Since I posted my “Hopes for 2015” post, I’ve had at least three people ask me if I would be willing to post the whole list.
Initially, I refused. It’s too personal.
While I do put myself out there a lot on my blog, posting a list like this names things I hope will happen. What if they don’t, what happens? Will people think I’m a failure if I don’t succeed in all of my aspirations? Will I feel like naming them aloud, making them public, will change them from hopes to resolutions?
These are the types of questions I thought when considering posting this list. And then I decided it didn’t matter. If one person can take some kind of inspiration from this list or even just think in a new way from me posting the list, then it’s worth it. The list will remain a list of hopes. I will not fail if I don’t achieve them all. After all, some are completely out of my hands.
So here goes nothing. My notes and clarifications on the list are in parenthesis.
Hopes for 2015
- Drink more water
- Write at least 1 sentence daily
- Exercise regularly
- Invite someone to dinner 2x/month (because I’m a hermit and need practice in hospitality)
- Plan lessons for homeschooling the weekend before
- Write my own holiday lesson plans (Thanksgiving & Christmas)
- Minimize sugar intake
- Follow & keep track of a budget (for real this time)
- Buy a house (!!!!!!)
- Plant a garden & don’t let it die
- Read, at minimum, 15 books
- ENJOY my 29th year
- Buy Christmas presents throughout the year (finish before Thanksgiving)
- Live simply
- Eat real food that takes time to prepare
- Don’t wolf down each meal as if there is an infant screaming in the other room (even if there is)
- Read my bible daily
- Get pregnant in the summer or fall (or at least entertain the idea of trying – but for the point of this post, I’ll say I want to be pregnant)
- Share the gospel with one person each month
- Have one date night, either at home or out, each week (includes turning off technology – this is a goal more for Tyler than myself)
- Limit Instagram time and put phone away when with family and friends
- Read one news article each day
- Make friends with someone almost twice my age
- Focus on school intensely with undivided attention while Martin naps (I’m writing this while Martin naps, so this is definitely a work in progress)
- Teach Ethan to cook (He has successfully made eggs for himself and for me two mornings this year.)
- Think romantically about Tyler – Feel and remember the magic of dating and being engaged to him. Dwell on the joy I experience from being his wife and knowing him in good and bad situations (For those of you who are unmarried or newly married, this point may paint a dismal image of marriage, but I don’t always feel like loving Tyler. Marriage is hard. I’ve seen several marriages fall apart lately, and not people I would expect. I don’t want Tyler and I to head down that road, now or in 10 years. The best way I can see to prevent that from happening is to Remember who I am, who Tyler is, the grace we have in Christ, and to be intentional about loving him. Marriage is hard, but it is rewarding as well.)
- One & Done (This is our new mantra for cleaning the house. We are slowly adding it in to our life and trying to be less cluttered and messy. We borrowed it from some friends. It means put something away the first time, and it will not have to be put away again.)
- Cherish my children each day – pick 1 positive moment from the day and dwell on it.
- Find peace for my soul
That’s it.
I didn’t realize until I typed it out that there are 29 hopes for the year (in my journal I just used dashes). This is ironic because I’m turning 29 this year and also because that’s a lot of hopes.
Next time, I’ll be focusing on the word, PEACE. Shalom.
