My Year in Goals {2020}
Dec 31, 2020
2020 has been a year. What is there to say about it that hasn't already been said? While I'm excited to move on to 2021, I want to look back on the past twelve months first. Since 2015, I've shared a series of posts that I call "My Year in ______" to highlight my favorite things from the year. It's one reason I always look forward to December! There were a lot of things I didn't love about 2020, but I am excited to spend the next week talking about some of the good things. Today, it's all about my goals – an entirely new post in this series!
Since goal planning was new for me in 2020, I wanted to spend some time reviewing my progress. I was worried that my PowerSheets Intentional Goal Planner would be a frivolous purchase that I'd abandon, but the opposite happened. I've accomplished so much this year! The process and product wasn't magical, but it did help me identify what I wanted to get done and what steps I needed to take to make it happen.
There's been so much uncertainty this year, and I recognize that I'm fortunate to have just been inconvenienced by COVID-19. We've primarily dealt with disrupted plans and changes in our lifestyle. For so many, that hasn't been the case. My baby was born in February, so I intentionally set goals for my season of life. Many of them focused on our home and the people in it. When COVID hit, I didn't have to pivot very much and getting things done was comforting when so much has felt out of control. If you feel like you didn't learn (or do) anything new this year, I loved what Kendra wrote in this post: "You learned to live day after super hard day, and that's enough." I want to commemorate my progress, but I don't want you to be discouraged if your year looked different!
My word of the year was Nurture – a perfect choice that aligned with all of my goals and was very fitting for 2020. I nourished a baby, cared for the growth and development of both my sons, and I nurtured my faith, my marriage, my passions, and my habits. I had six big-picture goals – more like themes/categories, if you will – that I broke down into various monthly/quarterly/weekly mini goals and action steps that I could check off my list.
Some people might say that it isn't a goal if it can't really be measured or completed, but I disagree. The things that matter most deeply to me are often areas where I can make significant changes but will never truly be "finished." I've got the goals listed below, followed by some of the things I accomplished in each area. It isn't a comprehensive list, but I loved reviewing past tending lists and Goals blog posts for my progress:
1. Revitalize my faith through daily time with God.
It had been a long time since I'd prioritized my faith. I always said I wanted to deepen my walk with God, but my actions didn't reflect that desire. I'm very proud of the changes that I made in this area of my life in 2020!
Progress I made:
• Finished reading the Bible in one year
• Read a devotional every morning
• Read several non-fiction books about faith
2. Nurture my relationship with Nick and our sons.
My relationship with Nick and our two boys is the next most important thing in my life. With so much time at home, I had the perfect opportunity to nurture those relationships and adapt to our new normal as a family of four.
My relationship with Nick and our two boys is the next most important thing in my life. With so much time at home, I had the perfect opportunity to nurture those relationships and adapt to our new normal as a family of four.
Progress I made:
• Went on several family trips to the mountains
• Got our home ready for the baby
• Celebrated nine years of marriage
• Date nights at home with Nick
• One-on-one dates with my big boy
• Weekly library visits with my boys
• Read seven non-fiction parenting-related books
• Organized different areas of our home
3. Grow in my knowledge and stewardship of our finances.
This is the goal I made the least amount of progress on – at least compared to what I'd planned to do. But it's encouraging to see that I still made small steps towards my goal of being more attuned to our finances!
This is the goal I made the least amount of progress on – at least compared to what I'd planned to do. But it's encouraging to see that I still made small steps towards my goal of being more attuned to our finances!
Progress I made:
• Tracking spending on Goodbudget
• Read Dave Ramsey's finance book
• Completed a three-month no-spend challenge
• Met our savings goal for 2020
4. Invest time in the hobbies that bring me joy.
I wasn't sure what reading and blogging would look like with a new baby, and I'm so thrilled that both were still a big part of my life! Thank goodness for audiobooks, early bedtimes, and the right amount of motivation.
I wasn't sure what reading and blogging would look like with a new baby, and I'm so thrilled that both were still a big part of my life! Thank goodness for audiobooks, early bedtimes, and the right amount of motivation.
Progress I made:
• Blogged 2x per week, on average
• Reviewed all books read in 2020 (except December)
• Read 170 books in 2020
• Completed my re-read and non-fiction goals
• Culled my bookshelves and Goodreads
• Made seasonal TBR lists
• Stayed up-to-date in my reading journal and bookish log
• Set up my 2021 reading journal and bookish log
• Wrote blog posts that were important to me, like this My Year In feature
• Went on a "reading weekend" getaway with my sister
5. Create purposeful monthly, weekly, and daily routines.
One of the biggest thing that came up in my prep work in 2020 was my desire for more routine. Having established new rhythms this year, I feel like a different person! This was something I truly needed in my life.
One of the biggest thing that came up in my prep work in 2020 was my desire for more routine. Having established new rhythms this year, I feel like a different person! This was something I truly needed in my life.
Progress I made:
• Monthly review and prep sessions
• Implemented weekly cleaning schedule
• Weekly meal planning and grocery pickup
• Began daily school routine for my big boy
• Reviewed planner in bed every night
• Checked in on my Tending List every week
• Prepped my planner for the new year
• 2021 prep work and goal setting
6. Record and preserve our family memories.
The goal I found most daunting was 1) culling and organizing digital photos and developing habits to maintain it moving forward, and 2) filling out childhood journals for my baby and big boy. I can't believe they're done!
The goal I found most daunting was 1) culling and organizing digital photos and developing habits to maintain it moving forward, and 2) filling out childhood journals for my baby and big boy. I can't believe they're done!
Progress I made:
• Culled and organized all photos from 2016-2019
• Backed up all photos to an external hard drive and the cloud
• Culled 10,000+ photos from my phone
• Designed and ordered annual photo calendar
• Completed Trimesters, Birth, 1st Weeks - 11 Months in my big boy's and baby's childhood journals
• Sent baby announcements
For me, PowerSheets were worth the investment. I did the work, but they provided the structure I needed to begin to make changes in my life. In the past, I've tried to make SMART goals. But those were often discouraging for me because I'd get hung up on what I didn't accomplish rather than what I did. I loved that this gave me the freedom and encouragement I needed to set goals in whatever format/wording worked for me.
I had a mix of goals that were hard to truly measure (like revitalizing my faith and nurturing my family relationships) with more easily "completed" goals (such as creating routines and preserving our photos and recording memories through journaling), and that worked well for me. I'm currently finalizing my next set of goals, which I'll blog about next week. You'll notice a few 2020 goals reappear alongside new areas of focus for 2021!
Did you set any goals for 2020?
What progress did you make?
