Simple Goals for the Coming Year

I am hesitant to believe in New Years Resolutions. They carry a lot of pressure to be perfect, but they're hard to stick to. I do think a new year is a pretty good time to set some new goals though, which I guess are kinda like resolutions, but a little less intimidating in my mind. So here's a list of the few small goals I'm setting for myself in 2018. I'm leaving them open ended so I don't feel boxed in to strict regiments that are difficult to follow through with.



Drink more water
     The sheer number of health benefits that come with drinking enough water are crazy, and I for one definitely need to drink more water because I'm sure I'm dehydrated. I downloaded an app called PlantNanny that helps remind me to drink water, and I got my friend G to download and use the app too, so we've been keeping each other accountable (we both started yesterday), and having a partner in crime is honestly so helpful.






Journal more
     Journaling is such a great stress reliever for me, so it's a wonder that I do it so little considering how stressed I sometimes get. I'm not shooting for the stars here-- journaling every single day was a luxury I enjoyed in middle school, but it's not a feasible reality any more with the demands of college life. But at least once a week for a good amount of time would be enough for me to get things off of my chest that have been weighing on me the whole week long.



Exercise
     Listen y'all, the most activity I do each day is walking to and from class, and while that's no small feat, my body has gotten used to the treks and it's just not enough. I don't expect to become a body builder, or even to actually go to the gym that often (gyms scare me okay!?), but I don't think it's unreasonable to try and do a few simple exercises and stretches each day in the comfort of my own dorm. Thankfully this is a goal of my mom's as well, so while I'm home for break we've started exercising together using this neat little deck of cards that's like a game that tells you what workout to do, and it's a little different every day depending how you roll the dice and what cards you choose, so it's pretty cool.



Don't get stuffed every time I eat
     My problem isn't that I eat a bunch of unhealthy junk. In fact I love healthy food! It's just that every time I eat, I eat a lot. Even the best foods aren't great for you if they're not consumed in moderation. So I want to eat until I'm full, but not until I'm so full that my food-baby is bursting to get out lol.


Focus more on skin care
     Let's just say that college is great at totally messing your body up. I've gained weight, I've become dehydrated, my sleep schedule is off, and my acne has never been worse. But I won't let college defeat me! I just need to pay more intentional attention to my body, and actually adopt a skin care routine that I can stick to. My pores will thank me, I know!



Replace the internet with reading as often as possible
     While being at home on break, I finished a books I started at school, read an entire other book, and have now started a third. It feels amazing! More amazing than even a great Netflix show. I'd love to be able to keep up my pleasure reading even at college, so this is a definite goal of mine.



Waste less
     In 2017 I started getting really interested and passionate about zero waste and what I can do to take care of the earth in my own small way. I want to continue working on this in the coming year by doing simple things like taking reusable bags to the store (why can I never remember to do this though??), not using straws, brushing my teeth with homemade toothpaste, and purchasing as little plastic as possible.












Start reading Bible every day again
     At the beginning of the semester, and for a few months afterwards, I read my Bible every single morning and it was great! But as my classes got more demanding and my sleep schedule got more wacked out, the more I started to skip my morning Bible reading. With a new semester on the horizon, I want to start the routine up again, because it always makes my day feel more refreshed, and I learned a lot.




Pray more often
     I don't want prayer to be an after thought, or just something I do when someone is in grave need. I want prayer to be my whole mindset and my first instinct. This is definitely something I want to work on in the coming year, because I've seen the power of prayer over and over again, and yet my stubborn human nature refuses to do it as much as I know I should!












What are your goals for the coming year? I hope that whatever they are, you start small and realistically, and don't get discouraged or feel too much pressure! Goals shouldn't be something you dread, but something you look forward to! Having accountability partners and incentives can be really helpful too, so don't hesitate to reach out to friends and see if they want to do something with you!

VaughnDL