It's a New Year!

Although I hate to see the holiday season end, I do love the excitement of a new year. I hope 2011 is a GREAT one for you all! We had a fun night last night with friends, slept in this morning, and started the day off with blueberry pancakes! I'm enjoying the last of this ridiculous holiday calorie-fest, but it's back to Moo Goo on Tuesday (when I return to work).

I know lots of you are coming up with goals and resolutions for 2011, as are we. We still have to have our "sit down" goal-planning session this weekend, but I've got lots swimming in my head already. But for any goal or resolution - if you're really serious about it - you have to have a defined plan. That includes (1) a measurable goal and (2) a set time frame. You can't just say, "Oh I want to lose weight in 2011." Duh, who doesn't after all those Christmas cookies? But good luck with it if that's as far as you can define it! You need to have a reasonable goal of, say, losing 15 pounds in 4 months. Otherwise, how can you really say you reached your goal if you didn't have a true finish line?

Worthy goals often mean we have to *start* doing some things and *stop* doing others. Many times we have to sacrifice more to achieve a goal than actually "do" more. Maybe it's about learning to say NO to something. Either way, you often need continued encouragement or a good ass-kicking. A great way to keep your goals in your face all the time is to write them down and post them on your bathroom mirror. We keep our debt snowball on ours and it mockingly stares us down every morning and every night. Eye on the prize! I hope you'll all spend some quality time mapping out the next 12 months. What is life without setting goals? Everyone dreams... so pick a dream, make a plan, and BAM - you have a goal. Financially, professionally, spiritually, relationally... where do you want to be at the end of this year? In five years? Ten years?

We've definitely got lots of big hope for 2011... I feel like I say that every year. But I still manage to be full of hope for each new year that comes. Have fun setting goals and I'll be sharing some of ours soon. Cheers!