2010 Goals: February Update

I’ve been a bit hesitant to write this post as February was not a good month for progressing in the goals that I set for myself at the beginning of the year. Nevertheless, here’s how those 28 days went.

1. Financial

• Finish saving for our family trip to Walt Disney World. Another $100 saved in February!!
• Set up monthly withdrawals into a Roth IRA. We have decided on the amount we will budget for this and are in the process of researching funds (“we” as in my financially-savvy husband).
• Find ways that I can generate income. I appreciated the suggestions several of you gave last month and am hopeful that just the right opportunity will present itself.

2. Physical

• Re-read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. It’s on my nightstand, partially read.
• Eat three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I am determined that with the arrival of spring, I will meet or exceed this goal most days. Last month? Not so much….
• Exercise four times a week. I’m still walking in the neighborhood a couple of days each week, but doubt I did four times any week during February. Once daylight savings time arrives, I look forward to family bike rides in the evenings after supper.

3. Personal

• Spend at least twenty minutes a day, four days a week, writing (not for the blog). Another goal that fell by the wayside during the last few weeks, this one is really hard for me to prioritize.
• Read one book a month for personal development (marriage, parenting, writing, etc.) Edith Schaeffer’s The Hidden Art of Homemaking: Creative Ideas for Everyday Life gave me a new appreciation for simple touches that can add beauty and personality to our homes. I’ll share more on what I learned from this book in a later post.
• Redecorate our master bedroom. As I mentioned last month, after some unexpected issues, painting our living area became the primary home improvement project. Thanks to much hard work by my husband, the ceiling is done, as well as most of the trim. I’ve chosen the paint color for the walls, so we may have this entire project done by the end of this month.

4. Spiritual

• Keep a prayer journal. Here’s a goal that I have been able to maintain! However, I’ve been using the same notebook for prayer requests and Bible study notes, so I want to find a separate journal to be used just for my prayer time.
• Read one spiritual book a month. Reading Moses: The Journey of Faith by F.B. Meyer this month was a real blessing. The book corresponded perfectly with the chapters in Exodus I’ve been reading in my morning devotions.
• Make spiritual music in the home a priority. Keeping this habit going in the mornings has been an encouragement; someone usually notices if I forget to turn on some music!
• Look for an opportunity each month to bless someone. I am so glad that I included this in my goals for the year as I believe that it makes me more apt to pay attention to the needs of others.

Posting my goals on the blog has made me feel more accountable when it comes to maintaining my focus in some of these areas – so thank you for being my unwitting accountability partners!! How are you doing with your goals for 2010?