Thoughts on the New Year

As usual, this time of year has me excited. I love fresh starts and possibilities. But, I've also been doing some thinking about my usual method of setting goals and creating resolutions.

To illustrate what's been on my mind, let's review last year's resolution list...

    My Projects:

• Come up with a workable photo storage solution/plan.
  
• Create an index for my grandpa's life history book.
  
• Begin to learn Copperplate Calligraphy.
  
• Work on a family history project with my mom.
  
• Scrapbook at least one page a week.
  
• Blog more regularly.
  
• Get my act together.

    Our Family 2008 List:

• Go on a camping trip.
  
• Go to the beach. 
  
• Make a decision about homeschooling.
  
• Get a bigger vehicle.
  
• Exercise regularly.

    In 2008, we will... (according to Shayne and Gracie)

• Get new Wii games.
  
• Go swimming in the hotel pool.
  
• Have a Snow White birthday party.
  
• Have a Sonic birthday party.

Now, let's count up how many of those goals were achieved: Go to the beach, Make a schooling decision, Get new Wii games, Go swimming in the hotel pool, and Have a Snow White birthday.

Go us! Or, really, go Shayne and Gracie since they were clearly the most realistic.

It is really disappointing for me to see that list of things, good things that I would still like to accomplish, so empty in terms of progress. Re-reading it last week brought to mind this post I read on c jane last fall. Here is an excerpt (emphasis mine):

I’ve been thinking about how I mark progress and how often my perspective, although linear, is off. I’m frustrated when I think of the ideal in my head, whether physical, spiritual, mental, or even emotional. I think I have unrealistic expectations sometimes, mostly in how fast I think I should be progressing. If I evaluate myself in terms of an ideal, I will never feel a period of rest or success. When I look at myself, in all aspects of life, all things considered, from a different perspective of several years ago, a few years ago, or a month ago, and allow myself to see how far I’ve come, then I can see it. I can see what difficult experiences have taught me–-what knowledge they’ve given me and what incredible value they hold for me. And any progress, no matter how slow, is progress.

This passage makes we want to consider the New Year in a whole new way. I actually want to start looking backward as I make my fresh start, as funny as that sounds. My record of progress seems to expand exponentially in that way...

Since the beginning of last year, I (or we as a family) have: successfully taught another semester at BU, and it was done in my most organized manner, in terms of keeping up with grading and stress levels, yet; enjoyed time spent with extended family visiting us; taught and enjoyed learning with Shayne and Gracie in our homeschool, including Shayne learning how to read; watched Aubrey learn how to walk and begin to talk; learned that we would welcome a new baby into our family 2009...and the list can go on and on.

Do you see what I mean? When I look at it that way, I don't feel disappointment, I think, "What a year!" It's all about perspective, and I want to be more aware of that.

That's not to say I'm giving up on goal-setting entirely. I still believe in the power of writing things down and moving forward toward those goals. I just don't want to measure myself by them.

Last night for FHE, we had a brainstorming session for the kids to come up with their yearly goals. The final list includes things like riding a bike without training wheels, playing baseball, learning more math, staying in my bed all night, and being friendly. Again, I love their attitude and realism!

As for myself, instead of a list, I committed to an idea I took from Ali Edwards of using a "theme" word to guide your year. My word for 2009 is nurture.

 

This year I want to nurture the good in my life...nurture this new baby, nurture the minds and hearts of our children, nurture my relationship with Brendon, my testimony, my friendships and family relationships, and those over whom I have stewardship in my church calling. I'm hoping that this method will help me create a heightened awareness as I go about my life and my year, instead of creating a list of expectations or an ideal that I think I need to live up to.

Like I said in the last post, 2009 is going to be quite the year in the Moore house. So here's to a good one!