may goals

Published on May 4, 2015 by Jess StoneLeave a comment

“Oh no! I completely forgot my April goals,” was my first thought when I sat down to write this post. Obviously not a good sign. Yet, I somehow managed to accomplish quite a few goals this month. May is perhaps one of my favorite months, so I’ve been thinking of some lovely goals for this season. Let’s dive in, shall we?

April Goals

Get out and go:
CHECK!
Write some letters:
y’all, I’m giving up. I’ve tried for 2 months straight to make this happen, and the most I could manage was thank-you notes to my practicum supervisors & an electronic letter to my sponsored kiddo in Kenya…wait a second, that’s more than I’ve done all year!
Health kick:
Lost a couple pounds but not feeling healthier overall. Definitely a priority for the summer!
Preparing to move:
Yes, yes, yes. We are SO ready! Winter clothes packed, furniture sold, moving plans made. Hurry up, July!
Take more photos:
Yes! Took photos of the puppies and actually carried my real camera to a grad school function. #accomplished

May Goals

Knit a baby blanket:
At the end of April I got a burning desire to knit something more than a darn scarf. It is almost summer, after all. So, since one of my best friends from undergrad is welcoming a newborn home this month, I thought a baby blanket would be a nice challenge & gift! (Here’s to hoping it doesn’t turn out to be a hot mess of yarn!)
Dive into the Word:
This was somewhat of a goal from April, and I started listening to the Bible before bed and going back to church regularly. Planning to build on that even more in May.
Relax:
Having a short break between spring and summer semesters means afternoons by the pool and evenings with friends. Craft days. Lazy days. Movie marathons. Knitting projects. Book reading. If it’s relaxing, I’ll be doing it this month.
Preparing to move:
Still working out lots and lots of details for our move, so I’ll keep this goal on here. It will be a good reminder that July will be here soon & I’ll keep praying for God to prepare a place for us in SC.
Teach Cooper new tricks:
We’ve had Cooper for a few weeks now and he knows “sit,” but he doesn’t always do it. I’d like to teach some more commands this month as well!

march goals

Published on March 7, 2015 by Jess StoneLeave a comment

Well, we made it through February, y’all! What a tough month it was. And how relieved I am to see that March is already bringing positive changes. That being said, there’s always room for improvement. So, now a quick recap of February goals and the new and improved March goals!

February Goals

Make my health a priority:
While I’m still working on carving out quite time each day, I have started taking better care of myself and making my health a priority. I’m thankful for the ways I’ve grown this past month, and I’m especially thankful for Cason’s support.
Cultivate a sense of peace in my home:
Over the past month, my awareness has heightened tremendously in this area, and I’m thankful because that is the first step towards progress. We’re on a journey together, and it’s about the process, not the destination.
Seek to grow professionally:
While I still have room to grow where I’m planted right now, I am excited for my future, professionally. I’m so blessed by the experiences that have brought me where I am, and I’m excited for where I’m going. I am thrilled to have an internship in a school district in South Carolina, and I cannot wait to see how I continue to grow in the field!
Stay connected with friends:
Can I just take a moment to say that I’m so incredibly proud of my friends? I still would like to continue to work on reaching out to them better and being there when they call!
Stay on track with our budget:
Whew, this is a challenge. Thank goodness every single day for Cason’s flexibility with a changing budget and ability to stand his ground when I need it! What a great provider and encourager he is.

March Goals

Get out and go:
I would love to get out and go to the market on Saturday mornings or spend Sunday afternoons in a hammock. I want to spend the weekends getting out more this month, weather permitting!
Cultivate a sense of peace in my home:
I like this one. I’m going to keep it here intentionally for this month and continue to update!
Get ahead in my academics:
March in college means Spring Break. SB in grad school, however, means something totally different than it does in high school and undergrad: catching up on work and sleep. That’s the plan this month!
Write some letters:
When I felt discouraged in undergrad, I tried to reach out to others and encourage them. Recently, a friend or two shared how much that meant to them, and it made me realize it was something I truly enjoyed doing. I would really like to spend time this month reaching out and sending handwritten notes to friends.
Spring cleaning:
I have a huge master list for this apartment, and I can’t wait to sell/donate old items, de-clutter our space, and deep clean everything! Even if it doesn’t stay clean, I would at least like to make an attempt this month! Ha!

february goals

Published on February 21, 2015February 21, 2015 by Jess StoneLeave a comment

Why is this crazy girl making goals for a month that’s almost over? I know you’re all wondering, and here is the reason. It has obviously been a pretty tough month, and I’m guessing that’s not just true for myself. I’ve seen many posts on Facebook recently by friends far and near about the difficulties of grown-up life and everyday struggles. So I gathered some inspiration from a sweet blogger over at Bloom. Each month she posts about goals and updates readers on her progress from the past month. I thought that breaking down long-term goals into more manageable, monthly goals is something I could really use to help relieve stress now.

Now, back to the part where this month is almost over. Well, I also thought that there’s no time like the present. I’m also the type of person who makes a to-do list and includes things I’ve already finished that day. Crossing off things I’ve already completed makes me feel accomplished and helps me build momentum for the things yet to tackle. I’m applying that same line of thinking here. So here we go!

February Goals

Make my health a priority:
I need to restructure what little extra time I have each day so that I am the most productive and least stressed. It is important that I carve out intentional alone time each day.
Cultivate a sense of peace in my home:
Home should be a place to come to and shed all the armor we wear into battle each day. It’s not a place to rant and stress and bring in the yuckiness of life. We’ve worked hard to create a beautiful home and life together, and I want to do a better job at honoring that.
Seek to grow professionally:
I really want to put myself out there more by not being afraid to ask for feedback and encouragement from my supervisors and professors. I truly believe that I am pursuing a career where my talents and compassion collide. In order to be successful, I need to continue to build my skills and my confidence.
Stay connected with friends:
My friends are intelligent, driven, and beautiful, and they are out doing wonderful things in this world. They are encouraging and inspiring, and I want to reach out and hopefully continue to encourage them as well.
Stay on track with our budget:
Overall, I think we have done really well with our new financial plans! I tend to stress when I shouldn’t, especially considering how things have gone so far. We are tackling expenses together and living within our means, and I appreciate the type of discipline that teaches.

My only thoughts so far about these goals is that they are hard to quantify and track. I’m gonna go with it and see how it goes. If we need to add some numbers in next month, we will! What goals have you already tackled this month?

101 things in 1001 days

Published on July 15, 2014 by Jess StoneLeave a comment

So, after seeing this idea on several blogs, I’ve decided to also make a bucket list of sorts. 101 in 1001 is a list of 101 things I would like to accomplish in the next 1001 days (or 2.75 years). For my complete list, click this link.

Just to give you an idea, some of the things I have included are things that should happen naturally, assuming I continue on the path I’m on. For example, getting my Specialist’s degree, getting a job, getting married, etc. Others include things that I have always wanted to do but keep putting off, like taking a calligraphy class or finishing my family tree book.

Some things are things that I can do once and I’m done, while others address more long-term goals that I have (such as exercising).

The most appealing aspect of this list is that it gives me plenty of time to work on short- and long-term goals without the pressure of having to finish in a year. (I rarely enjoy making new year’s resolutions!) I am excited about adding new things to the list and starting on this adventure! I will do my best to update you as I start completing tasks. Once a month, at the very least!

Any suggestions for my list? Add them in a comment below!

kickstart your summer with a summer bucket list

Published on June 6, 2013June 6, 2013 by Jess StoneLeave a comment

The summer is my favorite time of the year, and what better to do than to make a bucket list to get the most out of my summer?!? This summer’s list seems longer than ones from past years. I packed this summer full of activities, hoping that it would make my last summer at home the most memorable one yet. I’m also hoping that keeping busy will make the summer fly because I am eager to get to the grand finale–the big move to Texas!

Without further ado, here’s the tentative bucket list for the summer of 2013:

It’s been proven that people who keep a list of their goals are much more likely to achieve the goals they have than those who do not write them. So, I always like to include goals for organizing my life and forming more healthy habits. In the past it has been easier for me to develop certain habits over the summer and work towards maintaining them in the fall. I actually prefer summer goals over new year’s resolutions, as I have had much more success with summer goals in the past. So if you haven’t tried a summer bucket/goals list before, I encourage you to try it and let me know how it goes!

I’d love to hear what you have planned for the summer. Feel free to post your summer events in the comments box below! Happy Summer!