Goals for 2020

At the beginning of every year there are 2 things I share here on the blog, a look back over the previous year we just finished, and a look forward into the new year we are just starting! I love looking back, because I am always reminded of so many accomplishments I did the year before, that have somehow slipped my mind. And I love pausing to put some thought into goals that I have for the new year, as I continue to push forward and grow in my business and in life. I haven’t always shared my personal goals, I more often focus on goals I have for our house, but this year I’m sharing both! Goals I have for 2020, in our home, in my business and for my life.

Take a Look. You might be inspired to set some Goals for yourself too!

For the Home :

I often get asked by people if I’m ever done with projects around our home, and inevitably the answer is always “No”. While we don’t have any major renovations we are looking to do to any of our current rooms, I do have some updates I’d like to do.

1. Refresh the bottom of our staircase. On the wall to the right, and the wall you can’t see we added a faux board and batten treatment years ago. You can see the reveal HERE. I’ve been contemplating for awhile now on wrapping it around to that staircase wall you can see from the living room, to add more character to that area, and then giving our hallway a fresh coat of paint. I would love to update the mirror, and possibly paint the banister the same color I painted our exterior doors, shown HERE.

Which leads me to #2 ~

2. All of our exterior doors are original to our farmhouse, which was built in 1846. If you’ve ever lived in an old home, than you know just how drafty they can be. While all of our windows were updated in 2011, our exterior doors have cracks in them, and still let in a lot of cold air, which we feel most during this time of the year. I would love to update them, and include a window for the front door to let in more natural light, which would also brighten up that side of the house that has no windows on it.

3. Lastly, this year I have more plans to spruce up the outside of our house and add more curb appeal to our year. I shared this project last spring, how I painted our foundation, and I also want to add some more plants.

I also shared about our limelight hydrangea bushes last year, and have a few more different hydrangea varieties I’m looking at adding to our year this year. I can’t wait to share more on that with you once spring arrives.

For my Business ~

I’m excited to tell you that one of the main things I am working on for my business this year is book baby #2!! YAHOO!! Like my first book, The Gift of Gathering, this 2nd book with be similar in size and content length but will be entirely focused on loving our spaces more, and will be called The Gift of Home. It is due to release next year, and I honestly am so excited to back in creative space of writing another book!

One thing that has been strongly on my heart for the past few years when it comes to business, is inspiring other women to chase their God sized dreams. I have quite a few of those BIG, God-sized dreams myself, but last year I sat down and started really writing out what that would look like, adn began processing what steps I could take to do more of that. One idea that came up with was to start a group, where local women could come and connect, be encouraged, and learn practical tips to chase their own endeavors. Well, I’m happy to say that we are finally kicking things off this month! I really want to serve the women in my local community better as well, and I am so excited to be starting this with the help of a trusted friend. I’m sure I will be sharing more on this as we dive in, but if you are local to the Manchester, NH area and want to know more based off of just the tiny bit I’ve shared, please e-mail me. I would be happy to give you more info : [email protected]

Personal Goals ~

My biggest personal goal for 2020, is to read one book a month. I know for some that may seem like a crazy, but over the past couple of years I’ve really been trying to work more on personal growth, and constantly improving in one area in my life. Now I wouldn’t just jump right out with this goal if I haven’t been preparing for it. Over the past 2 years I’ve been more intentional on making an effort to listen to podcasts, listening books on audible, and read more myself. So you can say I’ve been flexing my reading muscle in preparation. I finished 6 books last year, and my goal is to be more diligent I think I can double it. I’m already halfway through my first book, and it’s been a fantastic book to start the new year off with, especially during this slower season, where winter has us cooped up indoors. I’m reading Rhythms of Renewal by: Rebekah Lyons, and loving it so far! Click HERE to find on Amazon.

Rebekah really breaks it down on why rest is so important, and how we ultimately stay in a place of restlessness until we decide to make rest a reaccuring rhythm of our everyday life. It’s SO GOOD, especially for this girl who always felt guilty or unproductive for sitting still. It’s even available on Audible, for those of you who are like me, and want to read, but just simply don’t think you have the time to sit and do it. I can’t listen while I do the dishes, fold laundry, and it’s about the only thing I listen to when I’m in the car. Trust me when I say there is no way I would have finished 6 books last year if it weren’t for audible. Find out more about Audible HERE.

P.S. I even have my book picked out for next month already, and I can’t wait to dive into that one!

Lastly, I want to make our family more green. Yes, I want us all to eat more greens too, but I want to make the things we use and consume as a family on a regular basis more green as well. Slowly over the past few years I’ve been swapping our cleaning products, and laundry detergent for safer options. I’ve finally stopped forgetting my reusable shopping bags when I go grocery shopping. We aren’t perfect at it, but knowing that I will influence 80% of the products my kids will use, because “their mom” used them, is motivating enough for me to try. This year, I really want to focus on using less plastic, and buying products with less plastic. I know it might sound simple, or silly, but it’s just one thing I want to personally work on.

That’s it! My Goals for 2020! I always try to remind myself that I don’t have to have a list a mile long when it comes to goals. I’m much more productive at accomplishing them, when I focus my attentions on a few simple goals at a time. I allow those to form into habits, and then I can tackle the next thing.

I hope you feel inspired to set some goals of your own for this New Year as well!