As I shared last Thursday in my Goal Setting post, being specific about your goals is important. I've decided to split my posts up into these categories: Life Goals, Writer Goals, Physical Goals, and Mental Goals. At the end of that post I also mentioned being part of a team and that's where you all come into play.
YOU are part of my team! (Didn't know what you were getting into, did you?). I realize how important it is to have more 'personal' teammates as well and I would say that I do have friends who fill that role, but what better way to be kept accountable to my goals than by announcing them here to all of you.
*Blinks* I don't know if I thought this through. *Gulps* Um, you'll be nice, right guys? *Starts hyperventilating* Right...?
My Life Goals for 2017
For this post, I've honed in on a few goals I wanted to share with you. These goals fall in line with what I mentioned in my previous goal setting post but some are a bit vague to save us all time.
Be more present
This seems slightly nebulous but I promise to break it down a little. What I mean by "more present" is that I do not want to be the person who considers their phone as essential to living. I don't want to go to coffee with a friend and set my phone on the table as if to say to the other person "Yeah, I'm here, but something more important could come up". Nope. I want to be able to separate from my phone and--guess what?--I'll still be a living, breathing, functioning person!
Check out this video by Simon Sinek on this very subject. It's kind of long but so worth it in my opinion. He makes some great points:
Goals:
- Spend less time on my phone in general. Set a timer for social media browsing etc.
- Don't let my phone be the "third person" in a conversation.
- Value face-to-face interactions over digital ones.
- Don't use my phone as an excuse not to interact in the "real world" (no matter how hard it is being an introvert *cringes*).
Stay focused
Oh, ye old freelance life. You are a blessing and a curse!
But really...I love my job and the fact that I can do it from literally anywhere, but it takes a lot of discipline. Some days I'm great at this and others...not so much. I really want my work time to be work time and my free time to be just that. Fun and free! Yes, the lines blur being a writer for my job and for my fun-time too, but I think I can do this. (More tips on this in the future on the blog!)
Goals:
- Create a workable schedule (see the next point)
- Keep work out of the weekends where possible
- Don't let social media and marketing rule my life (even if it is fun)
- Have friends keep me accountable to this
Time is one of the only things we cannot change no matter how amazing we are--that is, unless you're Doctor Who...but that's another matter. Because of this, I want to make sure I'm spending the time allotted to me wisely. I could literally spend an entire day answering and sending emails...but there comes a point when I just need to say no.
Goals:
- Keep track of how long things really take me and then plan accordingly
- Prioritize what's important
- Spend my time on things that matter
To me, there is nothing more important than loving people and helping those I can. This year I want to focus on this (as I want to do every year). I want to take time to listen, learn from others, encourage, help, sacrifice for, and regard them as more important than my own selfish desires. I also want to give back where possible.
Goals:
- Consider others interests before my own
- Don't let my work become so important that I don't have time to be a good friend
- Do something (by myself and/or with others) when I see a need
- Find ways to help those less fortunate than myself
- Put LOVE above all things
Believe
Each year there is a word that I focus on. Last year's word was joy and...I'll be honest and say I'm not sure how well I did. The focus wasn't on me having joy so much as creating joy in others. It was my aim, though I'm not sure if I accomplished it well or not.
For this year, I wasn't sure I was even going to search for a word when one dropped into my lap. (Thanks God!) Believe is my word for 2017. For me, that looks like believing that what the Lord has in store for me this year is good. That's a tricky thing because "good" doesn't exactly mean "what I choose" or "what I think is good". God's good for me is often very different from "Emilie's choice of good" but, if I can be candid here...God's good is always always better, even if I don't always see that immediately.
Yeah, that's not an easy concept when this world is filled with bad things, hurts, and death...but ultimately I know that I don't live for this world. I live for something greater, for a purpose defined by Love and a Savior who died and rose again to show that love to me.
In 2017, I choose to believe that, no matter what happens, He will work things out for His good. That He will be with me through it all. That He will use me to encourage, cherish, love, and support those around me. Sounds like a pretty good focus for the year, huh?
Goals:
- Take quiet time to listen to Him
- Don't be so obsessed with what I want but what He wants for me
- Release my anxiety about trying to plan my life (this is a tough one, friends)
- Spend time in His word, with His people, and talking to Him
So there you have it friends, my "Life Goals" for 2017. I'd love to hear a Life Goal you have for yourself this year! Share in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment