1/17/05 RM Newsletter: Declaring Your Goals-Part 2

Today’s Quote: “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest man.” Anonymous


Last week we reviewed three of the seven primary goal categories—at least as defined by moi! We looked at the need to write down your goals for the year (you have a much higher chance of meeting your goals if your write them down), and the importance of committing them to paper—with colored ink, remember? How’d ya’ do?? Did you commit to goals in the areas of faith, family, and friends for 2005 that required stretching and growing in new ways? How difficult was it to assess needs for improvement and maturation?


Today, we’ll look at the other four; my goal is to get all of us thinking about how we might develop into moms of excellence, pursuing not only what is in the best interest of all those in our charge, but allowing ourselves the freedom to pursue excellence in our own lives as well. Roll up your sleeves:


4) FINANCIAL: How do you feel about your family’s financial health and well-being? If you have stepped off your career path to pursue full-time motherhood, you may be facing financial constraints previously unknown in your two-income household. If you find yourself caring for an elderly parent—or a sick teen—you may have been forced to exit the workforce as well. Relocation also shifts the financial scales, as your family faces disequilibrium and you face less awareness about work options. Our family is looking at college tuition—a first—and the way in which this new reality will impact our family’s financial stability. Write down ways in which you might realistically tackle both the financial challenges as well as the long-term financial goals of your family. Do you need to increase your savings percentage? Should you be contributing to investment accounts? Are you making a commitment to tithing?


5) FITNESS: One of the quintessential challenges of being a Rocket Mom is keeping yourself fit, strong, and vibrantly healthy while simultaneously taking care of kids too young to take care of themselves! I bumped into a friend of mine in the locker room at our local gym this morning; the mother of two-year-old twin boys (with a third boy aged three), this mom was attempting to get the twins to a gym class. Looking gorgeous, with perfect make-up and fabulous hair, she calmly dealt with a screaming, squirming two-year-old who would have nothing to do with that stupid stroller! What a Rocket Mom! I know she would have loved the opportunity to have enjoyed the hour-long swim I just finished! Yet she was smack dab in the middle of the juggling act we’ve all enjoyed at one point or another. During those days, it’s critical that you schedule in exercise time, whether you have to hire help to do so or not. What specific steps do you need to take in 2005 to allow yourself to get a little bit of time every day for a quick work-out? Should you be hiring college-age babysitters a few times a week to come over in the afternoon? Is there a gym in your area which has an in-house, well-staffed nursery? Should you think about buying an elliptical trainer or a stationery bike? Or some dumb bells for weight training?


6) FUN: Are you taking time out each week to simply enjoy life? Do you have a weekly date night written in blood with your spouse? This might be the single-most important goal of your year! Even when our kids were babies, we had a scheduled Friday night date night—and almost nothing could interfere with it. Babysitters were lined up well in advance, and bar serious illness from one of the kids, the date was practically sacrosanct. And when the going got rough during the week (babies crying, toddlers having fits, running around town doing those relentless errands, blah blah blah) I was able to keep focused because I knew that come Friday night, I’d get a break. I would be treated to dinner out and some romancing by my prince…and in every case, was able to come back and face the overwhelming nature of motherhood renewed and refreshed. The last thing I want is to wind up in my empty nest one day (which in my case will be here before I know it!) and wake up to a husband I no longer know. Examine the level of fun that your family—and you and your spouse—are having together as well as individually. If this area is broken, figure out ways in which you might fix it.


7) FIND: OK. This is my new seventh area for goal-setting. It means simply to find that for which you were created. Go off by yourself—daily if you must—and get very, very quiet. Figuring out why God made you will not happen during the hectic, frantic, noisy business of life. Don’t get me wrong: you’ll see some of it there. But you won’t get a real sense of your destiny unless you’re spending a good amount of time in meditation, in prayer, and in quiet. Start writing down your thoughts as they come to you. Over time, your life purpose should crystallize. More than that, once it’s been revealed to you, you’ll start figuring out ways in which you think you should be moving to allow others to benefit from the unique gifts and talents which God intends for you to use in sharing your purpose with others.


In summary then, write down specific goals in the “Magic Seven” key areas: Faith, Family, Friends, Financial, Fitness, Fun, and Find.


If you’d like to email me with specific questions in your effort to help you cement your goals for 2005, please do not even hesitate! I would love nothing more than offer my advice—with wisdom learned more often than not by pain, suffering, mistakes, stubbornness, strong-will, and failure—than by luck or good fortune.


Happy New Year!


Hugsandkisses,


Carolina


A Nick Note

Nick is going through the second chemo round of the intensification phase of his protocol. Other than some violent vomiting, he's doing great. His spirits are remarkable. His prognosis is excellent. His complete and total healing continues
to be our prayer. Thank you from afar for your wonderful support and prayer for his healing...and for "a peace that passeth understanding" for the rest of our family.



A Quick Note

I'm following my own advice; I'm pursuing the FUN part of the "Magic Seven." I'm in London (as you receive this) enjoying a long weekend with my mom. She won a trip for two to London and invited me to go with her. Given our situation, I thought I'd
have to decline. But when a dear old friend intervened and offered to come with her college-age daughter to hold down our fort in our absence, I decided to go after all. Details about the trip will inevitably wind up in one of my Newsletters.