2010 Goal Review

Remember this post from the beginning of the year? 2010 Goals I figured goals would be easier to accomplish than resolutions. As the year is just about over, I thought I'd take a little time to review those goals. I had narrowed this list down to six broad goals. Then in a notebook, I broke each down. So, let's see how I did:

1) EAT BETTER (more fruits, veggies, & whole grains; less sugar & desserts; more water)

While I do eat mostly wheat/grain breads, I didn't do as well upping the fruits & veggies. And sweets? That's my downfall, especially this time of year! I did well on the water for a while & just recently, I've started drinking more...especially at work on Saturdays where there is a water cooler right in my office.

2) EXERCISE (walking; stretching exercises I found in a magazine; buy a Wii Fit - & use it!)

I did well for a while. I was doing the Wii Fit at least 4x a week & when the weather was nicer, I'd take walks w/ the munchkins around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, as my back started to bother me more, I couldn't keep these up. At the moment I'm caught between a rock & a hard place...I want to exercise & I should to strengthen my core muscles, but the more I do the more my back hurts. We'll see what the neuro surgeon says.

3) DECLUTTER / ORGANIZE THE WHOLE HOUSE (regular cleaning schedule; go room by room to declutter; organize files & recipes; make family binder; update family medical files)

I made up a regular cleaning schedule & a room by room list, but we never followed it completely. There were a couple areas that I really got cleared out, including our master bedroom. However, w/ four munchkins, it seems like there is ALWAYS clutter. The one thing I did start was to never leave a room w/out first making it a little better than it was when I entered. This can be as simple as picking a pillow off the floor & putting it back on the couch. I never did make it to the files & recipes.

4) BUDGET / FINANCIAL ORGANIZATION (get back on track w/ Dave Ramsey's plan; make & stick to a budget; pay off bills & start saving more; use an envelope system for cash)

While we are not debt-free yet, we did pay off a few bills & are now down to just a couple. We have stopped using credit cards...a big savings right there! One of the things that helped was that I started working on Saturdays. It is a big sacrifice for our family at this time, but I really think it is a good plan for our family at this time.

5) FAMILY (make a weekly family night; more family meals even if Daddy's not home from work; catch up w/ & stay on track for school; less yelling & more encouragement; chore chart for all)

We haven't been able to do a family night every week like I wanted, but we have definitely managed to spend more time together as a family. We do make sure that we eat together as much as possible. As to school, I think we've done great at staying on track...more so than in the past. We still have moments of frustration & not liking school, but much less than the past. I still need to work on the chore chart...I created one, but we haven't stayed on track. I do try to have a "clutter drill" for the munchkins a few times a day. This helps to keep the mess down a bit throughout the day.

One of the things I really tried to do was take the time to listen to the munchkins instead of trying to accomplish something else at the same time. I would stop what I was doing & look into their eyes. This shows them that I really am listening & that they are important!

6) PERSONAL (more spiritual time; start day earlier; get back to my creative outlets of scrapbooking & stamping)

I think the personal goals were the ones I did the best with. I've spent more time in prayer & reflection this year...still not as much as I'd like, but more than the past. With the exception of a few days here & there, I've done well keeping up w/ the daily readings. I use The Word Among Us & I love their reflections on the days readings. They have great articles in each book, too. Also, having not been a big rosary pray-er in the past, I have spent more time w/ it this year & find it very comforting. I've found myself to be more easy going...not stressing, especially over this out of my control. I think the deeper prayer life has contributed to this.

As to my creative outlet, I've resigned myself to the fact that scrapbooking & rubber stamping just aren't going to happen for a while. I've been able to hand make a few Christmas gifts & other items throughout the year & I do try to do some of the kids art projects w/ them. So, for now, I think that's what I can manage.

Overall, I don't think I did too bad. Yes, there were many things that didn't get done, but throughout the year, other things came up that became more important. We've had to deal w/ my back issues which really limited a lot of things I that I wanted to accomplish. The Archangel was diagnosed w/ ADHD, so there have been many trips to doctors, psychologists, & pharmacies. The heat of the summer was horrible this year, so many of the outdoor things I wanted to do were either postponed or canceled. But, if you look back at all my posts for A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings every Wednesday & Small Successes every Thursday, you can see that life has been good to us.

In less than one week, we begin a new year. I think I'll spend some time reflecting on this past year & rework my goals for 2011. I'm thinking that these goals will probably be the same, just modified a bit.

I wish you & your families a very Happy New Year...full of many wonderful blessings!