A New Year Means...

You know the routine...all through December you spend your time thinking about what you'll "start" on January 1.  The cultural obsession with "New Year's Resolutions" is something that many of us buy in to - myself included!  Every year, I tell myself "This is the year I ___________". Fill in the blank - get in shape, exercise more, lose weight, read the Bible cover to cover, never say a swear word, never raise my voice at my kids.  The list goes on an on.  I am that person who will make a list of 10 or more things I want to change about my life during that year.  There have even been posts on this blog about all that I'm going to do. 

Typically, about 6 weeks in (or faster), my "resolutions" become the newest list of efforts tried and failed.  Its another list of all the things in my world that I lacked committment to accomplish, those things I allowed to fall out of priority. 

Can you relate?

So, this year, I'm approaching things differently. Instead of making personal resolutions for changes I want to make that will only reallly benefit me, I'm thinking of our family. I'm approaching the issue with my whole family.  We're discussing ways our family can improve. 

We're also approaching our goals with the same goal-setting/outcomes development approach I might use in my social work programs.  Make 'em measurable and attainable...take the larger overall goal in mind (the big picture) and break it down. Allow yourself more than 1 year to implement the full change, in those larger areas! Allow room for improvement and growth year from year.  Remove the pressure and Be Realistic.

Our list for the year:
1) Attend church at least 45 weeks this year! We fell into the trap of being "sporadic" attenders last year and are committed to re-focusing on our woship with fellow believers this year..even considering leading a small group and volunteering in the youth ministry.
2) Eat healthier through a great reduction in the frequency of meals out (maybe 1x/week limit!), sugar, and pop for the family, while I'm going to get a little sneaky on the vegetable front so the kids don't know their eating something good for them!
3) Move more...I really, really, really want to be a runner by the end of the year...we'll see where that goes.

That's it...a small list...a manageable list of goals. Measureable, so we can see our progress and actually achieve the goal. 

What's your list?