year.  I didn't necessarily love following the 52 Book Challenge from last year even if I did love that it pushed me outside my comfort zone at times and got me to read new genres.  I'd love to read another 80+ books this year but want the freedom of choosing my own books this time (though I do have a book challenge in mind if I get stuck for ideas).

4.  Keep up with my fitness goals.  I know I haven't blogged about them in quite some time but I have managed to loose over 10 lbs in 2018 and want to keep working towards exercising every day, eating right, drinking MORE water, and feeling healthier.

Professional/ Blogging:




1.  I'd love to get a few more subscribers to my blog.  I finally set up newsletters for my blog in 2018 and managed to get quite a few subscribers but my numbers haven't changed since then.  Each new subscriber or two that I get I loose one or two and the number just seems to stay the same.

2.  Finish update ALL old posts.  This may be more than I can handle in one year but I have lots of old posts that need major updating.  For the past few years I've started going through and making changes but typically run out of steam or get discouraged that there's no good way to make those older posts relevant.

3.  See if I can get even MORE pageviews each day/week.  I made it a mini goal of mine last year to up my numbers and I'm pretty proud of how that turned out.  I'd like to see my numbers go up a bit more if possible this year but I'm honest enough to admit I'm not going to pursue this one all that much.

4.  Work on my photography skills.  I am great with a camera as long as the lighting is just right... come winter when the nights are dark and my camera abilities are seriously lacking.  I have a pretty good camera and I really do want to learn to use it better.   Perhaps reading a few photography books or even take a photography course?

Homeschooling goals:




1.  Get the boys working more independently.  My kids are great about doing their own work but only if I am sitting right there to answer every little question or read through the directions with them.  Even my high schooler feels most confident if he can check every step and answer to his math questions as he works through them.  I'd love to see them working just a bit more independently this year.

2.  Find at least one book we can all enjoy!  This past year it has been a real challenge finding read alouds and audiobooks that all three of my boys enjoy listening to.  Often Ian opted not to listen or join in at all.  This might be impossible with a 5th grader and a high schooler but I am going to try my best.

3.  Add even more physical education/ exercise into our day.  I started implementing an hour a day of physical education into our school day at the of fall and we've slacked off on that with the colder weather of winter.  I'd like to see us ALL exercising for at least an hour most days.



Have you set any goals for the new year? I'd love to hear about them!


Linking Up With: Thinking Out Loud Thursday,



Comments

  1. I loved reading all of your goals. I especially loved your schooling goals. I also loved the photography goal, I am working on that one as well. I agree with you, sharing your goals really holds you accountable for them. I hope you have a wonderful day! Thank you so much for linking up!

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    1. I'm hopeful that will help me achieve them or at least keep working towards them!

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  2. Thank you so much for linking up with us. I'm so glad I found your blog. Your goals were great! I got a new camera for Christmas, so I am excited to get better at my photography. Have a great day!

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    1. Thanks so much for hosting! I am toying with the idea of actually enrolling in a class but really don't want the added expense of going out to buy a new camera (which I'm pretty sure I'd have to). I can take great shots as long as the lighting is good but I really struggle in low light situations.

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  3. You should sign up for 52 Frames! It has really challenged me and gotten me working on my photography. I want to work on my blog this year too. It's so frustrating sometimes!

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  4. I have some of the same personal goals too. I want to date my husband more. And I want to read more!!!

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    1. I just love reading everyone's goals this time of year as they always give me some good ideas!

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  5. Thanks for sharing your goals! These seem like excellent intentions to focus on. If you're on Instagram, I just joined the #150HoursOutside challenge. It's helping me stay motivated to get outdoors and moving even in the cold New England winters. I struggle to get out with them for even one hour most days, but I really notice an improvement in all of our moods when we do.

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    1. I read a book one year called 15 Minutes Outside and it was filled with 365 ideas for getting outside for even just a few minutes a day (as the author stated once outside you tend to stay out for longer than 15 minutes) but we weren't great at sticking with it. We do have an exercise room in our basement and I've added 1 hour of phys. ed. to our school day so hopefully I will at least be able to keep moving even if I can't bring myself to get outside each day.

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    2. That book sounds excellent. I'll have to check it out. Thank you!

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  6. Great goals! Your blogging goals sound like mine - seems like getting more page views and working on photography skills are always a focus for me. Time for me to get serious about both!
    I am so glad you linked up with TBB today and shared this!
    xo,
    Kellyann

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    1. I am reading up on lighting and even have looked into buying a few photography lights so my pictures can be better when the lighting is low.. sadly going by reviews it's so hard to know which ones to choose!

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