I have so many dreams for this upcoming year. I know I can make new goals whenever during the year, but something about starting the new year (& decade!) with a fresh slate gives me so much motivation to tackle my goals. And I have quite a few this year! I’m going to split them up into relationships, career, physical, financial, spiritual, and emotional categories and explain the steps I am taking to meet those goals. My list might seem like a lot, and while it is, I believe that I can do it. Some goals are brand new and some are ones I’ve been working on but need to be more intentional.
Relationship Goals
Kyle and I were married in June of last year, and while I have loved every minute of being married to him, I know we have a few things that we can improve to make our relationship even stronger. We sat down and wrote out what we wanted to strive for in 2020, and I couldn’t be more excited.
- One legit date night every week. Whether it’s going out to dinner, a movie, a walk, a museum, staying in, we’re going to dedicate one night every week to just being together with no phones and really soaking that time together in.
- Eat more meals at the table. Last year, we spent a lot of dinners on the couch watching TV. While I believe that is okay sometimes, we’re going to start with spending two nights a week eating dinner at the table. We’ve had lots of amazing conversations at our dinner table, and I am looking forward to more this year.
Career Goals
I have been very blessed with my previous and current work experiences, but I am looking to broaden my scope and try something new.
- Find a job that I love working from home as a nurse. I have been applying to jobs that focus on managing patient care through setting up appointments, finding a doctor that is suitable for the patient’s needs, helping them with financial barriers, and providing education. I am praying I find the right job and am able to start prior to moving to Tennessee. I believe this would be a great fit for me emotionally and physically.
- Expand my blog and social media. I love writing on my blog and sharing my life on social media. I believe I have a lot to share with people, and I am working hard to grow my online presence. I have decided to start with blogging consistently twice a week- one recap post and one with a more specific topic. I am also working on expanding my Instagram account (@miriamleighgreen).
Physical Goals
Over the last couple of years, I have learned more and more about fitness and what works for me. I did strictly running for most of last year, and I have a new fire for adding more to my routine.
- Learn proper lifting techniques and give more time to strength training. I follow so many incredible women who have educated me on how amazing lifting is, and I am ready to dive in headfirst this year. I have spent too much time being scared of looking silly or like I don’t know what I’m doing (I probably will look silly and definitely am not a pro!), but that stuff DOES NOT MATTER. Everybody started as a beginner, and there is no need to be scared. Also, nobody at the gym is going to be looking at me. They’re just trying to get through their work out just like me! Kyle and I are going to join a new gym when we get home from Nashville this weekend and pick the one best for us. We were paying big bucks to go to a super fancy gym and stopped a few months ago because we weren’t going very much, it was far away, and we felt like we didn’t need it. We are more interested in a smaller gym for now that we can get to quickly and do what we need to do.
- Make time in the morning to work out. I have been back and forth so much with when I work out during the day, but I have learned that working out in the morning is SO MUCH BETTER for me! I have more energy and time to give in the morning instead of after work, and I love how it makes me feel going into the rest of my day. I am going to be more consistent with moving my body somehow every morning.
- Seeing fitness as a privilege and not a chore. I used to love running because of how it made me feel. Then I got super strict about it and made it feel like a chore. That made me love it less and less every time. For some reason I feel like if I can’t run a half marathon like I did last year, I’m less of a person. That is so not true, and it is more important to me now to find something I enjoy and not just something I’m good at.
- Continue to share my fitness journey on my blog and social media. I love sharing what I’ve learned with others and how it helps keep myself accountable. I have also learned so much from my followers and the people I follow in the same way. I am going to be more open and vulnerable with sharing aspects of my fitness endeavors this year.
- Be more strict with my supplements and vitamins. I have tried a few new supplements in the last few months that have made me feel better in a variety of ways, but I am not always great at taking them. I am going to make it a habit of taking my greens, rebalance supplements, and care/of vitamins every day before work so I can feel my best.
- Prep healthy and nutritious meals on the weekend so we eat less junk during the week. We absolutely love Hello Fresh and Blue Apron, but it isn’t realistic for us to do it every week when Kyle isn’t working. My sister showed me this book this weekend, and I have already ordered it and am going to start it when we get home. Cassy gives you a grocery list for the week for three meals, plus two bonus meals if needed, and gives you step by step instructions to prep EVERYTHING you’ll need all week in less than two hours. I did the prep with my sister this week to see what it was like, and it was so easy! You’re only prepping the ingredients, not putting together the whole meal, so it still tastes fresh when you eat the meal. The meals are more than just boring chicken and veggie meals on repeat so you won’t get tired of them. Plus all of the ingredients are pretty similar and available at normal grocery stores (ALDI BABY!).
Financial Goals
With Kyle going back to school, we will be living on my paycheck, some loan money, and not dipping into our savings as much as possible. I have already shared my career goals which go along with my financial goals as well!
- Make our monthly budget/review last month’s budget at the beginning of every month. I am a hands on learner so it keeps me accountable when we write out our expenses and what we actually spent every month and go over it. We are going to do something fun when we go over our budget so it has a more positive feel like making a cappuccino, going out for ice cream, sitting at a park, etc. I truly believe that it is so unhealthy and disheartening when I spend money without planning for it so I am really excited for us to do better at this. By going over last month’s budget at the same time as we make our new budget for next month, we’ll know what we did well on and what we need to reanalyze.
- Living a more minimalist lifestyle. Kyle and I have a LOT of stuff. We got rid of a lot when we moved last time, but I am going to go through another more intentional throw/give away session prior to our next move. There are so many things that we don’t need and just don’t use. I truly believe that I am less stressed and more motivated when I am in a clutter free environment. I am planning to go through one room every weekend until I finish the whole house. More on this to come!
- Spending less on material items. This plays a lot into being more minimal, but I felt like it needed it’s own goal. Kyle and I are going to give ourselves a specific amount of money to spend on ourselves each month, and that’s it! I’m going to start using the one week rule. If I see something new that I want, I am going to give myself one week. If I still want it and am thinking about it in one week, I’ll get it. If not, it obviously wasn’t a need but more of a spur of the moment want.
- Paying something back to Kyle’s loans every month. After making our budget and reviewing what we have left, Kyle and I want to throw that back at the loans we took out for his school. We already have enough savings in this moment, but we will consider putting some of that money in savings if we have to dip into it for an emergency.
- I am also working to earn/save more money through selling clothes on Poshmark (@mirgreen) and donating plasma. The more I save, the more I can give to my blog and future plans!
- Eat out a max of two times a week. I am so bad at this!! I never feel like cooking so I am going to start planning better so cooking is easier and maybe even enjoyable. We’ll save so much money this way..
Spiritual Goals
My walk with Jesus has been going on for as long as I can remember. There have been plenty of highs and lows, but I learn every time that I am not alone and am more loved that I will understand. I learn more every day, and I have a few things I want to be more intentional about in my spiritual life.
- Attending our church service in person at least twice a month. Last year, Kyle and I started attending a new church. Then we started watching more and more of our church services online which slowly led to us not going at all. While it is super convenient and great for times when we’re away, we don’t want to solely rely on online services. There is something really special about being in a room of believers, hearing a message, and worshiping together.
- Doing a devotional every night. I have always had more stress, doubts, and anxiety at night time. I find that if I do my devotional at night, those feelings are replaced with peace and joy. I am going to start doing my devotional when I am in bed preparing to go to sleep.
- Listening to worship music or a positive podcast in the morning. It is no doubt that listening to worship music can put me in a whole new, more positive mood. And nowadays, there are so many amazing artists and podcasters out there that there is something for everybody! Some of my favorite artists are Francesca Battistelli, Sidewalk Prophets, and Lauren Daigle. Some of my favorite podcasts are The Happy Hour, Girls’ Night, and SHE. Flooding your mind with truth and positivity is such a good way to start your day.
Emotional Goals
- Journal more. This one is truly that simple. I am not going to make it a goal to journal every single day because sometimes, I just don’t need to. I don’t want to force it and make it not genuine. I want to journal when I have a lot of feelings, good or bad. It helps me process things and assists me with not acting out of emotions. When I write it out, it allows me to say whatever I feel without consequences. Afterwards, I am more clear headed and ready to make the best decision possible.
- If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no. It is so easy to make too many plans or take on too many obligations. I am good at filling up my time months in advance and then being miserable because I am so busy. I am going to be more intentional with my time this year and only make plans that are fruitful and add to my life. Obviously there are times when there isn’t a choice with things that aren’t super fun, but as a general role, I am going to be more intentional about how I give my time away.
- Stay away from toxic people. I have enough loving and supportive people in my life, I don’t need to fill up time with people who suck my life away and make me feel less than adequate. Whether it’s friends, coworkers, or even family, I am vowing to not let Kyle and I be dragged down by people who only think of themselves and make us feel terrible. We don’t have time for that nonsense. I truly believe I can love people from afar instead of ruining our relationship by trying to force something that isn’t meant to be. I learned last year that I can talk until I’m blue in the face but some people are just not going to change. It’s a waste of energy trying to make them.
- NOT GOSSIPING. That’s it. If it’s not about me or my business, I am vowing to stay out of it. I know it is so easy to make some “small” comment and before you know it, you’re in a whole gossip fest. I always feel bad after talking about someone else, and it adds nothing to my life. Bye.
- Continue to work on leaving work at work. I thought that I had this better controlled, but looking back on last year showed me that I spend so much emotionally on my patients. That makes it so I have nothing left to give at home, and that is not okay. Whether it’s being more intentional about what I think about when I’m at home or a new job all together, I am going to work hard at it this year.
- Plan out my week in my planner every weekend. It is no shock that I am so much less stressed when I carve out time on the weekend to plan my upcoming week. I write everything down. Working out, work, meals, seeing friends and family, appointments, chores, random to-dos, etc. and it helps me so much. I wasn’t consistent with it last year because I didn’t make a set time to do it. I am still thinking about it and will probably try a few different times in the next few months to see what time works best. I am going to start with Sunday mornings before church. I have a really pretty planner that I love, and it was less than $10 at Walmart! There are so many awesome planners out there but boy can they get pricey. If you want to splurge, go for it! This is worth the investment. Just know there are cheap, awesome options out there.
There we have it! All of the things I am working towards in 2020. It feels so good and legit writing it all out like that, and I am so ready to tackle them. I’m already working on at least a part of each of them now, and I will keep you updated with the little moves I make to move me closer to each goal. I strongly encourage you to write out your intentions for 2020 and hang them up somewhere like your mirror or in your closet. It’s powerful to see them in your everyday life. Happy 2020 loves!
Tell me one intention/dream/goal/whatever you want to call it you have planned for 2020 and one step you are taking to make it happen.