PERSONAL GOALS FOR 2014

A lot of people choose not to set goals at the beginning of each year, as they feel it sets them up for failure. Being a huge goal-setter, I've always loved it. I reassess often and feel great personal accomplishment in it. For example, a goal I have at the end of each year is to set new goals. Once I do that, I can actually cross an item off my list and feel like I've completed something I intended to. I'm all about small goals.

When I was thinking about what kind of goals I wanted to set for the new year, it was important to me to improve. Not really to start or stop something, but to be better. That's why I chose the word "build" to represent the majority of my goals. I want to build on what is already there.

So here is my subset of personal goals. (I also posted a few of my professional goals here)

Conrad and I have created a strong, beautiful foundation for our family and have already begun to build on it. My goal this year is to continue working on our personal relationship. Time together has kind of gone out the window these last four months (though, to be fair, during pregnancy, we spent tons of time together), and I want to make dating him a priority. The plan is to go on a date night once a month without Henry (dates with Henry are frequent and fabulous, but we need our couple time). 

Build on my creativity. Expand my abilities and talents. I was inspired by another blogger to do "25 projects" for my 25th year (I'll turn 25 in August). I feel extra motivated on this one because we're trying to save money and I need to be a little more creative with how I decorate and craft. I've already started, and I'm really excited to share my first project next Friday! I've even created a label for it so you can follow along as I crank out my 25 projects.

I want to build my own confidence. Honestly, having a baby has hugely boosted my confidence, as being entirely responsible for something usually does. I feel like I've really gotten to know who I am and what I like, and I'm always working on liking that person. The plan for this one was a little harder to devise. I decided that being a better friend would be how I want to get there. After all, building up others is the best way to build up yourself. I'm on the lookout for opportunities to be a better friend. The other day I brought a friend who had morning sickness a couple bags of groceries. I'm working on being a better listener and shoulder. My relationships are improving and I feel better about myself.

Walk/run a mile everyday. This one is kind of easy. Between all the errands I run regularly, it's not difficult to reach a mile a day. I'm setting this goal more so that I have a deliberate reason to leave the house every day, and don't spend whole days inside. Fresh air and sunshine are necessary for this mama. There's a fun insta-movement called #mileaday and I thought it would be really fun to record what I did for each day's mile. So far I've done IKEA, and gone on a couple different walks on the beach and at different parks. You can view or join me on instagram @tesiahframe.

Nurse Henry until the end of the year! This goal is one I'm SO looking forward to doing, and barring an unforeseen obstacle, I know it will happen. Breastfeeding is one of my very favorite parts about mothering so far (I wrote a whole post about it here). Since Henry's very beginning as a little bundle of cells, I have been his entire survival, and I hope to exclusively breastfeed as long as he will allow it (my dream would be seven or eight months).

And finally, I want to build on the book I've been writing. I've been working on it seriously for about three months, and I'm about a quarter finished. I'd love to finish it by the end of the year, but realistically, that may be a lot to tackle, so I'm just going to set the broad goal of working on it once a week. This is a continuance of my goal last season to have a writing day each week.

Stay tuned for my (and our) professional goals for the year!