January Recap + February Goals
I am honestly shocked at how quickly January has flown by. And thank you, Jesus, it has flown by because January usually isn’t my most most favorite month - it’s usually my least favorite. But I will have to say that January was a pretty good month: we settled into our new apartment ( did I mention that we’ve moved?!), and it was just a really sweet season after such a long and difficult one.
My January goals were more so about me establishing better habits since I’ve spent all of 2018 in bad habits. So while I didn’t “meet” all of my goals, I am just happy that I ended the month with healthier habits in practice.
Let’s recap my January goals:
Goal One: Complete the Well-Watered Word before the World Challenge.
I started strong, but I didn’t complete this one. Although I will say that I’ve continued to read the Bible (I am two chapters away from completing the whole Bible! I need to finish those two chapters after I publish this post!), and I have joined a local women’s Bible Study Fellowship group that’s six minutes from my house! All the amen’s and raised hand emojis!
Goal Two: Do a daily morning and evening routine.
I did pretty good with this! Although I wasn’t able to do my routine every single morning or evening, just getting into a routine (especially a wind down night routine) has been SO good for me and my head space, ya’ll!
Goal Three: Pray through The Power of a Praying Wife.
Sadly, I got about halfway through this. I am still going to continue on into this month, though, because I really want to get better at praying for Toby daily.
Goal Four: Establish and stick to daily schedule for Eli (we've moved during Christmas and need to bring back some rhythm and normalcy).
I did pretty good at this as well! I can definitely see how much more calm and happy he is when we stick to a routine versus before when Eli didn’t know what was coming when. I should have started this sooner, and with the next King kiddo, I shall!
Goal Five: Complete Emily Ley’s 30 Day Simplicity Challenge.
Yeah, this didn’t happen at all! BUT it has been added to my list of to-do’s for February!
Goal Six: Try another month of the Whole30 diet as a cleanse from all of that good holiday season eating!
I completed like 15-ish days, and while the old type A Tiffany would have felt bad about not completing it, I don’t (well, not that much!). The goal here was simply to get out of the habit of eating so poorly this past holiday season. And I’m happy to say that while I’m not completely Whole30 compliant, most of my meals are now Whole30ish (I LOVE cheese, ya’ll!), and I’ve been cooking mostly whole, with gluten and grain free meals. My body can definitely feel the difference!
I also didn’t get the Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Parenting until last week, so I will be reading that this month.
Now on to my February goals:
Goal One: Make reading the Word a daily routine.
I tried really hard to wake before Eli last month to get into my Word, and on days when that just didn’t happen, I’d forgo getting into the Word at all that day because I would be kind of discouraged. This month, my goal is to just get into the Word daily, whether that’s in the morning, at midnight, or midday.
Goal Two: Eliminate and reduce stress.
I’ve always thought that I was good at tolerating stress, but ya’ll, my body is now saying “you need to stop, and you need to rid yourself of some stress.” So that’s what I plan to do. Some things that I will be doing is getting more sleep, moving my body more in some way, and my favorite: getting out by myself more. Toby has been supportive of this, and while leaving used to make me feel guilty, I now look forward to my solo hours once a week!
Goal Three: A marriage goal.
I know I’ve been secretive lately, and will stop mentioning that I have a marriage goal, but I have learned to really protect my relationship.
Goal Four: Establish rhythms with Eli.
This one has me excited! This post inspired me to have “Mommy and Eli quiet time” together, where I still get a few extra minutes to read my Bible or journal or read, and Eli can join with his little children’s Bible or Bible story books. I think this is the sweetest thing and plants a seed of spending time before the Lord! I’m also looking at ways to establish more fun traditions with him, and would love to start with Valentin’e Day, so if you have any tips, leave ‘em below!
Goal Five: Simplify.
This is where Emily’s Simplicity Challenge makes it’s appearance again!
Goal Six: Establish family rhythms.
I’ve been so inspired by Jeff and Alyssa Bethke and their family, that I want to be so intentional about rythyms in our household. One of them is to start having meals at the table as a family and to put away the phone and television during the meals. Baby steps, ya’ll!
