A few months back, Nate was approached by a former colleague, to write a small piece for, "The Escondido Magazine". She writes a column for it, and this Quarter's Magazine was focusing on New Years Around Escondido, and her article more specifically, was on goals and resolutions. Knowing my love for writing things like this, Nate asked if I wanted to write it. So, I have been published... sort of! HA, HA!! And oh, by the way... my pen name is Nate Turner!
When it was just my bride and I, our goals focused around losing weight, saving money for a house and how many children we wanted to have by certain age milestones. All good things, but just the surface. As our family has grown, our goal/resolutions have grown also. We have gotten very systematic and intentional about planning our year, and now do the brunt of it in August (seems logical to us since we are homeschooling) and re-visit them in January (the semester!), as kind of a “How is all this working for us? Are we on track at all?!” point of the year. Our lives have 5 distinct circles that we do all our planning in and around. They are Family, Business/homeschool (for my wife), Financial, Personal and Spiritual. We still think about our weight and saving money, but we have realized how enriched our lives have become when we put pen to paper and focus on what really matters!!
Recently I discovered our very first attempt at goal setting, as a married couple. We wrote this November 4th, 2003. We had only been married a tad less than 6 months. Lets take a trip down memory lane, shall we... The red are explanations or asides or just finding the funny in all this!
Spiritual:
Nate
1) To have a daily “quiet time” for Nov & Dec.
2) To have a couple “quiet time” 3 times a week for Nov & Dec.
Molly
1) To tithe 5% for Nov & Dec.
2) To have daily “quiet time” for Nov & Dec.
Holy cow! If we were finding it hard to have quiet time when we had no kids...!!
Professional:
Nate
1) To obtain 1 more letter of recommendation by Jan.
He did!!
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| EMT Turner for the City of Escondido Fire Department |
2) To work at EAS (Emergency Ambulance Service) until EMT-P school admittance. Pretty sure he did.
Molly
1) To obtain BA by Feb.
Sorry Uncle Jeff! It will happen!!
2) To be a F/T teacher by Jan 2005.
Irony is funny!
Financial:
Nate
1) To be debt-free by 2006.
Ummm... yeah... about that! How about 2012!!! This is our year!
2) To make 50k/yr by 2005.
I am pretty sure he did that!
Molly
1) To spend less than $20/mo for lunches.
2) To have electric bill less than $35/mo for Nov & Dec.
We are pretty bare bones when it comes to our bills and groceries now-a-days... we are on target!
Family:
Nate
1) To have 1st child by 28. Bazinga!!! He was 27!
2) To have last by 35. 4 are here now and he is only 34... are we really done?!
Molly
1) To have 1.5 children by Oct 2007. Seriously 23 yo Molly! What is .5 kids?! William was born 8/07... DID IT!
2) To have a mortgage by end of 2005. Yup! Got it... then lost it... Wish we had a great Realtor to tell us "NO!!". I know a great one now!!!!
Home:
Nate
1) To buy 1st home by middle of 2005. Right idea... Wrong timing.
2) To recondition & up keep this one by end of Jan 2004. Almost laughable! Does anyone remember what our first little house looked like?!
Molly
1) To vacuum 2 times/wk Nov & Dec.
Still can't wrap my head around this one!!
2) To rid house and dog of fleas by Dec.
Same fleas, different dog!
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| Still miss my buddy, Zeke! |
Leisure:
Nate
1) To take a 2 wk vacation for our 1st anniversary.
How was a trip to Forest Home for the weekend? PERFECT!
2) To take a surf trip to Mexico or Costa Rica by 30. Sorry Handsome! How about for our 10 year Anniversary?! Or we can skip the 3rd World Countries and go to HAWAII!!!!
Molly
1) To take a 1wk vacation before EMT-P school. Hmmm, I don't think we did. Bailey was well on her way!
2) To walk/throw a ball with Zeke 5 days/wk for Nov & Dec. I tried. Zeke played with our neighbor and the neighbor's dog, Buster, came to our house for treats.
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| Notice the difference in their physiques!! One got more treats than balls thrown to him! |
Health:
Nate
1) To lose 5-15 lbs by May 2004.
I think we found them again!
2) To play ball/ run 5 times/wk for Nov & Dec.
Discovered running is overrated and new wives don't like to be left at home 4 nights for basketball....
Molly
1) To lose 15 lbs by Jan 2004.
4 babies... NUFF SAID! Trying again! This time it's 45 pounds!
2) To learn to cook 3 healthy meals by Jan 2004. Cooking for my family has become a passion for me! And were are getting healthier and healthier to boot!
WHERE ARE THEY NOW....?!
They funny thing about goals is, you have to look at them and have a relationship with them! Would it amaze you if I told you, neither Nate or myself had looked at these goals since we wrote them 9 years ago?! How do we make goals and actually come close to achieving them? Good question! Glad you asked!
1. Write something you are passionate and excited about! Who really wants to achieve the mundane?
2. After you write the BIG goal, i.e. "Lose 45 lbs this year" list the action items/little things you are going to do in the next 10 days, one month, etc to help you be successful in reaching the big one! Eating a whale is a big chore! But if you start at the tail, it all seems possible! Bonus points if you can tell me the poem and author that is referencing! HINT: Bailey is currently obsessed with his collection right now!
3. LOOK AT THEM!! Post them where you will see them daily! Every day you can do a little something that after a year will amount to something BIG!!!
Love you all! Here's to the start of a clean slate!
Anything and EVERYTHING is possible with GOD! Go make it happen this year!
