Big Plans for 2020

I’ve seen quite a few social media posts where people are sharing their “word” for 2020. Are you picking a word or a character trait to work on in the coming year?

I enjoy writing lists! Last year on New Year’s Eve, I stayed up late writing a huge list of all the things I'd love to accomplish in 2019. Mainly, it was a fun brainstorming session.

I started the year with high hopes for lots of accomplishments. But six months into 2019, a feeling of failure hit me. While many of those fabulous ideas still churned in my head, I’d hardly put a dent in my list and the year was fading fast. I was tiptoeing into discouragement, and I had to do something else quickly.

So, I erased the bullet points on my planning board and made a downsized list. By November, I revamped it again.

I learned that while my goal setting is meant to motivate and inspire me, it can also drag me down like weights around my neck. I don't want that to happen in the new year.

I want something better for you—and for me—in 2020!

If you're working on a yearly to-do list, or choosing that special word, and it inspires you, encourages you to think joyful thoughts, or helps you stay focused on the wonderful things in your life, that’s awesome! Keep doing those things!

But, if something doesn’t turn out the way you hoped, don’t let it whisper “failure," either. Give yourself a break. And, if others don’t succeed at their “word” or goals, give them a break, too.

We all need to have more grace with each other, and with ourselves.

Also, it’s fine to revamp the plan, make a new list, or choose a different “word” at any point throughout the year.

Why do our goals, plans, or word have to be set for a whole year or set on January 1st?

What about if we did a planning session on the first day of every month? Or the first day of every new season. Or even once a week.

The main thing is to find out what creative planning works best for you.

This New Year’s Eve I’m not making any lists. If I were going to pick a word for 2020, it would be “stubborn.” I want to be stubborn about some good things. And I’d only do that topic during the month of January.

In February it would be something else—like finding joy!

Maybe in March, I’d pick dancing to a different song each day.

Life is an adventure and we don’t have to compare or contrast achievements with anyone else. We don’t have to set goals or make plans like anyone else is doing.

Find out what works for you and do that!

Do what inspires you and brings creativity and hope in 2020!

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

Happy 2020 to all of us!

Mary

I Failed

I confess . . . I failed to reach my goals for the past year.

Maybe they were too big and unreachable. Although, I really hate to say that. I believe in setting high standards for myself, and sometimes others. For better or for worse, we live up (or down) to expectations. On January 1, 2014, I wanted to try something I'd never done before, so I set a big goal. I was really excited about it too. I decided in 2014 I would write and publish three books—April's Storm, Stage Woes, and a book on faith.

But . . . (gulp) . . . I failed.

I honestly did work hard and faithfully on April’s Storm, but it took most of the year. It will be released later in January, but, still, none of those three things I'd hoped for happened in 2014.

So, on this shining, brand new day in 2015, I'm wondering, should I set any goals for the year? What if I fail again? Maybe if I hope for the best and see where things lead me, I'll be okay. Perhaps, I'll even be surprised. Things might work out better than in years past. I could see some success. Maybe. If.

That reminds me of how I feel about cleaning my house. It's one of my least favorite things to do. Especially the bathrooms. If I don't have a plan in advance to clean house, or do a certain task, I can pretty much guarantee it won't get done.

I used to be way more motivated and driven. Now that we live in the country and don't have kids in the house, things easily fall by the wayside. “I've got to give the dogs a bath,” can be said many days in a row. Something smells “strange” in the fridge, but it goes untended for a week. Days morph together, and suddenly, it's Sunday again, and I don't know how that happened.

I definitely need a list. A goal. A plan. But what if I don't succeed?

I've heard some scoff at New Year's resolutions. “I'm going to lose ten pounds.” “I'm going to quit ______________.” “I'm going to write a book.” Those doubters don't believe people will follow through with their commitments. And, maybe they won't. Maybe I won't. But the thing is, what will we (I) accomplish without a goal? For me, New Year's Day 2016 would show up, and I wouldn't have finished much of anything.

Is there something you'd really like to see happen this year? A trip to Europe? Writing a book? Moving to a different house? Going on a mission trip? Living by a budget? Why not make a list of goals to work toward? Sure, you can be afraid that you won't stick to your plan. Or, you can look yourself—and your list—in the eye each day and say “I can do it. With God's help I can do anything.”

Even though I failed at my goals last year, I've decided to make another list today—January 1, 2015. The thing I'm going to do differently, that I didn't do in 2014, is post my goals in a prominent place where I can see them every day. I'm going to recite that verse “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” over them. (Philippians 4:13) And, because I'm following the Lord, I'll add “Your will be done,” because I want His will to be done in all areas of my life.

Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith.

And even in the areas where I think I failed, did I learn something through the process? If so, then I probably didn't fail as much as I thought I did. And that is good news.

Got a list?