School Year's Resolutions

Yesterday, while perusing the blog of a newly-found Twitter acquaintance, I discovered her clever idea of setting School Year's Resolutions instead of those all-too-common New Year's Resolutions. How fitting that I should stumble upon her idea exactly one week before the start our own homeschool year! The new school year serves as a more accurate "reset" mark in my life than the calendar year ever could. I'm sure this will be true for as long as my homeschooling journey continues.

I've always made it a priority to dedicate each new school year to God and ask His blessing and guidance in our academic endeavors, but I have not ever written out specific goals in specific areas of my life, on which to focus throughout our school year. It's a wonderful idea and as soon as I read it I knew I would follow suit. You can check out my inspiration here on Kelly's blog, "Pass The Torch."

My list of School Year's Resolutions will be intentionally short, specific and attainable. There are countless goals I could list here but, having been around the block a few times, I realize that long lists of foggy objectives breed much more discouragement than accomplishment. I would rather my resolutions empower me as I gradually work toward measurable outcomes than harass me as I struggle not to buckle under the weight of my responsibilities.

Also of note is the idea of "failing forward." It's a concept to which I was introduced at a training seminar conducted by a former employer of mine. It basically means that, even if we fail to fully attain the goals we set forth, we will have achieved more and gone farther than we would have had we not even made the attempt. I find that comforting. This one, simple idea gives me permission to pat myself on the back and to "lay off" with the harsh self-criticism. My husband has learned it, and relayed it to me, differently. He would say it's the difference between trying to achieve happiness and happily achieving.

All prefacing statements aside, I am ready to share my 08/09 School Year's Resolutions! There are only twelve: two goals in each of six important areas.

I, Tonya_H, on this day, August Twenty-seventh, in the Year of Our Lord, Two-thousand Eight, in the presence of my beloved "Tonya's Two Cents" readers do hereby resolve...

To nurture my spiritual self

• by entering each new day through the door of prayer.
• by meditating daily on a Bible scripture or passage.

To nurture my relational self

• by arranging for at least one date-night per month with Ron.
• by continuing to attend my monthly GAP-ladies fun & fellowship meetings.

To nurture my children

• by carving out at least 15-30 minutes, during the daytime, every week to spend enjoying one-on-one quality time with each of the four of them.
• by calmly responding to high-stress parenting situations or else postponing my response until I can do so. (This goal is less measurable but nonetheless, very important.)

To be an effective homeschool teacher

• by having all school work checked and recorded by each week's end.
• by limiting my computer/phone time to no more than four 15-minute blocks of time during the school day.

To nurture my creative self

• by posting at least one article per week at Tonya's Two Cents.
• by keeping my journal readily accessible for recording thoughts and ideas.

To nurture my physical self

• by continuing to work out at least three times per week.
• by taking the nutritional "high road" more often than not by choosing healthful snack alternatives.

And there you have it! My School Year's Resolutions!

Want to join the fun? List your School Year's Resolutions in my "comments" section or write about them in your own blog and link it back to mine and Kelly's!

Writing this out has definitely been worth my $0.02!

Tonya