With the beginning of each New Year, comes thoughts of new beginnings, changes for the better and thoughts of ending past bad habits. We resolve to do everything from quitting smoking to losing 20 pounds to exercising daily. This year instead of just having high hopes for the New Year, the members at Womens-Place decided to put those plans into actual goals.


I will start with my own personal goals for 2004:
1. Get Gabe's scrapbook up to date.
2. Finish my 2002 and 2003 family scrapbooks.
3. Read to Gabe everyday.
4. Say more positive things to my children everyday than negative ones.
5. Tell my husband and my children everyday that I love them.
6. Exercise 5 times a week.

Elizabeth G:
1. Lose a LOT of weight.
2. Get the hospital bill paid off.
3. Get the VISA card paid off.
4. Be stricter with our budget, not spend so much on frivolous things.
5. Get the kitchen and hallway painted FINALLY.

Host Julie:
1. Start using my treadmill for something other than a dust catcher.
2. Give up pop.
3. Find a good paying job outside of the home, so I can afford to put my kids in daycare/preschool. I want them to become better socialized, so they are ready for school.
4. Read more books.
5. Spend less money.

Carrie MF:
1. Paying off one student loan and getting out of that bank ~ should happen by the end of March.
2. Paying down the credit card.
3. Growing my business.

Helen:
1. My main goal is the same as every year...to lose weight.

Host Junior:
1. To lose the rest of the weight. I am already down about 29 lbs.
2. Work out more.
3. Get pg. with #3.
4. Have a healthy birth.
5. Have great health and happiness for all my friends and family.
6. Get the other credit cards paid off again.
7. Do better on our budget!

Chelle:
1. Keep faithful to myself in my workouts with my trainer.
2. Make more family time for Tim and the kids.
3. Get Womens-Place some fun new toys!
4. Take a course in web design.
5. Get PG and deliver.
6. Adopt another little one who needs love and a family.
7. Take a nice family vacation, just the kids and Tim.
8. Finish paying off debt, just a little more to go!
9. Get my garden going really good!
10. Sell all my stock in the garage on eBay!
11. Clean the garage.

JBAtkinson:
1. Have my kitchen remodeled.
2. Continue sending Birthday cards. (Last year I actually set this goal and kept it! That does not happen often. It was to send everyone a birthday card for every birthday written in my book. I did it! Everyone was so blessed by that simple act of kindness. I did not send email greetings, but an actual card in the MAIL!
3. Be more patient with my kids.
4. Get out of debt!
5. Be less busy, and more productive.
6. Lose 5 more pounds, and KEEP IT OFF, and gain NO MORE.

Patty:
1. My goal is the same as every year, to be happy and positive.

Kympossible:
1. Pay down our cc debt and live within our budget.
2. Be more disciplined about housework, schooling, and time management.
3. Get back on track to losing the weight (I have been stalled the last several weeks) and establishing a healthier lifestyle.
4. Spend more time with my husband and kids, BEING together instead of just being in the same room.
5. Complete at least two of the home improvement/decorating projects we have in mind for the house.

ScoobyDoo:
Actually, my husband and I tend to do our annual goal setting just before the beginning of September. To us, the beginning of the new school year seems like the "new year" so we take a personal retreat and set goals for ourselves individually, as a couple, and as parents in the following categories:

Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional, Physical, Social, Financial

We set goals for the upcoming year, as well as review and revise our "5 year" plan. We require our kids to do the same thing. It is a family activity and, of course, we give them rewards for doing it! We have special worksheets we created to write out all these goals. It is a big deal in our family! I won't give you the whole deal, but here are a few examples of mine:
1. Spiritual - Identify one prayer partner for each of my kids so I know someone in addition to my husband and I are praying regularly and specifically for each of my kids.
2. Intellectual - Research options for pursuing the Master's Degree I always wanted and still do not have. Also, begin writing the book I have been talking about writing for years.
3. Emotional - Schedule some personal time, just for myself, on a regular weekly basis.
4. Physical - Like many of you, one of my physical goals has to do with losing weight. A few years ago, I lost 60 pounds. Ten of it has crept back, and I never did reach my goal of getting back to my wedding day weight. So, my goal is to lose those 10, plus the other 30, so I can be at my wedding day weight in time for my 25th anniversary next summer.
5. Social - One of my social goals is to do a better job using the birthdays of family members and friends as an opportunity to catch up, show my love and appreciation for them, etc. by sending at least e-cards, if not regular mailed cards.
6. Financial - To develop a more stable plan for financing the college education of the three remaining kids in the family who are likely to go to college.

Host Tanya T:
1. Enjoy my family and not dwell on the little things.
2. Buy a new house and move in.
3. Get my license.
4. Make more effort to keep in touch with family and friends -- even if it is not mutual.
5. Continue to work towards a healthier and happier me.
6. Reach my goal weight and maintain it.
7. Enjoy everyday as it comes!
8. Make my Daddy proud of me! (He is watching me; I can feel him.)
9. Continue to stand by my best friend through all of her illnesses and her upcoming kidney transplant. (A living donor transplant from her mom.)

Cheri A:
1. Decide what to do about schooling for my kids and not second-guess the decision.
2. Make time for dates with my husband regularly.
3. Start losing weight again and stop maintaining.
4. Focus on the positive and not let the little things derail me.
5. Pay down debt.

JGK (Dawny):
1. Go back to school.
2. If #1 doesn’t pan out get another job.
3. Try to relax.
4. Get out of debt. We’re almost there!

These are all wonderful, life-improving goals, and I am proud of each and every Womens-Place member that makes positive steps forward. Even baby-steps are still steps in the right direction. Also, remember with each life change, there will be some standstills and some times you actually go backward. Pick yourself back up and start again. Do not get down on yourself for what you did not accomplish, but praise yourself for what you did and your ability to restart. Be proud of the YOU that you are!

If you find you could use some support for being successful with your goals of 2004, check out some of these Womens-Place boards:

Ask The Pro: Debt Counselor,
Working Towards A Slimmer You,
Exercise,
Working Moms Support & Ideas,
TTC Month to Month
Ask The Pro: Licensed Midwife.


~Lynette is a stay-at-home-mom from the Pacific Northwest. She has recently discovered a new passion for writing, which she hopes she will not use as an excuse to keep her from her goal of daily exercise.