25th January is a great day to set my vision, my intention and my goals for the year… There is nothing magical about January, 1st – especially in the second wave of a worldwide pandemic. And it’s always good to just start, just do it.
In the past few years, MC and I have taken a few days to ourselves, to plan our goals, calendar and budgets for the year in the first week of the year. Due to Covid and being in a Level 3 lockdown, we chose to rather not travel this year and be safe at home. To be honest, we have also both been very slow at coming out of “holiday mode” and into planning and organising mode and real reality.
This year, instead of sitting down and setting quite strict and intense goals, I have taken inspiration from my dear friend Rhi from Rhiannon Bosse and instead started with a vision board for 2021. I spent and evening thinking of what I would like my year to look like – what I want more of, less of, say yes to and say no to – and just Rhi so beautifully expresses, how does this vision line up for the year of 2021 but also for my future, in 5, 10 and even 20 years time.
This is my 2021 Vision Board
- The Beach. The irony of this vision right now as our beaches are closed due to Lockdown Level 3. But what this restriction has shown me is how much I want to be on the beach. We had just got into a rhythm of Sunday mornings on the beach and I have always loved my beach promenade walks in the mornings. To be honest, the closer we live to the beach, I think the more we may take it for granted. But now I miss the beach and I want more of the beach this year. I want to walk on the beach, I want to picnic on the beach, I want to swim in the sea and I want our family to enjoy the beach.
- Skin care. I have never been a big skin care person – I started off with soap and water until my beauty therapist became one of my besties and she encouraged me to try a simple cleanse and moisturise regime and the odd facial – but even then, I was very lazy with my skin. For my birthday last year, I was gifted a skin analysis from Tori from Kiss, Blush & Tell – after my analysis, Tori sent me a full break down of recommendations for my skin and over a few months, I purchased and tried out the products and now I am proud to say that I have a solid morning and evening routine. This year, I want to invest in my skin, be religious with my new products, book regular facials and even try some skin treatments (the non-invasive, painless kind because I am a complete baby!)
- My Bible. I want to dive in deep – into the Word, into Jesus, into Worship, into our church community, into prayer. All of it, whenever I can – with purpose and intention. Like I wrote in this Instagram post, I am not the perfect Christian because there is no such thing but my heart and life is for Jesus – and in the brokenness and darkness of the world we are living in right now, my heart and soul need more of Him. I want to read more, journal more, sing more, listen more, show up more, pray more and be more of who He wants me to be.
- Reading. I am love reading, and last year I managed to read 42 books. I prefer books over TV and movies and music, I read quickly and get lost in the stories and characters, I read at night, in any free time, and on holiday and I love crime thrillers and romance fiction reads. This year, I have joined a few online bookclubs and cannot wait to reach my goal of reading 52 books this year and recording book reviews here on my blog for every one of them to share with you.
- Nourishment. During this December break, we enjoyed all the festive treats but we also got into a delicious trend of smoothie bowls and loaded salads. And with the slow pace of lockdown level 3 again, I started to cook and bake more again and I’ve really enjoyed it. My body and nutrition are the last on my list of priorities when life gets busy and the year, I want to focus more on me and what goes into my body but because I want to and because I am enjoying it.
- Moving my body. I love exercise but I love moving my body in ways that I enjoy – tennis, golf, pilates, yoga, weight training and promenade walks. And that is what I want more of this year – moving and stretching my body but for me, and enjoying it. The start of the year has been a slow one getting into a routine, and thrown a curveball now with trying to supervise three little ones through online learning but I am slowly finding my way to enjoying moving my body and feeling so good about it.
- Organisation. This is no secret and my life thrives off planning and being organised. If my spaces are organised, my brain is organised, and my family thrive in this space and routine and then things run more smoothly and we are all happier people. With the start of the school year being online and being promoted to Grade 00, Grade 1 and Grade 3 teacher overnight – I need organisation in our home. We have created spaces for us to work in, relax in and make the most of our home, our sanctuary. I want this all year round – in our classroom space, in our playing space, in our bedroom, in our kitchen and all throughout our home.
- Celebrate. Another well known fact is how much I love to celebrate milestones and special people. And I want more of that this year. We have been reminded at how precious life is, and how short life is, and that tomorrow is not a promise. We have to live for today and for all these beautiful moments – and we need to celebrate them! So many fun ways to celebrate – pizza Fridays, family sleepovers, garden picnics, candles and sparklers, flowers for friends, meals to make life easier and “:just because” drop offs or visits (when we can visit again!)
- Play and “mom”. One thing lockdown taught me is how much I love being a mom, how much I love being around my girls and how much they love being around me – when I am present, they have my full attention and I am doing what they choose to do, not what I am asking them to do. The sweetest moments with my girls are when they mix the baking and make a huge mess, when they plait and braid my hair, in a competitive Uno game or me sitting on the floor building Lego with them. Yes, I also love my me-time and couple time and friend time, but these sweet moments are what I want more of this year. Moments getting lost in a story, reading chapter after chapter together, not just me reading to them or them practicing their reading to me. Moments in the pool when we are diving like mermaids, not just me tanning and watching them swim. Moments in a Bible study learning the ways of the Word, not just me playing their weekly Kids Church sermon and moving on to my own. I want more of these moments with my girls, before these years fly straight past me.
- More kisses, more cuddles, more intimate moments. I may be a romantic, and I may be completely in-love with my husband but just like all real life couples, we argue, we disagree, we allow life to get ahead of us and things get crazy and we neglect each other and our focus but this past holiday, we reconnected on another level. We slowed down and we really saw each other – like the look-in-his-eyes-and-the-whole-world-disappears- type of seeing him. And we fell in-love all over again, we reconnected, we had the most intimate moments and we want more of that, together.
I may not have set goals for the year but i have a very clear vision. I will still be sharing my monthly goals and activities – most of them based on these ten bigger pictures for my year ahead. And I cannot wait!
Do you set goals for the month or year? What are some of your goals this year – please share in the comments.
x
Absolutely stunning! I want that same vision! Really speaks to me Cals! Have a happy year x
Ah Wends, thank you – that is so amazing to hear! Let’s do this together x