Marsha's Musings: New Year's Eve Muse

It's New Year' Eve.

I don't think I will be celebrating with everyone else. I am sick with a sinus infection and bad chest cold.

My kids will go celebrate with their friends at a church celebration. My husband and I will stay home and take it easy. Well, sort of. Since the computer will be freed up where I keep the school records, I will spend about an hour catching up the grading and getting assignments ready for next week. THEN, I will rest.

I might spend some time reflecting on last year and thinking about what I would like to accomplish next year. I don't do resolutions because that sets me up for failure and frustration. Instead I just want to set some goals to reach for, break them down into bite-size chunks and press on.

I might spend some time reading and dreaming over MaryJane's Outpost book that my dear husband gave me for Christmas or I might borrow the book I gave him for Christmas for a while tonight...Weird Washington...it's got some interesting stories just for fun.

At any rate this "we" will not be staying up until midnight like so many other die-hards around our nation. I might sleep on the couch until my kids get home, but I don't think I'll be staying awake until then.

So what kind of goals do I think I might set?

1. I'd like to read the Bible through again from cover to cover and write down what stands out to me in my devotional journal and write out my prayers.
2. I'd like to be more diligent in teaching my children to cook and clean and be more self-sufficient.
3. I'd like to be more regular in exercising.
4. I'd like to spend more quality time with my husband.
5. I'd like to be more frugal in my spending.
6. I'd like to de-clutter more of my house and make it more organized so we don't lose so many items.

There are many more things I could add to my list, but I am keeping down to six items so I don't overwhelm myself too much and quit.

So, what is the difference between goals and resolutions? Here's what I think:

• Resolutions are statements of what you intend to accomplish in the next 12 months. They don't give you any flex room for unexpected circumstances of life. Once you fall off the wagon, it's easy to throw up your hands in despair and quit. Resolutions put undue pressure on you to perform on schedule. You said you'd accomplish it in 2009 and by golly, you're a failure if you don't manage it!
• Goals, on the other hand, are things you want to aim for, but if the circumstances of life knock you off the wagon, that's OK. You just get up, dust yourself off, get back on the wagon keep pressing on. You can set a target date by which you would like to accomplish it, but you can be flexible if you have to and move the date further out if needed. It doesn't matter how slow you go, just so long as you don't quit.