Simplifying goals for 2017

Kaity Holtman

December is always a time for looking back over the year and preparing for the next year.

Recently my husband shared a blog post with me from the “Modern Machine Shop” website he frequents (full article at: http://www.mmsonline.com/blog/post/a-time-to-recalibrate-ones-life).

The whole post has a word sticking with me: recalibrate.

The author decided to select three words for work and three words for home to help him stay on track for the way he’d like next year to go.

He recommends choosing three words, numbers, or a phrase – basically something simple enough that it can be easily remembered and repeated.

We can get so caught up focusing on one certain New Year’s resolution, that we don’t look over our whole lives.

Eating healthy, exercising, getting more sleep – those are all helpful resolutions, but a start of a new year can be a bit like a do-over. It gives us the opportunity to look at ourselves and our actions, and try to improve trouble spots, no matter if our year was great, terrible, or just average.

I think we should always be striving to become better people.

So my husband and I have been thinking about and talking through what our recalibrating phrases will be. We’ve discussed what we want to accomplish and what kind of employees, spouses, parents, and Christians we want to be.

I think I’ve finalized my two lists, and my husband says they are a good fit for me.

At work, my list will be, “Energetic. Efficient. Encouraging.”

At home, my list will be, “Present. Prayerful. Patient.”

In case you can’t tell, I like alliteration.

Keep in mind, my lists of ways to improve myself should really be a mile long. But these seem to capture some specific goals I have in mind. Sometimes, we’ve got to take it one step at a time.

At work, I want to be motivated and motivate others. I want to get. stuff. done.

I want to look back at my workweek and be proud of all I accomplished. I also want to encourage my coworkers, advertisers, and those I work with through Chamber connections.

I want to be one of the reasons we continue to move forward. I do not want to just be caught up in the day-to-day tasks, but accomplish those and move on to help better the company.

At home, the number one word for me is present. Sam is growing and changing every day, and life is moving so quickly. When we are together as a family, I want to make sure I’m taking in every facial expression and milestone my little one makes, instead of always thinking about all that needs to get done.

Matt and I tend to always be ready for the next thing coming our way, so I’m going to work on my patience, and of course, focus on being present instead of trying to move through life so quickly. And prayerful is probably self-explanatory. Focusing on our faith puts most everything else in life in the right order, no matter what comes our way.

As we focus on recalibrating, I’ve decided I want to write down our words somewhere at work and at home that we will see every day.

Giving up on resolutions is so easy, so it has to be something that we can keep top of mind and in plain sight.

If you are so inclined to come up with your three words, I’d love to hear them. I think keeping each other accountable in working toward becoming better people is absolutely key.

So if you need someone to help keep you accountable, send me your three words, I’ll keep you on my list of those to help make 2017 successful.