...do it to it...

Tonight for Family Home Evening, we talked about G-O-A-L-S. It was nice friendly reminder of what a slacker I am. Don't you love those kind of things? It was like New Year's all over again. PS...I'm not the biggest fan of New Year's... I'm not one for staying up late waiting for a big, expensive, not super pretty piece of metal to be lowered down a giant stick in a city across the country 2 hours before it would be applicable to me while eating junk food, thinking about all the things I didn't do during the year before, and probably wishing I had someone to kiss when that ball finally comes down...good thing I have Matt now...at least I have someone to kiss.

Anyways, you know during the month of January when you think you have a new start to life because the holidays are over and you feel like you're going to die because of all the junk you've eaten and you make plans to do everything you didn't do last year? I got nervous the lesson was going to be like that. But, instead I was reminded of how much I LOVE setting goals. I really do enjoy it but had forgotten because I've put it off for quite some time. That whole personal growth thing sometimes isn't what it's cracked to be-at least in those moments where you "learn" patience or the importance of budgeting, etc. etc. Overall though, goal setting isn't so bad. The actual doing them part on the other hand may or may not be something I struggle with.

There is nothing much more satisfying than writing down what you hope to achieve and making a plan to do it. And I love even more the feeling of accomplishment that comes knowing when you've made a step in the right direction. But, at the same time I don't think there is anything more disappointing then looking back a month or two later and thinking, "where did I stick that list?" or "well, so much for that...bring on the chocolate!" Hence, why I might have been putting it off..

To my relief, tonight we talked about the importance of setting long term goals and then short term goals to achieve them. And the importance of remembering you're not perfect and you may not always accomplish the goals in the way you hoped or in the time frame that you find to be ideal. That of course is always good to remember and definitely reassuring.

Matt shared a great article by Elder M. Russell Ballard from a magazine put out by the church we're members of. You can find the whole thing HERE...but these are my favorite little snit bits...

"I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential."

“Start doing each day some one thing you know you should do! Write down one thing that you are going to start doing that you have been meaning to do for a long time but that you just haven’t gotten around to. I don’t know what it might be, but place into your life, beginning tonight, one thing that you are going to do that is going to make you a better person."

"Perhaps as important as anything, we have to have faith. We have to have faith in God. We have to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And oh, how desperately we have to have faith in ourselves."

"Past problems are like a stream when you are standing on a bridge—the stream is rolling underneath you, and your problems have gone downstream. Regardless of how hard you try, you can’t change the past. What I want you to learn to do is look upstream. Watch for the things that are coming down the river of life that you can change and control."

"Set clear and specific goals. When you set a goal and commit yourself to the necessary self-discipline to reach that goal, you will eliminate most of the problems in your life. Spend your energies doing those things that will make a difference. Then you can become what you think about. If you just have the simple faith that God is in His heaven and He is your Heavenly Father and He does know that you are here and He does love you—and that Jesus is the Christ, that He is your Savior, that He is your Redeemer, and that you love Him with all your heart and are going to do all you can to keep His commandments—then peace comes."

"Live a righteous, pure life. Do the right things for the right reasons, and in God’s due time, all of the blessings of eternity will be yours. The key to this is personal self-discipline that leads to righteousness. The key is to do and to learn to master living the gospel for the right reason, to build the inner self."

It was such a simple article but powerful in principle. I really do believe as we set goals that are realistic, work as hard as we can to achieve them, recognize that we aren't perfect, forgive ourselves when we make a mistake, and rely on the Savior and His Atonement for that added help that we can become good in ways we wouldn't have otherwise. I believe we each have an incredible amount of potential but that we as individuals don't see or recognize it. You are your own worst critic right?

After Matt's little lesson we set some goals as a family. Just a few things we want to achieve by July 2011. I think it's important to start small and progressively add more as we go. Some of these things include having X amount of $$ in our savings account by next summer (I would tell you how much but, I don't think you understand how poor we are and I don't want you to judge me by what I think is a big amount...), eating healthier-fruits and veggies aren't to prominent in our home unless they (specifically fruit) are in gummy form, going to the Temple every other week-with so many so close and no babies there's no reason we shouldn't, and starting food storage by buying a thing or 2 every time we go grocery shopping. That's just to name a few but a good start for us.

A few weeks ago we set a goal to not eat out as much but to set aside time to plan out meals for a week or so and then do the appropriate shopping. It hasn't been to bad and as actually become almost fun. I'm becoming quite the little cook. With having a good handle on that goal we're feeling fairly confident in being able to accomplish the new ones we've set.

We're also thinking we should have a family theme every year. Something that we live by and try to incorporate here and there. We haven't decided what it'll be but I'm excited about it. Particularly excited about making some sort of crafty thing to display the theme in our humble abode. Any thoughts?

I'm glad Matt chose goal setting for the lesson. Secretly I think it's something he's been thinking about but, so have I so it was perfect for us to do. Plus, it's Christmas in July right? Which means New Years is right around the corner!

Wish us luck in our new endeavor. I'll keep updated.