Happy New Year! It is hard to believe it is 2022, but I am excited for a fresh start. I am sure you will agree that it has got to be just a notch better than 2021 (and most certainly 2020...). :)
I honestly can’t say it was that bad though. For us, it was a year of many good things including my younger son starting high school, my older son starting what is now a job he has been at for almost a year, and a family trip to New England. There were a few health challenges, and various struggles of raising teenagers along with the continued craziness of the pandemic. It is easy to think about the bad stuff but there were a lot of good times as well! The bad stuff is in the past now and there is no need to dwell on it.
So what did 2021 teach me? It taught me to stop being soooo busy. I continue to find myself stretched thin with so many things and need to narrow it down to just a few things to be sure I am investing my time into what is most important. I have been giving a lot of thought and reflection this year to what ”my why” is and want to ensure that my time is prioritized accordingly.
I find that when I start the year with a plan for where I want to change or improve, I am less stressed and more productive. I am a fairly private person but I have also found that sharing my plans even at a high level provides some accountability and helps me to be more likely to accomplish them.
That said, a few of my priorities are as follows:
More time at home - My boys are getting older and I have to take advantage of the bits and pieces of time I get to spend spend with them outside of their many activities and very active social life (I could really have a side job as a chauffeur). This means trying to limit how much we sign up for and making sure at least a few evenings a week are protected (family dinners and time at home with nowhere to go).
Community - I have found that in past years, I was putting lots of time and energy into serving in my church, and there is nothing wrong with that, but I have felt convicted to shift more of my time and energy in activities and needs out in the community (with a limit on how much time I invest in that, to avoid conflicting with the goal above).
Health: I need to keep health a priority as a whole, and not just in trying to lose weight. My goal every year is to lose weight (and I never meet it, but for some reason keep thinking I can… every. single. year.) so this year I am going to just focus on my health instead! I will celebrate 25 years of being free of cancer in January, and that may be a wake up call that I am getting older and need to be more intentional about how I take care of myself. I will invest in a program to develop healthier habits for eating (to include, reluctantly, less chips and salsa) and a better exercise routine.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
This verse says it all! 2022 may include the best days of your life, that you may have no idea about yet.
I wish you a successful and prosperous 2022!!
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