2021 Goals Recap

Welcome to Val’s annual goal series! We’re releasing a new goals-related blog post each day. And don’t miss Val’s class on how to use our prayer journals and overcome common obstacles. Sign up to get the replay here!

2021 felt like a year of setbacks. When I picked “rebuild” for my word of the year, I had no idea how many things were still going to be “torn down” before any rebuilding could happen. And truthfully, the health challenges stole a lot from this year. I am determined to spend 2022 with a different mindset so that even if health issues continue, I will see them differently. I will say, after a very full 2020 and even sharing a bunch of mistakes I made in 2020 and what I wanted to do differently, I was really grateful to have been prepared to keep things simple. It was a tiny blessing from a not-so-fun learning experience that I didn’t expect, but as I tempered my own plans for 2021 it helped to make room for a lot of downtime from sickness, surgery recovery, and doctor appointments. 

With that said, it is fun to see how lots of small things added up to progress this year towards my goals. If you’re new here, I typically share the steps I took toward a goal rather than a defining “did I get it complete?” because being able to see and celebrate the progress is a ton more motivating than looking at a list and assuming nothing happened because that final checkmark hasn’t been given!

So, here we go! My 8 goals that I started 2021 with, how some changed, and what steps I took toward them. 

1. CREATE ENOUGH CONSISTENCY SO I’M ON A PATH TO LOSING 20 POUNDS AND KEEPING IT OFF. 

This might feel too wordy. Just say, “lose 20 pounds,” right? Nope. I really want to lay a good foundation for healthy changes so my goal ultimately isn’t to lose the weight but to be headed in that direction. 

EOY Update: 

• I rejoined our old gym and have been weight lifting and swimming this year! 
• I did a 12-week gut reset program with Meredyth Delayne Nutrition to restore good bacteria and eliminate bad bacteria. A stool test revealed my gut is way out of whack. Besides taking between 20-30 supplements a day, I also didn’t eat any gluten, dairy, sugar, or soy for 12 weeks.
• Funny enough, I did lose 20 pounds in total, though I gained a few back once I got off the strict protocol.
• I’ve also gotten really excited about veggies. My goal now is diversity so I’m aiming for 30 different veggies and fruits a week! 
• I joined The Balanced Life Sisterhood for pilates and I’m loving it!
• I started seeing a counselor! It’s been so helpful for the uptick of anxiety and stress I’ve been experiencing this year. 
• A surgery and tons of procedures along with some sickness definitely put a damper on this goal but I’m so proud of what God did this year! 

2. RELEASE THE PRAYER BOOK AND HAVE 10,000 COPIES PRE-ORDERED. 

This is a huge goal for me! Many of y’all know, I’m praying for 100,000 copies of the prayer book sold. Which is pretty much impossible without the Lord. I felt Him prompting me to pray for this so I’m going for it. If it happens, you’ll know who gets full credit! 

EOY Update:

• Turned in book edits.
• I got to do a prayer group with my friends and go through the book as a beta group! It was sooo encouraging and I’m making plans to start another this January! If you live in Lafayette, email us at info@valmariepaper.com for details!
• We launched our podcast!! This wasn’t even part of our 2021 goals when the year started so it’s been exciting to see this come to life! Check out Prayer in a Noisy World here. 
• We created a super intentional pre-order bonus! It’s a guide to go through the book with a group but basically morphs the discussion group into a prayer group!! It’s perfect for anyone who is intimidated by the idea of praying with others and starts really slowly! We actually knew this guide would be really important to keep around for years to come so although it’s no longer available for free when pre-ordering 4 or more copies of the book, you can buy it in our shop here!
• We hosted a launch team and it’s always one of the best parts of launching a book! It’s so easy to get in your head right before you release a book, so to have a group of supportive gals who want you to succeed and share in the joy with you is priceless!
• I don’t have exact numbers yet, but we weren’t even close to our pre-order goal of 10,000. Funny enough, that goal of 10,000 started feeling off to me. Essentially, this is the number that if we hit it, I knew we’d be able to one day hit 100,000 based on Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday. That assurance kind of defeats the purpose of a goal only God can do. So here we are, with much less than we hoped, but fully trusting that if or when we reach 100,000, we’ll be able to look back to this tiny launch and know it was only by God’s power. (Side note: My hope is that this book spreads not because the marketing for the launch was top-notch but because women are reading it and can’t wait to tell their friends. We’re already hearing this a little and it’s just so exciting!)

3. CELEBRATE FAMILY MILESTONES WELL. 

We are welcoming two new babies (one on the Metrejean side and one on the Woerner side) and I really want to be available to help where I can. So often, I plan work and forget to leave room for big personal things, but this year we’re keeping the calendar pretty clear so I can do this!

EOY update:

• Hosted Maddie and Natalie’s showers! It was so much fun to celebrate these gals.
• Unexpectedly, part of celebrating the family wasn’t “celebrating” but walking through a tough season for my mom. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in a very early stage and had surgery and a post-surgery infection. 
• Wren and Owen both arrived!! It’s so fun to see my siblings and siblings-in-laws become parents! And being an aunt is my new favorite thing! I was right outside the door when Owen was born and what a magical thing it was to hear his first cry!! Birth sure is a miracle! My aunt name is Aunt Rie. My mom’s mom passed away in a plane crash when my mom was only 3 years old. I remember finding some clippings about her passing and her nickname was Ree (Her middle name was Marie). Since my name was ValeRIE MaRIE I felt such a sweet tie to her and secretly wanted to be called Rie. Now that I’m a grownup and can pick my own nickname without feeling embarrassed, I’m excited to carry the legacy! 

4. MAKE MUCH-NEEDED REPAIRS AND UPDATES TO OUR HOUSE. 

We’ve been in our home for almost 7 years and have done almost no repairs even though there’s plenty of things broken. 

EOY update: 

• Rooms painted 
• Front door and windows painted 
• All the cabinets are fixed!! We had so many that were wonky. 
• Light fixtures updated!
• We tackled our front yard and fence! This has been such an undertaking and took much more time than planned. It’s been funny to see everyone in our neighborhood (which is a very close-knit community) has been so invested and supportive of the final product! 
• We’re currently getting our home tested for mold.

5. SPEAK WORDS OF LIFE TO THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND MYSELF. 

I can naturally go negative and catch myself saying jokesy criticism (jokesy makes it feel ok?) with Tyler and even the girls more than I hope. I also want to speak more positively to myself!

EOY update:

• I got off Instagram! This wasn’t planned but it’s helping my mental health for sure!  
• I’m working on my health anxiety. I have believed a lot of lies about my health and it’s been cool to see God work in this thing that has been such a struggle for me.
• I finished The Power to Bless and have been practicing saying more encouraging things to the girls. 
• I also read Soundtracks by Jon Acuff that was about the words we say to ourselves and it was so helpful! 
• I’ve been practicing affirmations daily. I should really call them prayers because I’m not just trying to believe new biblical thoughts but praying the Lord transforms me. We actually did a week of podcast episodes on the topic! Find them here! 
• I’ve been sending lots of encouraging notes to the girls, but not so much Tyler or friends. 
• I read a book on hypochondria that was sooooo good! See 2021 book recap for details!
• I am going through the Christian Mindset Makeover course from Alicia Michelle. It is sooo good. 

6. FINISH PARENTING COURSE AND IMPLEMENT 3 TIPS.

This goal actually changed pretty quickly because we really struggled to watch the videos consistently. This past year, the girls have been in a homeschooled environment and will be going back to the private school they attended. I am focusing on making sure they are prepared for the adjustment of longer days and homework. We’re back to reviewing flashcards for Vivi and letters for Vana. We’re also spending time in this devotional at breakfast each morning and if I forget, Vivi always reminds me!

EOY update:

• We’ve done well prepping Vana but probably need to spend more time with Vivi. I thought we’d have tons of time this summer to do this. Where does the day go??
• They got money from their great grandparents and we taught them about tithe, save and spend and now they keep track of their own money. They have been very generous. Vivi bought Vana a birthday present with her “spend” money. Vana bought lip gloss with hers. 
• We started having them help more with chores around the house and they LOVE it!! Oh my goodness. Why didn’t I start this sooner? They have been emptying the dishwasher and putting up folded clothes for a while but they discovered the scrub brush and cleaning dishes and dusting. It’s been really nice getting to do chores with them!
• Sharing the gospel with Vana during Easter was important to me because this was the year Vivi understood it and it was partly due to how much she heard it over a short period of time. We did read books and have conversations about it but have been careful not to push it so it doesn’t turn her off. She’s still discovering what it all means.
• I read Take Back Your Family by Jefferson Bethke and it was sooo good. Lots of changes are coming to the Woerner household because of this book! 
• Getting back into a school rhythm has been good! 
• We created a routine chart that has been very helpful for mornings! 

7. SPEND LESS THAN OUR PAYCHECKS. 

This goal sounds very obvious doesn’t it? But with both our businesses, we take home modest paychecks but are able to do bonuses throughout the year. We also have a rental property but we’re working to get to a place where we’re less reliant on those bonuses and the rental to cover our expenses so that we can save that for our future and medical stuff. Health insurance and bills as two entrepreneurs are insane.

EOY update:

• We set up a budget for the year! 
• We are getting consistent with weekly check-ins and I’m actually staying on top of updating expenses. We haven’t radically changed our spending habits but tracking is honestly our first hurdle and I’m glad we’re finally getting consistent on it.
• I did sign up for a course from Steadfast Bookkeeping for business and personal finances that I’m hoping will help. I procrastinate so much on finance stuff because there’s just so much I don’t understand.
• The medical bills from this year have been so discouraging but we made one big step forward that I’m not able to share!
• I did the spending freeze in July and took the Amazon app off my phone which has also helped things! 

8. LIVE MORE SPIRIT-LED.

The last 4 months have been so difficult. I’ve struggled to make decisions and feel confident in where God was calling me forward. In 2021, I really desire to live more fully “led, not driven”. 

EOY update:

• I read Romans in-depth and it was sooo good! Took a while but I loved it!
• I finished the Armor of God study by Priscilla Shirer that I had started a while back. Also really good. It’s not an in-depth study like Precepts or anything, which is why I pair it with my own in-depth study but her insight and teaching is so encouraging!
• I read the Bible in 100 days! This took a lot of time and effort these past 3+ months but it was sooo good to challenge myself to do it. It’s not sustainable long term to read that much daily for me and I am super excited to do more in-depth study next but it was good for a short season!!
• I went through a very slow study on Ephesians and it was so good after plowing through the whole Bible in 100 days!
• I spent a TON of time praying WITH other people and oh my goodness. Game-changer. I tend to think growth happens in a vacuum and it just doesn’t work like that. I’m so grateful for some really desperate moments that had me asking for a lot of prayers these past few months!

What kind of year was 2021 for your goals? Share below!! 

COMING UP NEXT: 2021 Reads

MISSED THESE?:
2021 Answered Prayers