Hope List for 2013
I'm not quite sure where I stumbled across the term "Hope List" but I'm really liking it. Instead of making a list of iron-clad resolutions or goals, it's a list of things I hope to do or hope to have done or that we hope for the future. To me it just seems much more flexible and one thing I learned in 2012, is that I need to be more flexible with myself and my expectations.
If you've read here for a while, you know that we have pretty demanding schedules and lots of both internal and external obligations. We've been sick a lot in 2012 and a lot of things that we usually do and want to do and hope to and need to do slid by the wayside. Having flexibility is something I need to train myself in as well as giving myself grace in my journey here on earth (my, how hard that is!) and I'm hoping this is the way to do it!
Everything on this list is based on the word "Intention".
What I hope for in 2013?
1. Deeper, more intentional relationships with my children, my husband and my extended family.
2. More intentional time and attention to my relationship with the Lord and thankfulness for all He has done and given us.
3. More intentional use of our finances with the goal of being completely debt free when John finishes Seminary in 2015.
4. Intentional work toward finishing my dissertation in 2013.
5. Intentional work toward making my classes (both University and Jazzercise) the best they can be for my students.
6. Intentional work on being as healthy as I can be, rather than focusing on losing weight, etc.
How do I hope to accomplish these things?
1. Relationships: John and I have both acknowledged that we need to set time aside in our busy schedules for each other and our families and took steps toward that in 2012. We also acknowledged that we're fairly lazy compared to what we'd like to be with this. So my personal intention with this to be really present when I interact with my husband and my children, to purposefully make time to interact with my extended family and do little things during the week to bless my family.
2. Quiet Time: Spending time with the Lord and being thankful are so very important and I feel the impact when I don't so deeply. My intention for this is to make my daily Quiet/Devotional time a huge priority and to write out a list of things I'm thankful for every day. I do this most of the time, but I noticed in 2012 that when I'm tired or sick or rushed, I do either a cursory job at this or drop it all together. I want to be intentional about making this a habit that permanently sticks in 2013.
3. Finances: John and I made huge strides with this in 2013 and we are currently on track to meet our goals if we keep moving forward the way we have been. We have several little things that we need to do early in 2013 and we need to make sure we're intentional about doing them. Being intentional and mindful of our finances is something that is very new to John and it has been a struggle to get us on the same page, so my personal intention for this is to do everything I can to keep us on the same page and be as intentional as I can be about my own financial behavior.
4. Dissertation: My dissertation is hanging over my head like a giant weight and it needs to be on the "done" list soon! This has been the thing that keeps getting dropped in favor of "more important" things, so my intention in 2013 is to make time to work on this. My schedule this semester has me teaching only 3 days a week (three busy days a week!) so my intention is to spend the other two working on this.
5. Teaching: Due to illness this year, I spent a good deal of my teaching time just doing what I needed to do to get through the semester without being detrimental to my student's education. I made it, but it left me feeling like I didn't do everything I could do or should do. I have individual things I'd like to be intentional about with both my University teaching and my Jazzercise teaching and my plan is to be intentional about taking time for both of those things this year, even if it's only a few minutes a week.
6. Health: When I get pressed for things, I skimp on eating healthy and try to push back on sleep. My intentions in 2013 are to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, work toward eating healthier and getting exercise 6 days a week. While I teach Jazzercise, I need to make sure I'm getting activity when I'm not working on preparing for class or teaching a class. I'm breaking this down into chunks - food first and exercise second with sleep being the constant through the whole thing.
I've broken all these up into specific tasks and will be including them in my weekly goals starting next week. This week, I'm laying low, recovering from my latest bout with pneumonia and doing a lot of reflecting, planning and dreaming.
What are your plans for 2013 and what will you be putting on your Hope List?
If you've read here for a while, you know that we have pretty demanding schedules and lots of both internal and external obligations. We've been sick a lot in 2012 and a lot of things that we usually do and want to do and hope to and need to do slid by the wayside. Having flexibility is something I need to train myself in as well as giving myself grace in my journey here on earth (my, how hard that is!) and I'm hoping this is the way to do it!
Everything on this list is based on the word "Intention".
What I hope for in 2013?
1. Deeper, more intentional relationships with my children, my husband and my extended family.
2. More intentional time and attention to my relationship with the Lord and thankfulness for all He has done and given us.
3. More intentional use of our finances with the goal of being completely debt free when John finishes Seminary in 2015.
4. Intentional work toward finishing my dissertation in 2013.
5. Intentional work toward making my classes (both University and Jazzercise) the best they can be for my students.
6. Intentional work on being as healthy as I can be, rather than focusing on losing weight, etc.
How do I hope to accomplish these things?
1. Relationships: John and I have both acknowledged that we need to set time aside in our busy schedules for each other and our families and took steps toward that in 2012. We also acknowledged that we're fairly lazy compared to what we'd like to be with this. So my personal intention with this to be really present when I interact with my husband and my children, to purposefully make time to interact with my extended family and do little things during the week to bless my family.
2. Quiet Time: Spending time with the Lord and being thankful are so very important and I feel the impact when I don't so deeply. My intention for this is to make my daily Quiet/Devotional time a huge priority and to write out a list of things I'm thankful for every day. I do this most of the time, but I noticed in 2012 that when I'm tired or sick or rushed, I do either a cursory job at this or drop it all together. I want to be intentional about making this a habit that permanently sticks in 2013.
3. Finances: John and I made huge strides with this in 2013 and we are currently on track to meet our goals if we keep moving forward the way we have been. We have several little things that we need to do early in 2013 and we need to make sure we're intentional about doing them. Being intentional and mindful of our finances is something that is very new to John and it has been a struggle to get us on the same page, so my personal intention for this is to do everything I can to keep us on the same page and be as intentional as I can be about my own financial behavior.
4. Dissertation: My dissertation is hanging over my head like a giant weight and it needs to be on the "done" list soon! This has been the thing that keeps getting dropped in favor of "more important" things, so my intention in 2013 is to make time to work on this. My schedule this semester has me teaching only 3 days a week (three busy days a week!) so my intention is to spend the other two working on this.
5. Teaching: Due to illness this year, I spent a good deal of my teaching time just doing what I needed to do to get through the semester without being detrimental to my student's education. I made it, but it left me feeling like I didn't do everything I could do or should do. I have individual things I'd like to be intentional about with both my University teaching and my Jazzercise teaching and my plan is to be intentional about taking time for both of those things this year, even if it's only a few minutes a week.
6. Health: When I get pressed for things, I skimp on eating healthy and try to push back on sleep. My intentions in 2013 are to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, work toward eating healthier and getting exercise 6 days a week. While I teach Jazzercise, I need to make sure I'm getting activity when I'm not working on preparing for class or teaching a class. I'm breaking this down into chunks - food first and exercise second with sleep being the constant through the whole thing.
I've broken all these up into specific tasks and will be including them in my weekly goals starting next week. This week, I'm laying low, recovering from my latest bout with pneumonia and doing a lot of reflecting, planning and dreaming.
What are your plans for 2013 and what will you be putting on your Hope List?
