New Years Goal Planning

Recently, I wrote a blog post for Putting on the New talking about starting fresh in the New Year (you can read it here). As I wrote, it morphed into a more tangible thing for me. It was no longer about writing something in order to convince the readers of something but creating something helpful to use as a tool.

Physical Goals 2017

Have you been following my goals series? If not, check out my posts about Goal Setting, my Life Goals and my Writer Goals for 2017.

Today's post may sound a little strange. You may be wondering what fits under the category of "physical". Now, typically a lot of people have "weight loss" goals or things like that for a new year. Those are great, but I wanted to go deeper than just thinking about outward appearances. Below, I outline some goals that affect me physically for this next year.

Physical Goals for 2017

Going to Bed & Waking Up Differently 
This has been something on my mind for a while now. How do we wake up? To be honest, I usually hit the snooze too many times and then, when I finally pry those bleary eyes open, I pick up my phone and "connect". I usually look through my notifications, check out what needs to be taken care of (while I'm still in bed mind you), and then check my Instagram account. Okay, so to be honest that does wake me up rather sufficiently. My brain is engaged early on and I'm ready to go. But you know what else it does? It hijacks my morning.

In line with my Life Goals for this year is a desire to not let my phone control me. It is so hard to do this sometimes because I want to check my messages, see who's texted me, reply to comments on my Insta and so many other "connected things" but I don't think that's always super helpful for me a) as a person and b) as a writer.

One of my favorite authors did an interview (that I only just saw recently) and he talked about this very same thing I'd been thinking of! He says that he begins his day by NOT looking at his phone but reading a book or newspaper etc. He phrased it as keep his "world small" and I love that perspective. It not only allows him to jump into writing if needed, but to have time away from "the world" until later.

For me, I think this looks going to be different and waking up differently. It means going to bed earlier (I often stay up past 12), not spending those few moments before bed checking social media, and using an alarm clock instead of my phone to wake up. Or, if I keep using my phone (since it tracks my sleep) turning it off and not looking at it. I think the alarm clock will be my best option but we'll see.

Take time to organize
So this is kind of a trick-goal if there is such a thing. I LOVE to organize. Like, love it so much! That and washing dishes...weird, right? But, because of that, I often don't "let" myself go crazy with organizing because it takes a lot of time. This year I want to be okay with re-organizing when needed, but to have it as something I work into my time-budget. This way the urge wont explode one day I'm not planning for it and then suddenly I'm off my writing schedule because I organized and cleaned all day.

Eating Lunch
I often forget/don't take time to eat lunch *cringes*. When I get in the "zone" of work I am in it! Whatever "it" may be. That means a lot of the time I look up and it's 3pm and I haven't even thought about lunch...just a second cup of coffee. I can't do that...it's not good for my body or my brain. And, it kind of flows into my last goal...

 Walking More

Along with eating lunch I also want to be more diligent about my breaks. This means scheduling a walk every day if possible. This is really hard for me. Not because I don't like walking--I love it and often get in a run in the mornings before I start work--but I don't like the time it takes during the day. So, in order to 'reclaim' that time I will listen to an audio book, work on plot issues for a novel (the note app on my phone is so helpful for this), or take the time to pray and think.

What do you all think? Do you have "Physical Goals" for this year? If so, share one or two below! 

Writer Goals 2017

It's January and guess what? I'm talking about goals this month! If you've missed my first post about Goal Setting you can check it out here. I also talk about my Life Goals for 2017 here.

Today's post focuses on my writing goals for the year. I considered getting really specific (something I definitely advocate) but there's a lot of "what if's" in the writing industry and I don't want to get my (or anyone else's) hopes up with talking about specific projects. Instead, I'm sharing my focus for the year with regards to writing.

Writer Goals for 2017

Reading more craft book
I read--I mean, I read a lot. Not as much as I'd like to actually, and not as much as some people who read upwards of  100+ books a year, but I feel like with the amount of work that I do and being able to read 65 books last year that's not half bad. What is harder for me is reading writing craft books. I love them--don't get me wrong--but when I want to sit down with a book, I want to sit down and get lost in a fictional world. Not do more work, haha! This year I want to be consistent in honing my craft to end the year a better writer than how I have, and am currently, starting it.

Some craft books on my to-read list are:

Plot Versus Character by Jeff Gerke

Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker

45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

Story Trumps Structure by Steven James 

Hack Your Readers Brain by Jeff Gerke

Creating Character Arcs: The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development by K.M. Weiland

Probably a few books by James Scott Bell

Consistent Critique
One of the best ways to hone your writing is to have other eyes on it. I'll be honest and say this is hard for me. Not that I don't want to make my books better or that I don't trust my critique partners but...that's my baby they are cutting up! Ha! Then again, just like a rose bush grows and produces vibrant flowers by being pruned, so will a story grow. This year I really want to get into a consistent pattern of critiquing current projects as well as side ones as they come up.

Writing More Freely 
Call me crazy, but it's easy to listen to "the voices"--and I don't mean the ones in my head. They are the ones that talk about writing success, what you should and shouldn't do, how to write the "best story", how to get published, why my book stinks...and the list goes on. But I've decided this year I'm not going to listen to "them". Yes, I will seek out advice from trusted sources like my published author friends and those in the industry, but at the heart of it all, I want to listen to the inspiration in my soul--at least upon the initial writing of my manuscript. That, in my opinion, is the "sweet spot". The part of me that needs to be undeniable in the story. My voice. After it's out and editing begins I'll push that back a little to listen to those I trust, but I don't want to handicap myself by letting the outside in where my heart needs to lead the way.

Consistency on my Newsletter
Last, but not least, I really want to be better at getting my newsletter out to you all. It's a source of joy for me, but my time gets eaten by the many things vying for my attention and it gets pushed to the side. I do solemnly swear I will do my best to get it out once a month (to the best of my abilities). If you haven't signed up yet, do so now! It will go out next week and kick off my monthly commitment ;)

What about you? Any other writers out there? If so, share one writing goal you have for 2017! 

Life Goals 2017

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

Consider time a precious commodity and spend it well
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

Love well & help others
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!

Goal Setting in 2017

Ah, another year, another set of goals. I'm not one to make resolutions because I feel like they are destined to fail. Yes, a rather cynical viewpoint, but I'm just going off of past experience. 😉 Instead, I prefer to set goals with the understanding that I will work hard toward them but I will not feel defeated if I don't accomplish all of them. To me, this approach allows for goals to change and for some leeway when things don't go the way I planned...because let's be honest, not a whole lot goes the way we plan. Can I get an Amen?
 

14" of snow at home this year!

I've been blessed to spend time at my parent's house in Northern California for most of the Christmas's in my life. For someone like me who loves tradition and LOVES Christmas, this is a huge blessing. This year was no different and I got to spend some really amazing time with my mom and dad (only child here) enjoying the beauty of the season from tromping through the snow to get our Christmas tree, to participating as a family in their church's Christmas Day service, to sitting around the fire and watching Hallmark movies. It was a truly beautiful time and is always just what I need at the end of the year to slow down and think.

It's after this time that I start to create my goals list. For this post, I've combined some of the things that I think through when I'm setting my own goals. This isn't an exhaustive list but it should help if this whole goal setting thing is new for you.

Setting Goals

Be Realistic
The first thing to consider when creating your goals list is to think through the realistic things that you can (and should) accomplish this year. This advice may seem like it's contradicting my later advice (specifically the "be a dreamer" part) but it's not. I think the foundation for most goals is set in reality. People often make their goals to farfetched or impossible which leaves them defeated at the end of the year thinking that they've accomplished nothing.

My first piece of advice is to be realistic when setting your goals. Take into account things like how much time you really have, what is physically/mentally/emotionally possible for you to accomplish this year, and how much time you'll have to devote to these goals.

**I'll talk more about how this relates to different areas of goal setting in subsequent posts this month so make sure to check back!

Be specific
If you say you want to be successful in 2017 you've just set up an impossible goal. What success looks like to you may look completely different to someone else. It's such a vague goal that you'll never be able to know whether you've accomplished it or not at the end of the year. To me (generally speaking) a goal is set so that it can be accomplished. Rather than vague, no-action goals, break things down into manageable chunks. If this was me, rather than saying "be successful", I could approach it like this "make double the amount of sales (in my Etsy shop) from 2016". That's a quantifiable goal (if not a bit ambitious).

Be daring & different
In addition to making manageable goals, make sure you are pushing yourself. Using the example from before, if I were to say "make as many sales in 2017 as I did in 2016" that's a good goal, but it's not really being daring. Maybe rather than doubling the number I could reach for 20 additional sales.

Where the 'different' comes in is the approach you take toward your goals. Most of us will look at what we already do and try to keep that going. I'm not saying that's wrong--if it's working then great! BUT, in my mind at least, part of goal setting is innovation. I market my shops through my Instagram and occasionally my blog & Facebook. As I set my goals, the innovation side of things could be ways my shops can become more visible aside from what I already do. Maybe that's through blog posts or podcasts or in-person meetings. This is the brainstorming part that comes with goal setting.

Be a dreamer
Here's where it may sound like I'm contradicting myself. While I fully believe you should be realistic with your goals, I do think there is a time and place for dreams. For those goals that may seem unrealistic or impossible to meet. While these are good, if they are the only goals you make you will feel a lack accomplishment if they aren't met.

My advice is to dream and be daring about those dreams but ground yourself with other attainable goals as well. Make it a balance so that you are pushing yourself but also setting yourself up for success.

Be part of a team
This last piece of advice is crucial in my opinion: be part of a team! Whether this is one person or five, holding yourself accountable to others is the best way to achieve goals. This goes for fitness goals, career goals, relationship goals, and many others. Don't underestimate the power of friends asking how you're doing to motivate you. I think of NaNoWriMo and how, once you say you are participating, your friends will ask you how your novel is going. That pressure is good because it keeps us honest in our efforts. It's the same with fitness - when you have a person or group of people asking you how your workouts and eating habits are, you're less likely to slip into old habits. And if you do, then you have friends there to help you out of those ruts.

I'll be posting about my life, writer, physical, and mental goals for 2017 throughout this month and I'd invite you to come back for those posts! I'll also be creating a handy PDF download for those of you who are looking to set goals as well. Be on the look out for that.

So what do you think? Will you be setting goals for 2017? What are some hurdles you face when goal setting? Share in the comments below!