Monday, February 03, 2025

Goals and Dreams for February

 


A few days ago, when I shared how the January dreams and goals went, I also shared a link to a post I’d read about making smaller, more manageable goals. Last week I read this post about not being enslaved to a planner, and instead recording the ways God has filled our days with HIS plans. The last paragraph was powerful. I’d encourage you to read it, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by a year that may not be going according to your dreams and goals!

                My list of February dreams and goals may be six bullet points long, but much of it is planning or slower activities, so I don’t feel too overwhelmed, even though this month is short. Want to see what I hope to do?

Make a Valentine’s Day plan. Goodness, how does this holiday always sneak up on me? (It never did this when I was single. Then it just loomed large.) Anyway, in recent years, Ryan and I have celebrated this day at home, because the crowds out and about can be overwhelming. We need to figure out what we are making for our special dinner this year, and I need to decide what I am getting him for a gift! I also need to pull out the very small tub of Valentine’s Day decorations to add to the winter pretties around the house.


Read for fun. After the heavy books I read in January, and honestly the heavy books I read at the end of 2024, I am ready to lighten the reading load just a bit. I want to focus on some fun reads for this month. I don’t have a goal in mind for how many books to read, but I know I want to read for fun.


Start on our anniversary scrapbook. In all the busyness of starting my new job, I never began work on our 12th anniversary scrapbook. My goal is to always finish one vacation-related book before taking another one, so I want to be sure to get this done ahead of our birthday trip. We still have plenty of time before that happens. I just don’t want to cut it too close.


Attend a marriage conference. The first couple of years we were married, we went to marriage conferences, but the one we attended no longer exists, which makes it challenging to continue going. We were invited by some friends to go to one with them this year, and we are looking forward to it.


Start brainstorming for speaking. Because of my new role and responsibilities at the church, I’ve pulled back a bit on my availability to speak elsewhere this year. I am not filling in at other churches this year, and I’m also trying to make sure anything I say yes to is very close to home. But I do have a small handful of events coming up this spring, and I need to make sure I have a solid plan crafted so I don’t overwhelm myself with unnecessary stress.


Start planning my garden. This will be my third year to have a garden, so I’ve created a bit of a rhythm in what I want to plant, but there are a couple of things I haven’t tried before that I want to attempt this year. I need to make my plan, because planting season barges right in every single time and catches me off guard. (Planning also needs to include setting aside a day or two to shop and plant. THAT seems to be where I often end up rushing.)

                I believe these will be more than sufficient for this little month…but how about you? Any big plans for February?

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