If you haven’t heard about Lara Casey’s Powersheets let me be the first to introduce you!  I first bought a 6-month undated set in the middle of 2016. This is a little bit embarrassing to admit but I was too afraid to write anything in it.  That binder is still sitting at the bottom of a pile of paperwork on my desk.

The 2018 PowerSheets Intentional Goal Planner from Lara Casey on Vimeo.

 

2017 was a busy and crazy year for my family.  This past fall I found myself spiraling into depression.  Racing thoughts were keeping me up.  Even though we were out of the woods for the most part with my husband’s heart surgeries, something always seemed to be popping up to keep him from being completely healthy.  I reached out to my husband for help and met with my doctor.  Medication has helped me so much, and I finally feel like I’m not drowning in the weight of life.

As I look forward to a new year I have yearned so deeply to have something to strive for, something that seems solid, some type of a foundation.  I’ve been reading a lot! I’ve been listening to podcasts, I’ve been reading blogs.  Somewhere along the way, I rediscovered the PowerSheets, and I vowed to follow through and dig deep to uncover good goals that have true meaning for me.

Cultivate What Matters

good goals are about cultivating what you’ve been given well:  your relationships, your money, your possessions, your work, your home, your health, and your time.

a little intention and forethought goes a long way.

I went a little crazy and got PowerSheets for everyone.  My best friend Morgan, and my sister Shelby both have them now!

I finally finished the first section of the workbook which looks back on what worked for the last year, what didn’t, and where to go from now.  Lara has an amazing goal setting series that walks you through this process, along with printables if you don’t have the Powersheets already you can find her 2018 goal setting series here

• Part 1: What Worked and Where to Start!
• Part 2: What Didn’t Work + What I Learned
• Part 3: Say Yes, Say No, Choose a Word
• Part 4: Uncover Intentional Goals 
• Part 5: Make it Happen

I wanted to share with you my goals for 2018.  I realized after I started working on the goal action plans that my original goals were actually part of a bigger goal so I rewrote them and condensed them.  This is what I was scared of the first time I purchased the PowerSheets. But this is what they were made for they were made to get messy, to scratch out and rewrite, and uncover the real goals!

First my word for the year.  I kind of cheated and chose a phrase.

Life-giving by Design

For the past month, I have been working my way through the book The Lifegiving Home, by Sally Carkson.

In 2018 we will be moving across the yard to a new house, before we do this we are hoping to be able to add an addition onto the existing house, to truly make it our forever dream home.  Lifegiving is to imparting or having the ability to impart life vitality; invigorating. By Design to prepare preliminary sketch or plan for (a work to be executed).

With a new addition both to the home and little Grayson to our family, I want to lay the groundwork for our home to be a place of rest, of hospitality, and security for our family, as they grow.

Goals

01. Cultivate our life-giving home-

Living with less, living in a life-giving space, implementing a plan to expand our house and move, growing our marriage, and planting family legacy within the seemingly mundane everyday routine of life and the bigger celebrations of life too!

Why? Our home is the center of where our children’s hearts are shaped. I want this to be a home that allows them to see God at work—in the small and in the big things.

The positive effect taking action on this goal may have on my life and others: Cultivating our life-giving home will hopefully be a blessing not just to our family, but to many others, including extended family, friends, and clients.

How I will feel at the end of this year having made progress on this goal: Hopefully we will feel tighter as a family unit.  It is my hope that my children have a home they are proud of.  A home they feel comfortable inviting friends over to, and a place they can be sheltered from the pressures of life, and the outside world.

Starting steps: 1. Finish the Lifegiving Home book, and The Lifegiving Experience.  2.Pray for what I need to implement in our home.   3. Put “preparation days” on my iCal for holidays and celebrations. There’s much more here, but I’ll be working it out in my PowerSheets, one step at a time!

How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: This is multi-faceted. I will be spending more quality time with Skyler. We’ll have gone on more date nights together (we went on two this year with all of our family transitions, so anything more will be a huge win!). We will be moved into our new house! Decluttering as we move! I will do more intentional preparation for holidays and celebrations, allowing us to have meaningful remembrances of God’s faithfulness.

Encouraging words: “All people need a place where their roots can grow deep and they always feel like they belong and have a loving refuge. And all people need a place that gives wings to their dreams, nurturing possibilities of who they might become.” – Sally Clarkson

How will we Celebrate: I will host Christmas Eve for both sides of the family in our new home.

02. Cultivate my faith I want to grow my faith by going straight to the source. I want to know more of the big picture of His story.  I want my life to be filled with light and truth, through reading the Bible and daily prayer and journaling.

The positive effect taking action on this goal may have on my life and others: When I am filled with truth, I am also filled with PEACE. I don’t worry as much or feel fear about my circumstances. This helps everyone around me (my family, team, friends) to feel steadfast calm too. I’ll know more of God’s wisdom to be able to walk in the light. As my faith grows, I’ll be able to share the fruit of my faith with my children and others. There are endless positive effects this goal could have!

How I will feel at the end of this year having made progress on this goal: Lord willing, peaceful, more assured, and more mature in my faith.

Starting steps: 1. Continue with my write the word journals. 2. Write down what devotionals I want to work through next. 3. Pray about having the diligence to complete my reading each day, not for the sake of completing it, but to grow closer to God.

How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: I will, Lord willing, see the fruit of this goal in my life, and in turn in the lives of others.

Encouraging words: Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. – Psalm 119:105 ESV

How will I celebrate? I want to create a piece of art that highlights the answered prayers I received throughout the year.

03. Cultivate my businesses to bless others with my knowledge and talents. I will bless couples with beautiful images as they start their lives together. I want to empower other women to live a balanced life at work and home.

The positive effect taking action on this goal may have on my life and others: I am able to stretch my creative muscles. Those I work with will be better equipped to run their businesses.  Couples I photograph will be reminded of why they fell in love and the legacy they started when they look back on their wedding photos with their family years from now.

How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: I will launch the social media class. I will have met, loved on, and photographed beautiful wonderful couples.

Starting steps: 1. Schedule planning days for my blog and social media each week and month. 2. Set a date for the social media class 3. Finish class outline. 4. Start on new client welcome PDF.

Encouraging words: For it is in giving that we receive. –St. Francis

How will I celebrate: Spa day at the end of the wedding season.

What are your goals for 2018? Let me know in the comments!