2021 Goals
I think we are all trying to figure out what to do with 2021.
Should I even set goals when the world seems so unpredictable?
I’ve been wrestling with this question, sitting in the confusion and loss and lessons learned of 2020, feeling an incredible lack of motivation.
Today I don’t have a big long blogpost about goals and motivation and how to do all the things in 2021. But I do have some encouragement, and a few things I’m choosing to focus on in 2021.
The Lord woke me up this morning at 5:30am, and gave me these verses I want to share with you. They were everything I needed to read this New Years Day:
The source of revelation-knowledge is found as you fall down in surrender before the Lord. Don’t expect to see the Shekinah glory until the Lord sees your true humility.
Go ahead and make all the plans you want! But it’s the Lord who will ultimately direct your steps.
Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not in yourself.
Then every plan you make will succeed.
Psalm 15:33, 16:1,3 TPT
If we approach this year from a place of surrender and trust from the get go, we have the freedom to make plans and then trust God to direct our steps.
I also believe it’s wise to not set ourselves up for failure or disappointment by planning a ton of things that are out of our control, but rather focusing on the things that we can control, regardless of the world around us.
So according to these verses, this is what I did this morning:
Had a time of complete surrender before the Lord. Went completely back to neutral, again.
Asked Him for revelation-knowledge and guidance.
Told Him that I trusted Him completely.
Made some plans / set some goals.
A few other things that I’m choosing to do this year that I believe will be helpful coming out of 2020 and heading into 2021:
I’m focusing more on quarterly goals than annual goals. I’m still setting goals for things I want to accomplish this year, but my direct focus will be on accomplishing things 12 weeks at a time.
I’m choosing 3 areas of new habit-formation that will be life-giving. THOSE will be my main focus this year - not my goals.
I’m acknowledging and realizing that I am in the throws of parenting young children. (This is obvious, but hang with me!) I won’t be here forever, but in this season, I am extremely limited with my time and ability to do very much work-wise. Instead of living in disappointment bc I naturally want to accomplish SO much but they demand so much of me, I’m re-shifting my mindset : THEY are my goal. Enjoying these little years IS MY GOAL! I’ll be honest: It’s hard and it’s wonderful, I’m in the thick of it, and they are demanding. But I’m listening and heeding the advice of so many mama friends, choosing joy in the midst of it, while I’m in it.
With that said, here are my goals for 2021!
2021 Goals
Finish the school year strong (i.e. homeschooling Milly 3 days/week, preschool, etc)
Complete Naptime Kitchen Home Reset (only available for purchase through 1/31)
Continue hosting the weekly Work and Play Podcast
Join a small group at Church
Take a few months off social media throughout the year (still praying about this: maybe 1 month a quarter? 2 months a year + my weekly time off? Not sure)
Play piano once a week
Have monthly Time Management planning
3 main habits I want to focus on:
Sleep + my morning routine.
I have really gotten out of a good habit here. My hope is to go to bed at 9pm and get up at 5:30am, so I can have my time with the Lord, work out, and get fully dressed before my day begins. Gonna take some hard work, but I know it’ll be worth it!Read more.
Books continue to prove to be one of my most valuable investments of time. Plan to listen to more books on audible this year and read every night before going to bed.Planning FUN experiences on a monthly basis!
If there is anything I need more of this year, it’s fun! While it feels like a lot of fun has been taken away from us (concerts, plays, movies, any kind of group entertainment) I’m committing to plan family fun and evenings with friends every single month this year. Realizing it’s a necessity!
I also wanted to simply say - if you aren’t there yet, it’s okay. If you still need some time to process 2020, it’s okay. Take your time, pray through it, and know God has got you. I wrestled with this the entire month of December, and if He hadn’t woken me up at 5:30am this morning, this blogpost would not be written and my goals would not be made.
We are human, and it’s okay to take some extra time to process, pray, and think about how to wisely enter 2021.
God’s work in you is a process, not an event. It progresses not in three or four huge moments, but in ten thousand little moments of change. - Paul David Tripp
Be encouraged! And if you’re up for it, I’d love to hear your honest thoughts on 2021 in the comments.
As always, I’m so grateful you are here.