Goals for 2011

I know I said I'd be posting my goals for the new year on Monday, but I forgot that The Professor will not be going back to work until next week.  The Boy went back to school yesterday, so The Professor and I spent the day together, mostly just hanging around and talking. He watched me play "Every Word" on my Kindle and tried to help.  That Kindle....  It's my new best friend. Seriously.

So, I spent the day away from the computer and with my dear Professor. I also spent the day away from the laundry, putting Christmas decor away, etc. :)

I spent Saturday and Sunday mulling over the past, what I'd like for the future, and the reality of the present. I also pulled out one of my favorite books, A Mother's Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot.  I'm not sure how I came to know about this book, but it has been very helpful to me.  At first glance you might not think I'd have much interest in this book, since I'm not Catholic, only have one child, and don't homeschool, but I really love the concept of developing my own "Rule of Life" to help me find a way to focus on building a life that is pleasing to God, which is my ultimate goal.

In working out my own "Rule of Life" I have found Pierlot's Five Ps to be a good way of focusing on the major aspects of my life.  All my goals for the new year are based around the Five Ps of  Prayer, Person, Partner, Parent, and Provider.

Prayer
If I learned anything in 2010, it was that I must pray. My goal for 2011 is to re-commit to my practice of daily prayer and build on it as I can, making time throughout the day to stop and pray.

Person
Another thing that 2010 taught me is the importance of caring for this physical body that I have been given.  I'm NOT resolving to dive into any major "body reconditioning program" or to lose X number of pounds this year.  My goal for 2011 is to commit to some kind of exercise most days of the week, to get outside into the fresh air and sunshine as many days as I can, and eat good food in moderation.

Partner
In my vocation as wife to my dear Professor I have settled on one area that I really want to focus on this year: communication - specifically, one aspect of communication - Tone of Voice.  I was in a play many years ago in which one of my lines was "Tone of voice is everything."   My goal for 2011 is to develop the habit of speaking to The Professor with a Low and Relaxed Tone of Voice at All Times and For ALL Occasions.  I want to communicate love to him, no matter what we are discussing, and the tone I use when speaking to him may be more important than the words I use. (The reason I have chosen to work on Tone of Voice is because The Professor is very sensitive to any amount of tension in my voice.  Really. Any amount. I don't even notice there's tension or that my voice is up in the higher register until he brings it to my attention. He's got extra sensitive tension-receptors or something. Are all men like this, or just mine?)

Parent
This year brings me right smack into the middle 40's and my son right smack into teen-ager-dom. A worrisome combination, isn't it?  This year my goal as a parent is to navigate these waters carefully (remembering the Tone of Voice thing) to keep the lines of communication open while still holding my son to a high standard of behavior, yet NOT micro-managing.  (Let go of the reins a little, Carlyn!)

That sounds so good, doesn't it?  I'll let you know how the "not micro-managing" goes. :)

Provider
In my vocation as wife and mother, it's my responsibility to manage our household resources.  I just read in the paper the other day someone's prediction that by 2012 gasoline will be at $5 per gallon!!! I hope that is one prediction that doesn't come to pass, but the reality is that I need to be finding ways to make the best use of our financial resources so that we can take rising prices in stride. In 2011 my goal as a provider is to focus on finding ways to save money on our weekly household expenses and to re-commit to my housekeeping routine.

I want to end this list the same way I started it, with prayer.  None of these goals can be accomplished without God as my Helper and I pray that these goals will all work toward helping me take up my own cross and follow Christ no matter what comes to pass in this new year.