2019 Goals Recap

This is the first post in our 2020 Goal Series! Get ready for 7 brand new blog posts each weekday starting today.

We’re taking a look back at those 2019 goals. I will tell ya, at first I didn’t want to do this. It’s easy to think that if it’s not done to completion, we should be bummed or not celebrate. My friend Lara talks a lot about progress not perfection, so instead of just saying whether these things were accomplished, I thought I’d share some specific ways I’ve moved forward on them. 

1. LAUNCH GRUMPY MOM TAKES A HOLIDAY AND FRESH START FOR MOMS IN A HEALTHY WAY.

So this is my big goal for the year. To not only launch these books successfully but with sanity too. I want to enjoy this experience and really serve my audience well so this message spreads to as many mommas as possible. I don’t want my emotions to be determined by bad reviews or even the good ones. I want to keep my eyes on what God’s calling me to do and not make this whole thing about me.

PROGRESS:

• I was not wrapped up in the numbers.
• I slept like normal the week before and didn’t have late nights before launch. 
• I enjoyed launch day and didn’t set too high of expectations. 
• I genuinely was more excited to serve people through the book. 
• I didn’t say yes to too many things. 
• I didn’t let bad reviews destroy my mood. (Ok, after one really hard one, God taught me a lot and I feel like I crossed a hurdle I needed to cross.)
• The sales were more than I ever imagined! They started a second print run in August!

Unexpected though was some depression and exhaustion about a month after. I talked to lots of author friends who said this is pretty normal but after what felt like such a healthy launch, I was taken off guard! Read about how I addressed that in this blog post.

2. HAVE A HEALTHY APPROACH TO LIFE HERE ON EARTH.

This is kind of a biggie no? But I truly think this will change so much in my life if I can really start seeing my time here in light of eternity. I want to enjoy more light-hearted moments, more praise and wonder, more adventure, more lavish giving and just living more fully instead of spending so much time on the things of this world.

PROGRESS:

• I started caring more about what God cares about bigger than ever before. 
• I memorized Psalm 23. 
• We upped our giving from 10% of sales to 15% in January and have been able to make an impact locally. 
• I definitely enjoyed more moments of awe and wonder at God’s creation and gifts. 
• I prayed through my journal more consistently throughout the week by praying one page a day.
• My goal was to protect margin less selfishly and become flexible and I feel way more aware and have a greater desire to do this!

3. HAVE A HEALTHY APPROACH TO THINGS.

I want to live less attached to stuff and more content with what’s in front of me. The cost of keeping up with more and more things steals so much of my time and attention. And they rarely have the value that I place on them when I’m purchasing. I’d love to train my mind to really see things for what they are instead of placing such unrealistic expectations for what they can do.

PROGRESS:

• We’re starting to take better care of our things. 
• I’m cleaning more. That sounds dumb but I know it helps care for what we’ve been blessed with. 

4. GROW VMP AND NURTURE TEAM IN A HEALTHY WAY.

No big monetary focus. Just really healthy growth. It’s so easy to get sidetracked by numbers and though we do have benchmarks to helps us detect things that might need to change, the numbers can quickly become the focus instead of sustainable growth that’s healthy and can last. For us, this will mean saying no to a lot of things, better communication and launching our prayer course with an impact goal in mind instead of a sales goal.

PROGRESS:

• Launched course not with sales goals, but impact goals. 
• We didn’t overload our plate with projects. 
• Didn’t sacrifice family for more money. 
• I’m working on better communication and owning my role as a leader. 
• We started using social media less. 3ish days a week instead of 5 for @ValMariePaper and @ValWoerner.
• Organized the structure of our team.
• Hired a graphic designer who has helped smooth our roles so much!
• Hired a bookkeeper who handles so many of the things I’ve let slip or don’t do well! 

5. FOSTER HEALTHIER FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIPS.

This might sound silly to some of you but as much as I love growth, I’ve seen the source of that as knowledge and habits and implementing these big goals. And I still think that’s a part of it but I’m realizing that God can transform us as we live in community. What I saw as a hindrance to me becoming who God called me to is actually the avenue. Again, I know that sounds so weird to some. If you are an Enneagram 1, I bet you’re nodding your head. I want to experience accountability that is only possible when you’re living in community day in and out. I want to forgive more, look people in the eyes and come alongside them.

PROGRESS:

• Hosted a prayer night (hopefully more to come!) 
• Spent a month away as a family. 
• Jumped back into small group. 
• Got involved at school and got to know other mommas. 
• Currently mentoring a couple through marriage mentors. 
• More lunches out with friends (but I could still handle doing this more! 😉 )
• Got to hang with some dear friends I met through a screen IRL: Gretchen, Hannah, Ashlyn. 

6. HAVE A HEALTHY APPROACH TO MONEY.

I want to find the balance between spending and saving. I know our resources are not just for me and I think it requires such a healthy mindset to give generously while saving and investing for the future and seeing money as a tool and not our security or identity.

PROGRESS:

• I started tracking expenses more consistently. 
• We’ve followed through with giving more.

7. HAVE A HEALTHY MINDSET ABOUT FITNESS, FOOD AND MY BODY.

I think I’m done learning what I need to do. (Ok, not for good, but for now). I need to just do what I already know to be true. I need to remember that change takes time and results aren’t instant. I need to value preparation and sacrifice and loving my body no matter what it looks like but at the same time, not let that “self-love” become an excuse to treat it poorly. I need to be conscious of my boundaries, when to rest and when to push. I want a mind that’s fully aware and not just a body that goes through the motions that are only as effective as long as I keep the same routine.

PROGRESS:

• I’ve started meal prepping. 
• We’re consistently eating lots of veggies.
• I’ve worked with a naturopath to get my hormones under control.
• Learned how to rest. I took a week off (like for real and not like usual) when I sprained my foot.
• I maintained my weight even though I missed the gym for 5 weeks with my foot injury. 

8. DISCOVER WHAT HEALTHY, LONG-LASTING CHANGE TAKES.

This year, my habits and routines took a hit. I KNEW I wanted to go to bed early or lay out my clothes so I had plenty of time in the morning to read my Bible and pray but truly, I struggled to make wise choices (as cheesy as that sounds). I chose my phone or Netflix and late nights way more than I ever have before and just kind of neglected the things I know are beneficial. I don’t want habits for habits’ sake. I want to make choices more consciously. I want to know what I’m choosing in the moment and let that propel me to make good choices instead of mindlessly acting.

PROGRESS:

• I focused on habits this year and started planning for them daily with my planner. 
• I put my goals in a visible place. 

9. ENJOY A HEALTHY DOSE OF ADVENTURE.

Y’all, I’m the routine gal. I don’t do spontaneity much but I’m starting to crave that and travel more. I’m starting to see what God can teach us when we get to stare at His creation, or what we learn from the flexibility traveling with two kids requires. Or even the push to enjoy more immeasurable moments and rest even with a busy work year ahead.

PROGRESS:

• I wandered more in nature.
• Enjoyed a month in the woods.
• We visited the beach.
• Went to Chicago with Tyler.
• We’re headed to Asheville in a few days!
• We became good travelers. (i.e. know how to pack well and how to reset rhythms when we return) 

10. TRAIN GRATEFUL, JOYFUL AND HEALTHY-MINDED KIDS.

I want to intentionally teach my kids so much, but this year, I want to focus on showing them how blessed they are. (Or the less politically correct way to put it, I want to raise kids who aren’t brats and act entitled about everything). This is a huge undertaking and I know I’m not the ultimate decider of who they will become but I want to instill this value in them well this year.

PROGRESS:

• We had more outside time. 
• We focused less on stuff. 
• We share what we are grateful for. 

To be totally honest, I would LOVE help or suggestions on how to train grateful hearts. We’re in an intense whiny, inflexible phase of life which I’m sure is kinda normal but I certainly want to do my part to helping them learn how to be grateful. 

That’s it for recapping!! I have to say, I really like thinking back on the things I did to make these goals happen, even if I felt I failed miserably at it. I hope as you look back on your year, even if it didn’t go exactly as planned (as if that’s even possible) I hope you get glimpses of how God is growing and transforming you even in small ways!

CHECK BACK MONDAY FOR: My Life-Changing Tools of 2019