I was grateful for a wonderful Sunday School lesson about the Savior this week that helped me focus my thoughts as I've been trying to finalize my goals for the year. Our teacher reminded us that our goals should be centered in Him. He is what will make them and us successful! President Boyd K. Packer taught, "[The Atonement of Jesus Christ] is the very root of Christian doctrine. You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them.” In other words, for our life to have substance we must be centered in and connected to Him and His Atonement (see also John 15).
So....here goes.....some of my thoughts, desires, dreams, ponderings, plans for 2017....
Simplify / Focus: I think sometimes I'm hesitant to set goals because I don't want to try to do too much or get myself overwhelmed or distracted by things that really don't matter. This year I want to be careful to focus on what's most important, simplify, like President Uchtdorf teaches in this month's Ensign - remember that the most important thing is to love God and love our neighbors! I want to focus on Him this year! Treasure His words and commandments, learn His attributes, love Him, fill my life with His Light and then share it! This means more meaningful scripture study, prayer, and temple attendance. I think it also means more humility, more kindness, more selflessness.
Prayer: Meaningful, consistent prayer is one of my main goals this year! I want to notice the blessings and all of life's gifts and express gratitude. I also need to do more learning, seeking, asking and then be ready to receive! In general I want to work on knowing better who I am and what I want and ask for it and make it happen! Have faith, hope, expect His blessings! Know that God will answer. Recognize His answers. I believe this will include fasting sometimes, too. I want to figure out a good way to consistently keep a prayer journal to help remember the blessings and what I am learning. ;)
Gratitude: Related to prayer I want to see every day and each of its blessings as a gift. Have you seen this video? That's how I want to live my life! Recognizing and not taking for granted any of life's gifts, particularly other people. I want to express more gratitude to others, particularly family. I hope to write 365 thank you's this year (letters, emails, etc.) to try to recognize blessings, and thank people for their influence in my life and never suppress a generous thought.
Relationships: I feel like it's important to focus on relationships this year. I want to focus on people and more specifically getting to know people, seeing the good, being kind, not judging or criticizing, being humble, not comparing, honoring my parents, being a good aunt, and really just loving others. I'd like to be more open, and plan some gatherings to get to know people (dinners, book clubs, hiking adventures). We'll see how it goes, but that's the thought and desire.
Learn: Learning makes me happy and I hope to learn a lot this year. I guess it's hard to know for sure what I might learn this year. I'd really like to be open to what comes, but I'd also like to be intentional and purposeful. I'd like to learn how to do my family history, update some things in my house, learn to cook and eat better, maybe keep a garden! I've also been thinking a lot about talents lately. I think that too often my goals focus on things I want to do and not enough on what I want to become. This year I hope to work on some talents to develop and cultivate, maybe to include music, photography, writing, language, or something else yet to be identified or recognized. ;) I realize that I need to do something to challenge myself and get my brain working, so I hope to be proactive and improve. I'd really like to figure out better who I am and what I can and need to contribute.
Travel: Traveling is a way I learn and something I love! I hope to plan a couple of weekend getaways and hopefully at least one bigger (possibly international) trip this year. We'll see, but some of the ideas floating around in my head right now - Arizona, Minnesota, Florida, North Dakota (still need to get there!), San Diego, Montana, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Peru, Central America??? .....and St. George, Seattle, and Hawaii are always on the list. :D
Give / Serve / Share: I'm happy when I'm helping someone else, so I hope to have opportunities to give and serve this year in large and small ways. I plan to keep teaching English for a while and then we'll see what other things might come next. I always want there to be something in my life I'm doing consistently to help others. I also hope to express and share my faith... and fear not to do good!
Read: I want to be a little more purposeful with my reading this year. While 52 books has been my goal for the past few years and I plan to read as much, I want to be sure I'm reading the best books. I hope that number will include all seven volumes of the History of the Church (that I began last year), as well as some other good Church History books as we're studying the Doctrine & Covenants, as well as Jesus the Christ, and each of the standard works.
Hike / Run / Exercise: I want to be more consistent with exercise this year. I'd like to get at least three hours of exercise in a week and also complete an average of a hike a week and at least one event during the year.
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