January + Yearly Goals | 2016

"Goals can be overwhelming if they are not connected to what matters. They can make life busier. I don't want a new to do list for my life; I want a clear, meaningful path. I want to know I'm living with intention & purpose instead of living by accident. Powerful goals--meaningful goals--simplify life and help you take action. The PowerSheets were designed to help you cultivate what matters most, little by little, with some big leaps along the way."

LET'S DO THIS!

-Lara Casey

I've found myself loving my monthly goal posts (seen here, here, here, & here). I look forward to this post every month. I've always been a planner and a dreamer, so writing + sharing goals have been so fun for me. 

I decided that I wanted more out of my goals for 2016. I wanted intention + purpose. I wanted to chase those big scary dreams. I decided to try Lara Casey's Power Sheets. I had heard so many good things about them, and thought they may just be the ticket for this goal loving gal. Let me tell ya, they are the best goal setting tools I have ever had. While I have always been quick to write goals down, I wasn't always quick to accomplish them. My goals, while some may have had purpose, were not thought out + lacked an action plan. I have been so ridiculously impressed with the content that these PowerSheets provide. I dove wayyyy deeper than just the surface. I explored my weaknesses, fears, what I'm grateful for, what worked + what didn't in 2015, what "fires me up," goal ideas, things  + relationships I want to "cultivate," MY WHY, the "big picture"things in my life, and action ideas to make my goals a reality. Sounds great, right? IT IS!

For this months goal post, I want to include both my yearly  long term goals + the goals I'm focusing on for the month. Before I share those exciting things, here's something for my fellow visual learners out there ;) Below is an image of my "big picture." These are the things that fire me up and help me to focus on what matters most.

My passion for "self care" activities, finding rest in Jesus instead of others, my marriage, dancing, finding my worth in Christ (something I am continuing to work on), coffee, kissing, studying the Word, and the mountains.

2016 goals

To be transparent here...I have 10 big "yearly goals," but some of them are very personal, and things I do not feel comfortable sharing on this blog quite yet. I hope to one day accomplish these goals + feel confident in sharing my story about them.

1. Improve my prayer life

Ways to make this happen:

-be intentional about 5 minutes of prayer when I wake up + when I go to bed

-use the Treasury of daily prayer

-read a book on "how to pray" (have not chosen one yet)

-pray with Josh

-start a prayer journal
-pray for 1 new person each week, every night (idea found from Audrey Roloff. She is just so inspiring, friends. Check her out!!)

Why? Because prayer works + changes things! It is a powerful tool + gift that God has given to us. It would be so silly to not strengthen my communication with my Lord through this simple task. To be completely honest, I'm a bit embarrassed at the lack of prayer in my life. Something that should be automatic + routine, is something that is lacking. My goal is to make prayer a habit in my day to day life.

2. Find my joy + worth in Jesus

Ways to make this happen:

-be in the word daily

-go on a 1 week social media purge when I find myself finding worth in others (This is happening TOMORROW!)

-recognize negative self-talk and let it go, do not dwell on it

-biblical self-affirmations

Why? Because finding worth in the world only brings doubt + pain + failure. I need a strong relationship with Jesus. Instead of turning to social media, I need to turn to him. Jesus alone is my refuge + strength; in him I find my worth.

3. Weekly Marriage Meeting + Daily Devotions

Ways to make this happen:

-pick a devotion with Josh

-schedule a devotion time each day

-print off marriage meeting questions from Audrey Roloff's blog (like I said, you can't pass this girl up)
-schedule a marriage meeting time at the end of each week

-pray together before + after meetings + devotions

-pray for Josh

Why? Because aside from God, Josh is the most important relationship in my life. I consider our marriage to be strong, but there are certain things like devotions + praying together that we have strayed from. Life gets busy, but that does not mean that cultivating our marriage or relationship with God gets put to the side. I hope to strengthen our marriage that much more in 2016, through more communication + more Jesus. Our marriage foundation is firmly set upon Christ, but we must take care of that foundation in order to stay firm.

4. "Core 4" Every day I will do one thing to focus on these 4 areas in my life: Jesus, Josh, Well-being, Personal Development.

Ways to make this happen:

-connect with God: studying the bible, prayer, devotions

-ask, "how can I love Josh today?"

-show Josh's love language

-eat nutrient filled foods

-exercise 3-5 times a week

-read! Just read! :)

Why? Because doing some form of these 4 things every day will help me live a more purposeful + fulfilling + engaged life. When I participate in these activities my days are simply better, and I feel accomplished and in tune with what matters.

5. BUDGET!

Ways to make this happen:

-set a monthly budget

-have a weekly budget meeting with Josh

-use the "envelope" system for food expenses

-track expenses on our budget app

Why? Because money causes stress. As much as I hate to admit it, it does! This school year in Michigan, we have been blessed with Josh's salary, but I've found it a bit more tough to find jobs that meet our budgetary "desire." Don't get me wrong, we are BLESSED + God is providing, but we do have goals + dreams of paying off debt and taking vacations :) In 2016, I hope to be a better steward of my money and chip away at that silly student loan debt!

6. Cultivate Relationships

Ways to make this happen:

-choose calling over texting

-send 2 hand written letters a month

-call my family at least once a week

-give attention to relationships that build me up

-more commenting, less just liking on social media. CONNECT!

Why? Because as I get older, I realize the importance of good, solid relationships. Friendship + community fire me up! There's nothing like a good long phone conversation or sharing your heart with a girlfriend over coffee. It's just all too good not to spend more of my energy cultivating these things. Also, who doesn't love snail mail?!

7. Purposeful + Meaningful posts on Instagram + the "itsrachelschultz blog"

Ways to make this happen:

-ask these questions before posting: Am I posting for myself? For the benefit of others? Or for the promotion of Jesus?

-write out + plan "long" Instagram posts

-make an Instagram + Blogging schedule

-write a social media mission statement + post it where I can see it

-take social media breaks

Why? Social media is a HUGE blessing, as well as being a hindrance at times. I think the reach + influence to be had on social media is important, and it is something I'm passionate about. I do not want to be surface or self-seeking in my posts. I want to be authentic, inspire, tell my story, and glorify Jesus. (hmmm, maybe that's that start of a mission statement?)

8. Try + experience new things + places

Ways to make this happen:

-practice calligraphy 

-take a dance class

-do yoga

-travel out west

-read, as much as possible, everyday

-teach a fitness class

Why? I want to LIVE and ENJOY the fun things that life has to offer. So often I focus on the things in my life that need to be "fixed," and do not take the time to explore something new. I want to seek newness, adventure, enjoyment, and challenge in 2016!

And real quick....

December Goals

1. Read the Power of Full Engagement - COMPLETED!

2. Finish studying the book of Romans - Not Completed. While I'll be honest that I wasn't faithful at studying this book everyday, I'll also be honest in saying it takes much longer to study the Bible than to just read it!

3. Do yoga 3 times a week - Not Completed

4. Blog more consistently - COMPLETED! I believe I blogged 7 times. I think that's an all time high ;)

5. Be intentional about social media - 1/2 COMPLETED. I did really well at connecting and being intentional with relationships on Instagram, but I completely failed at turning my phone off by 7, like really failed.

January Goals

1. Focus on my daily "Core 4" 

2. 1 week free of social media (I'm doing this starting tomorrow, so I'll be having a bit of a hiatus this week)

3. Continue to study Romans (most definitely my fave book of the Bible right now. So much good stuff to study and absorb).

4. Read, "Make it Happen" by Lara Casey (the mastermind behind PowerSheets!)

5. Implement daily devotions and a weekly "marriage meeting" (cooler name to come....hopefully) with Josh! (I also hope to elaborate more on how these 2 things are going in the future!)

6. Start a prayer journal

There ya have it! My 2016 goals + monthly January goals. The plan is to take action steps from each BIG goal, and have them as one of my monthly goals. Some goals may stay up for several months, some may only be one month. However long it takes to accomplish these goals, I'm excited to start the journey in 2016. I truly am so pumped about the growth that will happen in my life this year. I'm so thankful for the tools and support to be able to chase after all of these BIG dreams!