Genesis // 2015

I deeply appreciate the beginning of most things.  The beginning of a good book, an excellent smoothie, and the first look of my beautiful baby girl.  Beginnings are wonderful exhilarating moments filled with awe and hope. It is the moment you can make something happen, a change and difference.  Beginnings are launching points into expected lifestyle changes and windows into a better something.

Beginnings can also be extremely frightening and sometimes a bit daunting.  The beginning to something means there will be an end, and it also means there is a chance that that beginning will fade away into nothing.  (sorry for the morbidity.)

Yes January 1st, 2015 is the beginning of the new year.  It is the beginning of a new month, but nothing else changes. You are still you, just with a little more hope, expectation and passion.  So how do we keep those characteristics alive?  How do we stay on track with our new goals?

3 Things:

Meaning
Accountability
Grace

I recently purchased Lara Casey's Powersheets and have been working through the 'prep' part for the start of the month.  These powersheets are goal planning materials for a six month period of time that are completely packed with wisdom, grace and intentionality.   I highly recommend them to any person wanting to understand their goals and how to be more efficient at making goals.

Meaning- I found that some of my goals did not have meaning.  I hadn't answered the 'why' question to some of my goals and therefore did not have a good reason to spend a whole bunch of time on them.  These sheets helped me work through what goals I needed to spend time on, and those that didn't carry alot of weight when aligned with my core. Yes I said 'core.'  I am telling you get these sheets!  They were so intense and thoughtful and intentional that I had such a great time setting out to find my goals that aligned with who Ashley is at the core.

Accountability-Without other people knowing my goals and being able to ask me about them I might as well not even have any.  Some people are really just natural go-getters and once they set out they succeed, but I need a little help.  I love when people know my goals and can randomly ask me about them.

Grace-This is a biggie for sure.  I know that everyone strives to be perfect, and especially for the first week of January, but remember goals are dynamic.  It is extremely difficult to change a habit, but not impossible.  Just know that starting small is key, as well as the first two points.  The point here is that if you fail, it is about forgiving yourself, dusting it all off, and getting up again.  That is character building, and that is how goals are formed.

The husband and I on Christmas Day.

Welcome 2015, I am so excited!

I would love to hear your goals?  How do you keep them?