Update On 2012 Resolutions...I Mean...Goals

Although my feelings change daily...His word never does. 

Are you still writing 2011 in your journal/calendar/school papers?  I am.  I crossed out two weeks of 2011's in my journal the other day.  Must be stuck in the past or something.  Or, incredibly forgetful. This week, a guy told me that his wife used to say, "with every child you birth, half of your brain goes out as well."  So, if that is true, I have 1/8th of my original brain left in tact.  That sounds about right...most days.

In looking back at the last month, and wanting to milk the accountability of my blog readers...I want to take a look at the goals I made at the beginning of this year and see what has been (or hasn't been) accomplished.

2012 Goals (condensed version) - click here for the whole post.

1(a): increase my exercise routine (walk around the neighborhood more), move from just "girl" push-ups to real ones, rock climb 2x/month.

  (b): plan more for the day each morning.

  (c): increase my morning routine (mainly time with Jesus) from one hour to two (by the end of Spring).

2.  Unplug from the Internet from 8am-after lunch on home school days.

3.  Unsubscribe from email lists that clog my inbox.

4.  Remember that I can't do it all!

So...how did I do?  Totally failure?  Total victory?  

Well...a little bit of both.

1(a) - I did increase my walking routine around the neighborhood...I added one extra time per week - and did it!  

And...I can FINALLY do one. real. push-up.  It took me a whole month of "girl" push-ups and "hands-elevated" push-ups to finally get to one traditional push-up. As I was writing this post, I did one...and then attempted the 2nd.  Guess what?  I fell flat on my face.  My husband witnessed it and laughed right along with me.  And, I did not even hit the rock climbing wall once.  Major fail.  Maybe this month?

(b) - I started writing only three things on my to-do list each day.  Only three.  Okay, sometimes I did more. But, for the most part...with advice from Inspired to Action...I kept it down to three so I could stay more focused throughout the day and not feel like a complete failure if I didn't complete my normal 20-point to-do list.  Seriously.  That's called setting yourself up for failure.

(c) - I am getting there concerning waking up earlier.  With a few exceptions, and not counting when I was sick with a bad cold (twice!), I have been waking up a little earlier each week.  I am now halfway to my goal (up 1.5 hrs before all the kids).  By April, I want to be up a full two hours before the kids are.  Hmmm...that might be helped if I learn to also get to bed earlier...

2 - On home school days (4/5 days a week), I have been "unplugged" on an avg. of 3 of those days.  Facebook and The Pioneer Woman are strangely addictive.  Surely I can give up my craving for the Internet for a measly 5 hours a day.  You would think that, wouldn't you?  Not yet to my goal of complete separation.  Working on it.  When I am weak, I have to remember that my kids (and their schooling) are so much better than an social networking/blogging fix.  

3 - I unsubscribed myself from EIGHTEEN different email newsletters.  Hello to a cleaner inbox!  Then, I did an "email sweep" to delete all of their email message cousins.  I think I am going to make this goal a regular thing.  Because, we all know that a woman living in Thailand probably shouldn't get all the Target weekly deals popping in her inbox to start a snowball of coveting happening in her heart.  Whoever that girl is.

4 - Here's where my post gets a little more vulnerable.  I tried to start the year with "remembering that I simply can't do it all."  That lasted for a few weeks, and then amnesia set in.  A few weeks ago, a huge cloud of discouragement wafted over my head and heart, and I felt like a complete failure at life.  I said to my husband, who had encouraged me that I was not a failure, "If I am doing so well, why do I feel like I am failing?"  Since then, I have had some wonderful conversations with the Holy Spirit, and some tearful worship times and bible studies (click here for the free one I am doing now!).  God is encouraging me, uprooting lies, replacing truth, giving me great feedback and direction...and I am super blessed.  Also, I have been reading this book, Grace For The Good Girl.  I highly recommend it.  It is a unique story, but it is for everyone to relate with.

How about your goals?  Have you kicked 'em to the curb yet?  Stayed strong?  Or, somewhere in-between?  Feel free to share below.  I love honesty.