8 Things for 2018
8 Things for 2018
Hi.
How are you?
It’s been a long time.
And the last time I posted something here it had been a long time.
I can, without a doubt, say that 2017 has been one of, it not the, hardest years of my adult life. It was packed full of struggle, hard work, and immeasurable growth. And that’s only referring to my day job, let alone the other “side gigs” I have maintained. There were clearly things that fell off my list of things to do (like my blog) as a natural way to maintain some sanity. There were things that I hoped to accomplish in 2017 that didn’t happen. But there were a lot of things that happened that I could not have planned for.
It was a hard year. And I’m glad it’s over. I kept hoping that things would eventually go back to normal, but I think that was foolish to hope for.
For those that don’t know, so this doesn’t seem like a vague summary of the year, my day job is to be the technology support for a company of therapy (physical, occupational, and speech) clinics. We opened four new clinics in Lincoln this year—which was a project that started in February and the clinics rolled out in May.
I foolishly thought that after May things would go back to the way they were in January. But that didn’t happen, because the structure of my job changed and I experienced a major growth spurt.
I say it was foolish to hope that return to normalcy because after experiencing so much stretching and growth, I don’t personally fit that old normal any more. I am not the same person that I was in January 2017. And why would I want to go back to that? Certainly it was simpler then, but wishing away growth to get back to a simpler time is unwise.
So, all that to say, I’m excited to see what growth waits in 2018, and here is a list of 8 things for the new year!
1. Read more fiction. I’ve had this on my list the last two years. I was very successful with this in 2016, not so much in 2017. The books I did read in 2017 were primarily non-fiction, and I did glean much from them. But I’d like to sink my teeth back into some fiction.
2. Read more non-fiction. I never used to enjoy reading non-fiction, but now that I’ve dug into some books by Lysa TerKeurst and some other books about leadership and marketing. I would like to continue to grow in this area and have a few specific books I’m eager to work through.
3. Focus on the word: Steadfast. My word for 2017 was Steward, and I am excited to turn towards my new word for 2018. I’m excited to see how I can be more steadfast and also explore how God is steadfast in His promises and love. More on this to come.
4. Be better at blogging. I do not intend for 2018 to be a repeat of 2017. I do intend to write for this space more regularly. My plan is to write a Reflection Sunday post every week, barring and personal tragedies. There should always be something to reflect on from the week.
5. Submit my thesis to a publisher. Last year I re-read my thesis as a reader and now I have some readers going through it to send me their thoughts. It still needs work. It feels too shallow now, so I need to beef it back up and dig a little deeper again.
6. Track my goals and progress. I have some new calendars—a new desk calendar and personal planner by Inkwell Press that I intend to use to keep better track of some different areas for myself. Presenting small victories makes big tasks easier, and if I can visualize those things I think it will help me be more productive.
7. Make healthy choices. I think this can spread a lot wider than just my relationship with food and exercise, and I do intend for it to be a wider scope than just those two things, though they are certainly included.
8. Reach up. I need to reach up to my God in all things. And as I continue to develop and grow as a person in technology and a leader in my church’s women’s ministry and in my Mary Kay business, I need to continue to remember to reach up to those who came before for support and wisdom.
Happy 2018! Let’s make this a good one!
