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My New Year Goals

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebration!    I took a little blog break to get ready for all of the festivities and enjoy the holiday with my family.  It was great and I wasn’t planning to come back here until after the New Year, but found I was missing this little blog and hearing from you all too much!  So, here I am today with a post about some goals that I’ve set for the New Year!  I’m going to break this down into two sections – Personal and Blog.

Personal Goals for the New Year

So, each year I set some goals for myself, but I’ve never shared them here!   Under the heading of personal goals, I have two main segments:  Health and Fitness and Spiritual.

Health and Fitness:  Last year was the first year in a long time that I decided to focus on this area.  For the 20 years prior to that, my focus was the health and care of my parents and raising my boys.  I spent little time, like most Moms do, on myself.  I didn’t get much exercise, like I once did, and I developed some horrible eating habits.  Caring for aging parents with health problems, my mother had lung cancer and went to heaven in 2005 and my dad had multiple advanced age ailments and passed away in 2017.  I was the primary caretaker for my dad because I lived the closest and it was a LOT!  But, I would not trade the time I spent with him for anything!  All this to say, it’s really easy to put yourself on the back burner during times like this.

Last year was the first year in a long time that I tried to change that.  I went to a dietician and was on a healthy eating plan for about six months and lost 28 lbs. and that felt really good.  Then, I stopped going to my weekly visits and slipped back into some old habits.  Then came Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the food, and I gained back 10 of those pounds!  Not a good way to end the year!  But, last year was just a beginning.

This new year, I’m going to start fresh and if you would like to join me, I’m creating a Hymns and Verses Let’s Get Healthy Together Facebook Group where we can encourage one another, share some healthy recipes, share what is working for us, share exercise tips, etc.  I’ll be sharing some of what I learned last year, because I know it does work.  Last year I didn’t get any exercise, but this year that is going to change.  I’m going to start with walking (we have a gorgeous walking/biking trail near our home and Mark and I want to get bikes to ride together in April)!    I hope you’ll join me in the Facebook Group if this is something you want to focus on in the new year too!  Click the button below and ask to join the group and I’ll approve you!

Spiritual:   Along with my diet and exercise, my growth spiritually was at an all time low during the years I cared for my parents.  I was in a deep valley and have been climbing my way out over the past year.  I am soooooo ready to get back into studying God’s word more deeply and to spend more time in prayer this new year.  I got a new journaling Bible for Christmas that I love and I’m going to begin THIS study in the New  Year.  It’s a one year Bible reading plan and study guide.  The Daily Grace has a Facebook study group called Lamp and Light that you can join for free and they are going to begin this study in the group in January.  You can click HERE to join the Lamp and Light group on Facebook if you decide to do the The Story of Redemption Bible Study from The Daily Grace Co.

Photo Credit:  The Daily Grace Co.

If the study above seems daunting to you, I thought I would also share a Bible study tool from Mary and Martha.  It’s this 100 Days of Grace and Gratitude Devotional Journal and a Grace and Gratitude Mug bundle for $22!    I’m sharing the bundle because of the value.  The devotional alone is $17, so why not get a pretty mug too!  There will also be a Facebook group for sharing the 100 Days of Grace and Gratitude devotional that begins on January 2 and I’ll share the group information when it’s available.

Blog Goals for the New Year

Here on the blog, I am hoping to post more regularly on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday schedule.  There will be the usual home decor and DIY posts and I’d like to include a few more recipes this year too.   I’ll also be putting together a weekly newsletter that will include a variety of things.  I’d really like to do more video content, because I think it is so much easier to follow instructions in a video format versus photos.

Some projects that you will be seeing this year include:  a laundry room makeover with some DIY projects, a DIY bypass sliding barn door system for a closet, some DIY furniture projects, a DIY bathroom update from top to bottom, some landscaping projects in the spring, and my fingers are crossed that we can at least start work on the kitchen this year!

On the technical side of blogging, I have sooooooo much work to do.   Blogging has really changed from when I started back in 2012.   To really make a blog/website successful, there are a lot of things that need to be done “behind the scenes” and it really is a full time job!  Most successful bloggers now have people who work for them to do some of this behind the scenes work.  I’m not at a point where I feel I can do that.  So, for now, it’s just me keeping this blog afloat.  But, my goal is to get to a point where I can hire out some of those tasks this year!  That would be amazing!

As far as social media, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.;  I have decided to mainly post live on Instagram where there seems to be more interaction.   And, I’d like to do more Instagram stories.  Sharing projects I’m working on, some easy DIY’s, and sharing some Lancaster county sights.

So those are some of my goals for the New Year!  Can you believe 2019 is  just a few days away?  There is still time to make a few goals for yourself!  And, I always find it useful to put it in writing – because it just seems more “official” if it is written down!  So, here is a little printable for you to use to record your own goals for the new year!

I’ll be back soon to share a new printable Calendar for 2019 and a 2018 Blog Year in Review!  And, I’ll be over on Instagram today sharing some of the Cagno family get together!  Have a great Saturday!

Sue

Monday 31st of December 2018

I too am not on Facebook, but hope all goes well with your goals. Happy New Year!

Becky

Sunday 30th of December 2018

Like Suzanne, I'm not on Facebook, but wish you much success in all of your goals for the New Year. I thoroughly enjoy your blog. It has become one of my favorites.

Wendy

Saturday 29th of December 2018

Thank you for the update! Yours is one of the few blogs in which I read each post. I love your style and your heart!

Suzanne Carrier

Saturday 29th of December 2018

Sounds great, but I'm not on Facebook. But best wishes to you all!