Goals

Sometime during college, I learned about the beauty of setting and achieving goals. I had some wonderful roommates who were very good at this, and it rubbed off on me. It was very satisfying to write down a goal, and then to check it off or put a sticker on it or something when it was accomplished. I think at one time, our apartment had a page for each of us, listing qualities that we wanted in a future husband, and thus needed to develop in ourselves. I also found that using a daily planner to block out which subjects I was going to study during which hours was an excellent way to help me keep a handle on my endless assignments and daunting tests that I had to study for.

When I served my mission, as you can probably suspect, goal-setting and achieving continued to play a big part in my life. Now with all of the rearranging and changes that have happened in missionary work since I was in the field, this may have changed, but when I was there...you set daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals. You set personal goals, goals for and with your investigators, companionship goals, district goals, and mission goals. I definitely remember several companionship studies devoted entirely to making cute charts and ways to track our goals.

What I learned from my years spent in setting goals is that you won't always achieve them. You should set goals that are hard to reach, but reachable. But often you will fall short. What I also learned is that even if you do happen to fall short...it is not usually a terrible thing, and you usually accomplished more working towards the goal than if you didn't have a goal at all.

After all this, I have been thinking lately that I have definitely been slacking. I have the most important responsibilty I have ever had now---being Mason and his future brother's mom. I need to be continually improving myself so that I can rear my children in righteousness....yet this is the time in my life that I seem to be slacking in the goal department. I'm sure it's because when you're a mom...you don't really have to formally report...except maybe at the doctor's at checkups...but that's usually only about things like if your house is child-proofed, or if your child stares for long periods of time without responding.

Anyways, So...the point to this post...I am going to start setting goals. I know that if I don't have any accountability, they will not get accomplished, so I'm putting them up here for anyone who wants to to see. Here are a few things that I would like to accomplish or get into the habit of this year:
1. Check the ads and purchase at least one item on sale for our food storage a month-peanut butter is on sale this week!!
2. Read from the scriptures every day.
3. Every week, choose a scripture story or gospel principle to emphasize with Mason and his brother.
4. Go a month (starting tomorrow) without chocolate.
5. Get physical exercise 3 times a week (this may have to be adjusted in April for a little bit).
6. Finish my Medical Transcription course by March.
7. Read the RS lesson ahead of time.

Well, that should give me plenty work on...wish me luck! :)