Setting Goals And A Focus Word For The Year

You know that I'm a big fan of setting goals.  After all, it's a huge asset in helping to achieve dreams!  It's a new year which means a fresh start and, because of that, the perfect time to sit down and reflect on the previous year in order to determine what you'd like to accomplish in the upcoming 12 months.  The possibilities are truly endless.

Last year I ditched the idea of resolutions and instead worked on a Change Your Life series - 12 monthly topics to work toward changing my life.  It actually turned out to be a great way of making small changes that I've either been struggling with working on or longed to start.  Focusing on one small change per month not only allowed me the opportunity to focus on each particular topic, but it also gave me the time to begin making it a habit.

I had goals as well.  Personal, business, health, etc.  For instance, one of my goals that I had set 2 years prior was to leave my corporate position and work for my own company.  Two years ago I had selected a date out of the air.  I wrote "4-11-18" on a sticky note and put it on my monitor at work.  Since I was at work 10-12 hours a day, that's where I would see it the most.  I would say it to myself over and over (and over and over).  It was not only for me to dream about, but it was also a tactic for helping me get through the nonsense.  I would be able to say to myself "I will leave this position and work for myself by 4-11-18" as I dealt with the dysfunctional family that I worked for and their equally dysfunctional team, and it helped me push through.  Anybody who saw it on my monitor had no clue what it was for - it was only for me.  And guess what?  I left the end of February 2018.  Woo hoo!

This year I've set some goals and I've also selected a word of the year to focus on.  It's a popular concept that I've never grabbed a hold of.  Until now.  It becomes sort of a mantra, allowing you a focus for the year.

Perhaps you've been through trauma, maybe you would select the word "forgive" as your focus.  Forgiving yourself as well as forgiving others in order to achieve a healthier and happier life.  Or maybe your life feels out of control and you need "balance".  This would become your focus.  The idea is that every time you have a decision to make and every thing you do  factors in that you need to build more balance.  This often will push you to say no to things that just don't fit your mantra that you normally wouldn't have the courage to say no to.  It may also help you reach for things you've been fearful of reaching for in the past.

My word for 2019 is clarity.

I'm turning 50 this year (yikes!) and I realized a few things.  1. there's likely more time behind me than there is in front of me  2. I want to focus on making sure I'm creating a life that I truly love (including working toward bucket list items, etc.)  and 3. I want to take a good look at our business plan and goals to ensure I am headed on the right path and get clear about what, exactly, I want.

Here are some of my goals for 2019:

1. Eliminate as much plastic from our homes and lives as possible
These days it seems that EVERYTHING comes in plastic!  Because of this, it will be a difficult goal but I want to look at everything that is currently in as well as coming into our home and determine if there's a suitable alternative or if we can do without.

2. Change back to a completely plant-based diet
You remember that I switched to a plant-based diet just over a year ago?  Well, I had also at that time contemplated trying Paleo.  So I decided to try the Whole 30 for a month this past fall.  It was a looooonnnngggg 30 days.  I'll be doing a post on what I learned about myself during those 30 days later in the month.  After I completed the Whole 30 I was eating meat/seafood about 2 times per week with the remainder of the week plant-based.  And do you know what I learned?  I feel so much better when I'm eating completely plant-based.  So, I'm back.  What I really want to work on this year is creating delicious plant-based meals that my meat-loving husband will either eat as a main or as a side dish (I was successful today in creating a vegan French onion soup in the instant pot!).  I will share these recipes as I successfully create them.

3. Create more freezer meals
Both for myself (plant-based) as well as for my husband(meat-based) - they really do save time!

4. Eat less flour and sugars
I want to completely eliminate refined sugar (I'm close), and eat fewer natural sugars (honey/maple syrup/Date Sugar/Coconut Sugar).  I would also like to eat far fewer foods that use flour (pasta, bread, etc.) and use more einkorn flour when I do. (one of my lessons learned while working through the whole 30)

5. Re-Focus this blog
And all of what I've just shared with you leads me to this.  I'm really passionate about the journey I've been on creating a life that I love and enjoy encouraging others, no matter your age, to do the same.  When I think about what goes into a life that I love, I think of being in the best health of my life (for me it's plant-based eating), living intentionally, simplifying many aspects of my life, using all natural products (many homemade), giving back, and living debt-free.

So this will become the focus on this blog.

The new tagline, as seen in the blog title, is "create a well-lived life".  And that's what I would like to encourage everyone to do.  I've learned a lot from your emails, comments, and pinterest re-pins, and will factor all of that in.  For example, these are the most popular parts of the current blog:  Meal Planning, Meal Planning On a Budget (i.e. $60.00/week meal plans), Recipes for Natural Skincare and Home Products, Posts On Simplifying Life, and Food Recipes.  I receive a lot of emails about switching to a plant-based diet while a spouse or other family member remain meat-based.  I plan to provide more ideas on that as well.

I will delve deeper into all of these topics as well as explore alternative/popular health topics (probiotics, blue zone eating, using essential oils, etc.), backyard gardening tips, and share clean-eating recipes and meal plans for eating good food on a budget.

My hope is that you will hang on with me through a bit of a re-focus and join me on my new journey.

I would also love to hear from you!  What do you want to see?  Do you want instant pot recipes?  Freezer meals?  Recipes for personal products that don't break the bank?
Something else?

Setting Goals And A Focus Word For The Yearwas originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)