7 Simple Goals for 2023

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1. Exercise consistently- I've printed out a schedule that will allow me to ease back into exercise. It is a three month schedule. I'll be happy if I can finish it in six, and that will actually be a great improvement from last year. 

2. No Facebook- I am wasting more and more of my time scrolling on Facebook. I shouldn't know anything about the royal family, but somehow, I am learning all about them. I find myself conditioned to go back to Facebook throughout my day even when I am in the midst of a good book. Something is definitely going wrong! When I'm online alot, I judge people harshly and envy them badly. So I'm taking a year's break from social media. Do I think I'll stay off Facebook entirely? No. But if I make "no Facebook" the goal, hopefully, days and days will go by without it, I can retrain my brain to focus on tasks for longer periods of time, and do other, better things (like pray) with my insomnia. 

3. Less podcasts- When smart, successful, articulate people disagree with the way I worship, homeschool, and even the way I read, I must be doing all these things wrong, right? Wrong. I'm Biblically literate, Spirit-filled, and well-informed, so I can remain confident in how God is leading me. My children are thriving. I have never suffered from anxiety, fear, or doubt until this year. As my time listening to podcasts increased, so did my anxiety, fear, and doubt. So I'm going to guard my heart and mind more carefully, and silence the voices that the enemy uses to discourage and distress me. I'm not going to give up podcasts entirely. Some are great! But I'm going to be much more selective about who I allow to speak into my life, my heart, my mind. 

4. Read 100 books- My to-be-read list reaches to infinity, so I'm going to strive to read even more this year. And with no Facebook and less podcasts, I'm bound to reach 100.  

5. Care for my people- God has given me a sphere of influence. It's small, but it's real. I want to continue making meals for my family. I have been enjoying that in a new way this year. I have some new recipe books that I really enjoy. I have been noting the date I try a new recipe at the bottom of the page. It might be a fun goal to try everything in my recipe books at least once (unless a recipe really doesn't sound great to me.) I'll make it a goal to double the names in my prayer journal, so I can pray for more people everyday. And I'll make it a goal to send a note a week (maybe with a gift or a baked good, etc.) to someone giving thanks or a word of encouragement or truth. In all these ways, I'll be caring for the people God has put in my life. 

6. Make more art- I've enjoyed drawing while we listen to Scripture in the morning. I'd like to keep this habit up and see what all I can make by the end of 2023. 

7. Memorize- I'd like to memorize more Scripture and poetry. I usually do some memorization every year, but this year, it might help me memorize more if I make it a goal to memorize a portion of something beautiful every month. 



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