Goals + Books for 2018

This is one of my favorite times of the year - the time between Christmas and the New Year where things are slow, businesses and schools are still closed or on break for the holidays, and we get the chance to re-evaluate life. I use this time to declutter the house, re-evaluate our systems and routines, and set goals for the upcoming year. This is my 4th year using the Powersheets (their yearly goal planner is sold out, but they still have 6 month sets left!) and if you have read my yearly goals posts before, you know how much I love these. 

This year I was filled with gratitude in a whole new way as I read through the prep work in the beginning of the Powersheets from the end of 2016. Sometimes when we are in the thick of it, it's hard to see if we are even growing or changing. Looking back allowed me to see that I did make progress on my goals and cultivated different areas of my life that needed to be cultivated. It feels so good going into 2018 knowing that little by little progress really does add up. This spurs me on to keep going! 

Goals + Books for 2018 // Natasha Red

One thing to note about my yearly goals posts is that I don't write monthly goals posts or updates anymore. With all the other content I want to get out that is focused on my mission, I don't have time for goals updates! However, I do share my journey on instagram as I learn and grow. And who knows, maybe I'll write a check-in post mid year? 

Books are a big part of my action plan for each goal, so I signed up for Goodreads and love it! I have created "bookshelves" for each goal and will be updating my reviews of books as I read them. I'm super excited about the accountability of this since I read a TON of books in 2017, but didn't keep track of them at all! If you want to follow along there for some good book rec's, please do!

One last thing before sharing my goals. These aren't what you might consider "typical" goals. The Powersheets help you uncover "meaningful goals" or rather intentions for your life - how you want to grow and areas you want to cultivate. You may take some big steps to change certain areas, but when I look at this list I see my values emerge. Every year I seem to have "goals" for each main category of my life - faith, marriage, children, business, friendships, ministry, health. I think the best goals are the ones that are sustainable because they are being cultivated into habits little by little that add up to a bigger change. 

2 0 1 8     G O A L S

 

1. Create a gentle, joy-filled and creative environment for the kids

I desire for the kids to grow up with beauty all around them. I want them to have a space to explore, play, imagine and learn. I want homeschooling to be joy-filled and sustainable for me, rather than a source of strife. It's hard right now with an active 2 year old boy to sit Reaghan down to do any of her preschool. Because I struggle to keep him occupied, we haven't been as consistent as I would like! I am hoping that as Everett gets a bit older this year, things will be smoother as he learns to do some activities of his own. 

ACTION STEPS:

  • Order My Father's World kindergarten curriculum
  • Establish a weekly homeschool schedule to finish Peaceful Preschool by summer
  • Watch a local friend do homeschool with her daughter one morning
  • Spend summer reviewing curriculum + preparing for the upcoming school year
  • Organize supplies to be functional and inspiring
  • BOOKS TO READ: I have no idea, please send me your suggestions! 

2. Cultivate the individual hearts of our kids 

They each need specific tending, training and guidance. They need to be filled with life giving words and discipleship. I have been trying to focus more on training than discipline, and have noticed their unique needs emerge both as different people but also as a girl and boy. 

ACTION STEPS:

3. Radically love friends

Because I want to be the friend that I want to have, and be more vulnerable with friends. 

ACTIONS STEPS:

  • Pray about friendships - for new friends, for current friends, and to love them well
  • Meet with a younger woman for discipleship
  • Invite friends over for tea times after kids bedtime
  • Write names of friends in Seasonal Meal Planner to help me remember to prioritize time with them
  • BOOKS TO READ: Messy Beautiful Friendship, any other suggestions??

4. Stop idolizing Jordan and be free to sacrificially love him

How he is doing shouldn't determine my emotions. I'm not loving him when I'm getting angry for trite little things and not encouraging him in his growth. This is more a goal to work on my own heart - my idols, what I'm really wanting in the moment that makes me emotional, and holding myself and others by a standard of grace, not self righteous perfection. Two points of frustration are our finances and our vision for the kids. My action steps reflect that as we grow in unity in these areas. 

ACTION STEPS:

5. Grow in discipline and delete distractions

This is probably my biggest goal for the year. I was deeply convicted over the last couple of weeks how much time has been lost this last year squandering time away on distractions. Life is too short to spend 2-3 hours a day on my phone (you can download an app to track it!). Eternity is coming and I want to die knowing I gave my all for the purpose God had for me. I want to see my life cultivated instead of living with regrets of how I used my time. This is hard in this season as a mom because my downfall is wanting respite or "zone out" time. This is when I mindlessly scroll social media, watch videos, etc. at night when I'm bone tired or in the middle of the day when I've hit that slump. I've already taken some action on this and seeing so much fruit!

ACTION STEPS:

  • Get an alarm clock and leave phone in kitchen at night (no phone to mess with getting a good night's sleep or right when I wake up when I should be spending time with God and getting a bit of work done)
  • Establish a life giving nightly routine 
    • read a fiction book before bed - something fun for my brain to look forward to but not the usual spiritual growth book that often takes more brain power to read. 
    • Go through VMP Fresh Outlook
    • Sleepy time tea
  • Time block my week (more on this below)
  • Keep phone in kitchen or on airplane mode while working
  • Pray "delete things from my list that are not of You"
  • Learn to be okay with the silence 
  • BOOKS TO READ: Discipline, my fiction list on Goodreads (not planning to read all, just some ideas I got from friends!)

6. Grow in long suffering as a mom

Because my anger can sometimes get out of control and I want to love my kids well. I know they watch me and mimic the way I act, and that these years shape how they will be as adults. I want to model well and take a long term approach to parenting, not just get through the day. 

ACTION STEPS:

  • Read Parenting with a friend and vox about what we're learning
  • Establish better work rhythms so I can be fully focused on them when I'm with them
  • BOOKS TO READ: Parenting (already started and loving), Missional Motherhood

7. Grow business smart and with heart

This was not meant to sound kitschy, but is totally true. I want more women to hear this message of making biblical hospitality doable and a priority. I want women like you to feel confident in the kitchen and know that her work there is a gospel ministry to her family and community. I want my mission (really, God's mission) to impact more lives and reach more people for Christ through the tables you share with people in your own community. I see this business as a ministry with a ripple affect reaching far and wide as you all implement the principles of seasonal meal planning, and dive deep into community around your tables. Lives can truly be changed through hospitality and I pray more would be this year because of this humble offering. 

ACTION STEPS:

  • Establish systems that save me time so I can focus on the most important aspects of business
  • Laser focus on my mission and message - write my Story Brand Brandscript
  • Use the Business Tracker
  • Time block week, month, quarter
    • schedule Paper + Oats batch days in my planner
    • time block: establish all my work and home responsibilities and designate a day and time to do them
  • Make my priorities visible on my desk so I don't forget them
  • Work on deadlines for every task 
  • Pray for business daily
  • Yearly timeline and content strategy
  • Serve customers, listen well and find ways to love them
  • 2-3 swHw classes a month and plan to implement what I learn
  • BOOKS TO READ: Traction, Launch, Building a Story Brand (read this already and it's life changing, so I'm reading again)

8. Learn about and practice hospitality

The Lord has called me to it. I know I still have plenty of room to learn and grow in this area. If I don't keep learning, I will be sharing from a dishonest place. I want to love people well and bring them the the Lord. I want to use our home and table to love others and learn more about God and His plan of redemption. 

ACTION STEPS:

9. Go deeper with prayer

My relationship with the Lord is by far the most important investment I can make this year, Prayer keeps my heart at peace and focused on what God cares about. 

ACTION STEPS:

10. Sustainable health and contentment 

My body is a temple and I want to honor it. I want to heal from the Candida fully and get on a sustainable diet and supplement plan. I want to grow in contentment with whatever happens in my health journey. I want to rely on God and learn what He wants me to learn from my health. 

ACTIONS STEPS: 

  • Finish reading Good & Angry
  • Follow up with doctor 
  • Continue supplements 
  • Research patience and candida
  • Pray for friend with candida
  • Daily affirmations for health
  • Journal about health in a specific journal dedicated to it
  • BOOKS TO READ: Good & Angry (need to finish), Heart Made Whole, maybe another book from the physiological perspective if I find one

Other books I want to read this year: 

What about you? What books are you reading this year? 

RESOURCES FOR YOUR OWN GOAL SETTING

GoalsNatasha Redgoals with grace, goals, goal setting, yearly goals, PowerSheets, cultivate what matters, yearly intentions, books, christian books, hospitality resources, hospitality books, book recommendations