Three Things: New Year Goals

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

 
 I don't really have New Year's Resolutions, haven't done those for a while. I typically only do a word of the year.

But there are three things that came to mind when thinking of any possible changes I wanted to make for 2018.

• Read 40 Books
• My goal last year was 30, and I read 55. Figure 40 is a good middle ground, since hopefully this year we will become foster parents and also I will be in school all year rather than just half the year.
• Eat More Fruit 
• Aiming for one piece of fruit each day M-F. I typically eat some for breakfast, but probably not enough. 
• Donate blood 6 times
• This is the most you can do in one year, because you are supossed to wait a certain amount of time between donations (56 days?). I managed 4 last year and would really like to do it a full 6 this time. I love this because it's free (I actually usually get snacks & a tee shirt) and helps people without me actually having to do that much. Also it takes less than an hour and saves 3 lives per donation...yes please. It's literally one of the easiest ways to be a kind person and support your community/humanity as a whole. 

So there ya go. Nothing super life changing, but achievable goals to help my life reflect my goals.

Do you have any goals for the new year?

2016 Word of the Year

My 2016 Word of the Year will be mercy. 

I needed a word that would remind me to be gracious when things go wrong. 2016 is the year I will become a mother. It is also the year I am going to again try to get into graduate school. It will be a year of completely uncharted territory for me. 

I am going to make mistakes. My family and friends are probably going to make me a little crazy. My daughter, like all babies, is going to be incredibly selfish and needy. 

I don't know what this year will hold. 

All I know is that it will contain challenges that I really hope I can face with dignity and grace. 

I am going to have to work on showing mercy. To myself, to my child, to my family, to my co-workers. There is literally no aspect of my life that couldn't benefit from me showing mercy and compassion to others. 

I want to stop being so self-righteous. I want to give other people the benefit of the doubt. 

Hubby & I got into an argument yesterday. It was involved some negative assumptions, which all of us are guilty of making sometimes. But I don't want to do that anymore. I want to assume the best of people, not the worst.

This year is probably going to be really hard. 

It's also hopefully going to be incredibly rewarding. 

My goal is to approach theses challenges and show mercy both to myself and others during these tough times. Hopefully this small (but difficult) change within myself will inspire others and improve my relationships as well as overall mentality.