December 29, 2023
2024 Goals
As the staff were remembering the good times of 2023 and enjoying a nice evening out at our Christmas party, our President also let us know that next year will mark 35 years of business. He encouraged us to think about what the next year might look like for each of us.
With that in mind, we had a very informal poll of our staff asking what they would want to focus on in their lives in the coming year, their #2024goals.
Most of their answers weren’t that surprising: make better health choices (33%), incorporate more spiritual practices (33%), or invest more in others (33%) in the upcoming year. But we aren’t the type of people to say this is a nice thing I might work towards in the upcoming year … nope, that’s not us.
Applying our Goals
We are practical, “where is my application and check-list?” type people. And we are bringing you along for the ride. So here is YOUR application. Below is what our staff will be doing, and here is your official invitation to join us.
We are going to spend some time over the next several months tackling these things. And here is how that will look.
January
January will be a time focused on spiritual practices. Our staff will be sharing some devotionals focusing on anxiety and stress relief all month long.
Hmm, wonder why we chose that for January? … #YearEndIsHere
February
Next, in February, we are going to pick individual goals and challenge ourselves to invest time working on them each day. Austin Kleon made this fun February calendar because “January feels like the longest [month]” but since February is so short, you’ll have a better chance of making your goals. Your welcome.
March
For this month, it’s another chose your own adventure type month. We have several ideas on our Pinterest board. Most are focusing on spiritual disciplines like fasting, journaling, or prayer. If one of your goals for the year was to focus on spiritual practices (like a third of our staff’s were) then we encourage you to use this month to really focus in. The season of Lent is a great time to do just that. Find something to fast from and something to feast on, spiritually speaking.
That board also has the lenten reading guide that we borrowed for this liturgical season we are currently in. No worries if you are just starting, the purpose of Lent is to examine and reflect and there is no wrong day to start – every day a little something.
April
Faith Gateway created a special printable for a monthly habit tracker one page document. Their thought was for you to journal your way through The Weekly Habit Project book. Pick a habit and track your progress over a month. The goal here is to work towards progress, not perfection.
May
This month is all about investing in others. This could be encouraging others to invest in themselves. Or it might be just reaching out to a friend to invite them to grab a coffee, a walk in the park, or attend a bible study with you.
For more work-related tasks, this article from Leadership Ministries identifies four ways to invest in people. FIrst, we can invest in other’s professional development. Then, encourage them to take stock of their physical health. Next, ask them about their personal goals. Lastly, for most of us, we can encourage them to invest in their spiritual growth. Taking a moment to pray with or for someone may just be the investment they were needing.
June through August
Summer months have a different metabolism for a lot of us. We may have kids out of school, or be jumping into a busy conference season. Or it may be the time to tackle those bigger projects in a slower season at work.
With all those possibilities in mind, we are grouping the next few months together with a fun three month calendar. We encourage you to select the calendar that speaks to you and plan out how you are going to achieve your summer goals this year.
September
For September, we are focusing in on our health choices again. Anyone who has tried to make better choices (in any area) knows how much a plan and the right tools can help in improving your current situation. This month, we are sharing grocery list templates from Printablee. You can find the right vibe for your grocery style shopping and help you stay on track for your health goals.
First, you start with your meal plan (however loose or structured you’d like) then write out your list. That’s the easy part. The hard part is making the choices when you are actually in the store. Amiright?!? Stick to your list, to what your health goals are, and you’ll be forming new habits in no time. Or if you just want a fun party list, they also provide that kind of grocery list. 🙂
October
In October, we Invest in Others. Short and sweet on content this month, but hopefully can still make a big splash.
For our Kansas City audience, we have a guide to Fall in KC, from Visit KC. If you get all those done, here are 101 things to do in KC, from the Kansas City Mom Collective. Or how about events in KC? Eventbrite has your hook up for events in October.
For the Springfield crowd, let’s check out what Springfield events are happening this month. The 417 Local has your guide to other happenings during October in Springfield. Or here are some family friendly events happening in Springfield this fall, from Springfield Kids.
November
For November, we are looking for ways to be grateful. To notice those small moments and large blessings and call them out. Our offices will be displaying butcher paper in an area ready to receive notes, prayers, bulled lists, doodles or full on drawings. We encourage you to find a way to do the same. Have a blessings tree displayed in your living space or keep a private list on your phone. However you choose to notice those blessings, we hope you’ll take a moment to acknowledge them. {pictures of our wall to come}
Your Turn
And that’s all I’ll be revealing today, you’ll have to check back in to see how the rest of the year turns out. But before you go, feel free to post about your goals. You can tag us on Facebook or LinkedIn, or comment on our posts there.
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