There’s something so cleansing about the new beginning that accompanies each new year! I’ve never been big on making resolutions (mostly because I’m so bad at keeping them..!), but my prayer is that, at the end of 2017, I can come back to this list and be able to see obvious growth and progress from where I’m at now.

• 2017 •

Each night (or as often as I can), write down something that made me happy that day. CHECK!
If I could go back in time and thank past Laura for coming up with this idea, I would. Of all the yuck that 2017 brought, this journal is a tangible, continual reminder of all the good things that happened. Even tiny, seemingly unimportant things.

Take a week-long vacation with Daniel to celebrate and refresh our marriage. CHECK!
May 2017: Alaskan cruise during which we visited Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Victoria

Permanently integrate healthier eating and exercise into my lifestyle. CHECK!
Doing Keto was honestly life-changing. I had no idea I could exercise that much self control for that long.

Cut down on screen time (TV, computer, phone) and spend more time reading and nurturing relationships.
I didn’t do as well with the screen time part as I could have, but I definitely read more books and spent time nurturing new friendships.

Intentionally learn something new (like hand lettering or a different language). CHECK!
1. How to have self control with food
2. How to lead a group of newly-married couples
3. How to trust the Lord in the lowest of valleys

Have at least one date night a month that’s NOT dinner and a movie. CHECK!
January: half-price wings at BWW, Starbucks, and flirting our way through Target
February: double date with Brandon & Ashley to Olive Garden and Moo-Yah
March: low-key couch date at home with popcorn and Megamind
April: Sherman date night, shopping for Daniel’s trip to NYC and DC
May: a week’s worth of amazing dates on our Alaskan vacation
June: sweet night binge-watching Big Bang Theory
July: murder mystery dinner party for Sheridan’s birthday
August: roadtripping to Lufkin and reading marriage books aloud
September: cuddle party / watching The Office
October: David Copperfield and Italian food in Vegas
November: group date with our foundation group in Sherman
December: Harry Potter marathon the week after Christmas

By the end of the year, consistently earn $1500 (or more) per month from MONAT.
I may not have earned this amount every month, but I did earn enough in bonuses in one month to pay for our Alaska anniversary photo shoot, including a plane ticket for our photographer, I more than doubled my number of team members, and I earned a free trip to Vegas with Daniel in October. I still consider that a win. ♥

View food as a gift to enjoy with wisdom, not as an indulgence I deserve. CHECK!
Again – Keto was life-changing. I’ll be forever thankful that God helped me do it successfully.

I decided to keep my list short and sweet, mostly because I already have another long-term list to work on (and you best believe I’m going to kill multiple birds with one stone!), but also because I know myself. Granted: I have been working on being kinder to myself and not holding onto my failure like an obnoxious self-deprecating security blanket. But just in case I get thrown a curve ball this year, having fewer things on my list means fewer things to feel guilty about if I don’t do them.

I’ve also picked out my word for the year, and it’s…

Hope. The anchor of souls, assurance despite repeated disappointment, and the companion of trust. “Hope” became my theme late last year, and I can’t think of a more appropriate word for 2017!

What is one of your goals for this year? I’d love to know!

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