2023 was a yr stuffed with plenty of surprising challenges and each anticipated and surprising adjustments. I shared extra in-depth concerning the yr in my yearly recap with photos over on Instagram. It was a yr that basically stretched me to capability and taught me my very own limits and must ask for assist and enter from others. And the top end result was plenty of good adjustments which have helped me to have more room and respiration room in my life to have the ability to be extra intentional within the areas God has known as me to spend money on.
On account of the teachings discovered in 2024, I selected the phrase HEALTH as my phrase for the yr. This isn’t simply bodily well being, but in addition emotional well being and religious well being.
I haven’t carried out nearly as good job of prioritizing bodily well being or emotional well being the previous few years and now that I’m not pregnant or adjusting to a different new child, it’s time give attention to making well being an actual precedence. (As most of , we introduced dwelling 4 infants in lower than 4 years — two I birthed and two we fostered and one we adopted and the opposite we proceed to offer childcare for. It’s been a present and a great factor, but in addition plenty of emotional curler coaster and bodily exhaustion concerned.)
With this in thoughts, I selected 22 objectives for 2024. Which may really feel a bit formidable, however I’ve been engaged on many of those for the previous few months, so plenty of them are already beginning to turn into extra recurring. This record makes me really feel impressed and excited — and that’s what you actually need with objectives.
How I’m Planning in Grace for the Sudden and Unknown
Plus, Jesse helped me to chop a few of them down and to raised quantify them so I’d be capable to observe them and understand how I used to be doing. In the event you’ll discover, we inbuilt wiggle room for touring or illness or different surprising issues that can come up which may hold me from having the ability to persist with every aim each single day. In order that’s why we selected to set the aim of doing one thing persistently not less than 300 days of the yr. That feels much more doable, and should you miss a day right here or there, you aren’t falling off the bandwagon!
I broke the objectives into classes to ensure I used to be investing intentional time in my areas of precedence. One factor you might discover is that I don’t have any objectives which might be particularly about my older three children. Whereas they’re a giant precedence and I’ve numerous methods I work on deliberately investing time into their lives every week, I made a decision to not create objectives for time with them as their schedules differ and I need to give them plenty of flexibility to stay their life and never be tied to some quantity aim for one thing I set.
So, listed below are my 22 objectives for 2024…
Bodily Well being Objectives/Habits
1. Daylight Earlier than Screens at Least 300 Days — I’ve been extremely impressed by Sarah sharing her well being journey and the way she’s feeling so significantly better by making daylight and relaxation extra of a precedence. The previous week, I’ve been waking up and going out to observe the solar rise earlier than getting on any screens and it’s been so good. Simply this straightforward act has had a trickle down impact in plenty of different areas in my life! So I’m aiming to exit each morning and skim my Bible spend a while absorbing some solar earlier than I activate any display screen.
2. At Least 300 Walks Outdoors — Strolling is so therapeutic for me! For the previous two years, I’ve principally walked on the treadmill within the mornings whereas praying over the main points of my day. In 2024, my aim is to take these walks outdoors to breathe within the contemporary air and get some further pure mild!
3. 1000 Hours Outdoors — I began working in the direction of making this a 2024 aim again in the beginning of summer time! Sure, it’s been a very long time in coming. However I knew I wanted to prep myself for it as I’m not naturally somebody who spends a lot time open air. However impressed by Ginny from 1000 Hours Outdoors and all of the analysis she’d shared on the advantages, I’m going for it! I don’t know that I’ll hit 1000 hours, however I’m completely constructive I’m going to be spending much more time open air this yr by making this a aim! If you wish to hear extra how this has already impacted me (or want some encouragement to contemplate making time open air a precedence), take heed to the podcast episode I did with Ginny Yurich.
4. Solely Eat Refined Sugar Twice a Week — This can be a huge one for me, as I’ve a serious candy tooth and love selfmade desserts and candy breads. I began experimenting with this concept of creating this a aim in 2024 in December, and I used to be pleasantly shocked to find it wasn’t as arduous as I believed it might be! It helps that I’ve discovered some yummy replacements for sweets that don’t have refined sugar — due to issues like Zevia and Lily’s Chocolate! I’m additionally okay with having honey or maple syrup. Plus, as an alternative of setting myself up for failure by saying no refined sugar in any respect, I’m setting the aim to solely have two objects with it each week. So I can fastidiously select what I need to splurge on as an alternative of simply mindlessly consuming plenty of carbs and sugars like I are inclined to!
5. Devour 90 Grams of Protein at Least 300 Days — I’ve been sticking with this aim fairly persistently because the starting of December and need to proceed on with it. I discover a marked distinction in my vitality and stamina after I eat sufficient protein, so I’m hopeful that I make this a behavior that comes naturally by the top of 2024!
Emotional Well being Objectives/Habits
6. No Screens After 8:30 p.m. at Least 300 Days — Our schedule is altering fairly considerably beginning subsequent week (Jesse and I will likely be sharing extra about this within the podcast that drops this week), and one of many adjustments is that we’ll have to be getting all three children up and out the door for the day by 7:25 a.m. In an effort to do that, we’re working arduous on having a way more established bedtime routine that begins earlier for all of this. So I’m implementing no screens after 8:30 p.m. to assist with this. The one exception will likely be for a film or present with Jesse or the older children, however the aim is to have that completed/turned off by 8:45 p.m. on the newest.
7. Study a New Talent: The way to Make Sourdough Bread — I’ve lengthy needed to be taught the artwork of sourdough. It actually intimidates me, however I like sourdough bread a lot that I made a decision this was the yr I used to be going to maintain working towards and studying till I grasp it. I used to be impressed to set this aim by Acts of Sourdough and bought her starter and will likely be following her January plan to be taught and follow! I’ll be posting my progress on Instagram if you wish to comply with alongside!
8. Full 3 Embroidery Initiatives — I like embroidery but it surely’s one thing I’ve not carried out in years! I made a decision I actually needed to choose again up a handwork venture this yr so I requested for embroidery kits for Christmas. My sister gave me three and I set a aim to complete all of them this yr. I plan to work on them simply 15-Half-hour not less than a couple of nights every week whereas Jesse and I watch a present. I’ll be posting my progress on Instagram if you wish to comply with alongside!
9. Be Utterly Offline 40 Sundays — Okay, full disclosure, whereas I don’t often put up on social media on Sundays, I’ve gotten into a very dangerous behavior of doing totally different work tasks on Sundays or simply falling into rabbit holes on-line. Since I work on-line six days every week, it’s actually necessary for me to have someday off every week. So in 2024, I’m committing to take not less than 40 Sundays fully off. It’s not good, however will probably be enormous progress!
Religious Well being Objectives/Habits
10. Undergo 4 She Reads Reality Bible Studying Research — I like the She Reads Reality research and I’ve a couple of sitting on my shelf that I haven’t gone by way of but, so my Bible time this yr will likely be working these readig plans/research.
11. End 4 Devotionals — I’ve cherished going by way of a devotional together with my Bible studying each morning this previous yr, so I’m going to proceed doing that in 2024 and am excited to begin and end some new ones!
Studying Objectives
12. Learn 1000 Image Books to the Children — Our little children LOVE image books and we learn plenty of them virtually every day. I made a decision that it might be enjoyable to trace what number of we learn this yr with the aim of studying 1000. Disclaimer: this isn’t 1000 totally different image books. We frequently learn their favorites over and over and a few we learn virtually each single day. So I’m counting every learn as one image guide. In the event you’d like a free printable tracker for image books, Homeschool Classic has some actually cute ones!
13. Learn the primary 4 Little Home on the Prairie books aloud to the three youthful children. I’m planning to learn a bit bit from a chapter guide daily at lunch to the little children. This yr, my aim is to complete the primary 4 books within the Little Home sequence. I believe Kierstyn is on the good age to essentially get pleasure from them!
14. Learn Via The Greatest Story Bible Storybook. We simply completed up a devotional and an Introduction devotional with the youthful three, so we’re beginning this Bible Storybook and I plan to learn one story from it each morning at breakfast. It has 104 tales, so we must always simply be capable to get by way of it this yr!
15. End 75 Books — I solely completed 41 books in 2023, which is a reasonably low quantity for me. I’ve excessive hopes that 2024 goes to be a greater studying yr for me! I’m planning to learn a couple of pages from some spiritually encouraging books within the morning, take heed to some audiobooks all through the day, and skim 20-30 pages of a story-driven guide at evening earlier than mattress. If I principally hit these objectives, I ought to simply be capable to end 75 books in 2024. I put up the books I’m studying on GoodReads and in addition will likely be sharing my sincere critiques of books I learn in my private e-mail publication each Saturday morning.
Homeschool Objectives
16. End Junior Kindergarten + Preschool — I’ve been doing Memoria Press preschool with Micah and Junior Kindergarten with Kierstyn. We’ve been loving it and my plan is to complete it by summer time.
17. Begin Sonlight Preschool/PreK — Within the fall, I’m planning to begin Sonlight Preschool with Micah and Sonlight Pre-Okay with Kierstyn. These appear a bit extra superior than Memoria Press and give attention to various things, so they are going to fill in some holes earlier than Micah strikes as much as beginning a Pre-Okay program when he’s 3 and Kierstyn begins Kindergarten.
Marriage Objectives
18. ABC Date Nights — I bought this concept from Phylicia Masonheimer and Jesse and I are so enthusiastic about it! We’re planning to choose one letter every week (beginning with A and going by way of the alphabet) to have a date centered round. So as an example, A may very well be going to Applebees or getting Apple Cider or making Apple Pie, and many others. And so forth. We’re going to commerce off selecting letters and planning a date round that letter. Since there are 26 letters of the alphabet, our aim is to have a date not less than each different week in order that we end all 26 letters by the top of the yr. I’ll be posting updates on Instagram and in my private e-mail publication if you wish to comply with alongside!
19. 2 In a single day Getaways — I will likely be weaning Micah within the subsequent few months, so we need to get away for an in a single day keep someplace (in all probability native) twice this yr. Because of having infants after which David’s medical wants, we haven’t had any in a single day getaways in a couple of years and it’s excessive time we choose this again up once more! We hope to have the ability to do multiple evening away subsequent yr, however this yr we’re beginning with only one evening and we’ll see how that goes!
Enterprise Aim
20. 6 Product Launches/Gross sales — I’m so enthusiastic about a number of the new issues we’re engaged on and cooking up! We will likely be launching a couple of new merchandise this yr and working a couple of actually nice gross sales. Our first product launch is in three days and it’s a product I believe you’re going to LOVE and it’s going to be on a very, actually nice sale January 4-6! Keep tuned!
Monetary Aim
21. Pay Money for One other Rental Home — We purchased a rental dwelling final yr with money and Kathrynne resides in it whereas going to school. Kaitlynn will seemingly be residing there along with her subsequent yr and going to the identical faculty. That is saving 1000’s of {dollars} + will probably be a home we will hire out for a great month-to-month charge as soon as they’re completed residing there. Now we have been saving to purchase one other rental and are hoping to have sufficient saved round halfway 2024 to pay money for an additional rental. We’re nonetheless the place we need to buy it, however are enthusiastic about this extra stream of revenue and new enterprise enterprise!
Residence Aim
22. Get the Most important Ground Re-painted — This has been on our record for fairly a very long time and we determined it wanted to be a aim this yr so that it’ll hopefully truly occur!
How I’m Monitoring My Objectives
For the entire objectives which have a quantity hooked up to them, I’m utilizing the Strides app (iPhone solely, sadly) to trace them. You may put within the quantity you need to hit by the top of a timeframe (on this case, by the top of the yr) after which mark off each time you hit that aim. You may then see in real-time how you might be doing and whether or not you might be behind, forward, or proper on observe with hitting your aim. I’ve been utilizing it this previous yr and have discovered it to be so useful!
The place You Can Observe Alongside With My Objectives (adjustments to the weblog!)
One huge change that has already taken place (with out you possibly even realizing!) is that I’m transferring round the place I’m sharing content material.
This previous yr, I’ve actually stepped again to rethink about the easiest way to point out up on-line with the time and capability I’ve. I attempted a lot of various things that didn’t work and felt like I used to be stretched too skinny and at all times behind in attempting to share what I needed to share and by no means getting the entire posts up that I needed to put up.
As I contemplated issues extra, I spotted that I might select the place and methods to present up and it was okay to vary the best way I’ve carried out and approached issues. I do know, that appears so apparent, however I believe I had gotten caught in ruts and it took me awhile to understand this!
In order of some weeks in the past, I’ve moved most of my private content material that I had been sharing on the weblog (albeit considerably sporadically this previous yr) to my weekly private e-mail publication. If you wish to learn my guide critiques, see peeks into our week, hear about what I’m fascinated by/studying/attempting, hear my aim updates, discover out what I’m studying and watching, and learn about what merchandise I’m loving, and many others. my private publication would be the place to examine it!
I’ll even be sharing a few of these issues on the podcast and on Instagram, however the publication will likely be a extra in-depth area for me to share + I’ll embody hyperlinks so you may go take a look at no matter merchandise or posts or podcasts or books I’m speaking about!
If You Wish to Learn My Private Posts, Be Positive to Signal Up for My Private Enewsletter
My private e-mail publication comes out each Saturday morning and you’ll join it at no cost right here. Right here’s what you may anticipate from it each Saturday:
- Bits and items from our life — particularly behind-the-scenes issues that I won’t share elsewhere
- Books I’m studying and actually sincere critiques — I’m transferring my guide critiques on the weblog to this weekly e-mail publication as a result of I felt like that might give me a bit extra freedom to share extra in-depth and actually than I really feel like I can share in a public area that’s on the web
- Issues I’m loving — merchandise, hacks, web sites, music, and many others.
- TV reveals and films we’re watching — and sincere critiques!
- Classes I’m studying, issues I’m fascinated by, and many others.
- Any unbelievable offers that I believe you may want a heads up on
- New merchandise we’re engaged on/launching — we’ve some thrilling new issues we’re rolling out in 2024!!
- Podcasts/interview hyperlinks and particulars — If I launched a podcast or if I used to be interviewed on a podcast, I’ll share the hyperlinks and information within the weekly publication
Join my private enewsletter right here.
Don’t fear! There’ll nonetheless be loads of content material right here on the weblog! I’ll nonetheless be sharing my grocery purchasing journeys and menu plans (I plan to share these on Mondays) and I’ll share a bit weekly recap on Fridays with a couple of photos and hyperlinks, and many others. however this may unlock time and area for my to share extra money-focused content material right here — which is one thing so many have been begging for. I’ve so many concepts for articles on totally different matters that will help you save more cash and be extra intentional along with your funds this coming yr and this may make time and area for that right here!
I see this transformation as the perfect of each worlds! It would permit me to nonetheless have a spot to share private content material that so a lot of you’re keen on with out you needing to take heed to a podcast or comply with on Instagram if these aren’t your issues (however in a bit extra of a much less public approach so I can share extra brazenly like I’d like to have the ability to!) and it’ll unlock area right here on the weblog for us to share extra money-saving content material to serve those that are trying particularly for methods to chop prices, pay down debt, and creatively enhance their revenue or lower their spending.
Thank You SO A lot!
In case you are nonetheless studying after this massively lengthy put up (I believe that is the longest put up I’ve written in a very very long time!!), I simply need to say thanks a lot for being right here. I’m so grateful to each one in all you. 2024 marks 20 years that I’ve been running a blog on-line… are you able to consider it? I began on LiveJournal sharing with my buddies by no means dreaming it might sometime be our household’s full-time revenue and that we’d have a small workforce serving to us out. Attending to share on-line is a big reward and one I don’t take evenly — and it’s solely due to every of you that I’m capable of do what I do. So from the underside of my coronary heart, thanks!
Any Questions??
Now, earlier than I shut: What questions do you could have about my objectives or phrase of the yr or the weblog adjustments? Ask away within the feedback and I’ll be studying every remark and responding!
The contents throughout the article have been provided through Newswire for Finencial.com, go to