I love starting a new year. It's fresh, new and invigorating for me. I know you don't have to wait for the end of the year to start a goal but I always seem to procrastinate till then. The last 2 years we have written down our family goals in the SMART format. (Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.) And it has been a really good experience. Have we meet our goals for 2008? No, but that's okay because we tried there for awhile and we are going to try again for 2009 and even harder. It seems that when I have something to strive for it makes things more exciting.
Aside, from the family goals I’m also a proponent for individual goals. Frankly, I am a sucker for any and all self improvement methods. I love what Marvin J. Ashton said, “True happiness is not made in getting something. True happiness is becoming something. This can be done by being committed to lofty goals. We cannot become something without commitment.”
I love that because I believe that! Its about becoming better than we are. Changing the not so great and replacing it with improved behaviors. The key word in the quote being commitment. That’s the part that I have a tendency to fizzle out on. But I believe I know the antidote for that problem ….Christ. If it was not for His atonement none of us could change or be better. Through His magnificent sacrifice I can better myself when I call on Him.
So in 2009 my first and foremost effort will be in involving myself in those activities that will bring the spirit in my life such as, scripture study (daily) and earnest, sincere prayer. Once that is in place my other goals I know will come more easily. I know not without hard work but I am not afraid of work.
One more great quote to keep me motivated is what Elder Russell Ballard said:
"I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our potential. When one learns to master the principals of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life."
4 comments:
I love a new year as well. I like your inspiring points you make, I could use them more than most I think!
Your so good....I like the quotes..especially the last one..
XOXOXOXO
Oh my goodness Cylee I can't belive I came across your blog! It has been so long since I have seen you! I want you to know I have been thinking of you lately (weird I know let me explain) I was serching for a name for my new baby with C as a first name and for some reason I always came back to Cylie. I always thought of you in High School and how nice and fun you were! So thank you for making your name sound beautiful to me! I am so glad you are so happy!
Great post. I love the start of the new year too!
I am fine, my USB cord to my camera is broken. I am waiting for a memory card reader in the mail, and it should be here tomorrow. Then I will be posting pictures and getting things going on my blog again. I don't really have anything great to report either! Just the boring ol' life of me!
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