Goals and Skills: Year-End Reflections

I'm not going to dwell (yet again) on how I did not fully accomplish my goals in 2014. Which is odd for me, since I'm naturally pessimistic and a perfectionist.

So, let me do this. Let me celebrate all that I was able to accomplish this year in my goal of learning new skills:

• I made it almost through two years of Rosetta Stone Spanish material.
• I learned how to play the ukulele (on a basic level). 
• I learned to solve a Rubik's cube in under 2.5 minutes. 
• My son (Elijah) and I learned some basic computer programming. 
• I focused more on Bible memorization. 

I didn't master any of these things. But even the little bit I learned was fun, and it was beneficial to me. The processes of having to learn new skills is good for your brain (including language learning).

What's Next?

I'm not sure yet what goals I'll have in 2015. For now, I'm thinking about being more strategic in my journaling. I've kept a journal since I was in college (I think I'm on #30 or so now). But I'm now in the middle of a 31-day journaling challenge, and I plan to do this semi-regularly in the future.

If you want to start journaling, or do it more regularly, I recommend you follow a plan like that to help you get going. Also, check out these articles by:

• Michael Hyatt:  How to Become More Consistent in Your Daily Journaling 
• David Mathis:  Five Ways to Flourish in Journaling  

Also from Art of Manliness, I've been eying this Ben Franklin's Virtues Daily Record and Journal. I don't like the high price, so I may just order the replacement journal inserts. I do not agree with the philosophy that I can just work harder and automatically make myself a better person. But this may be a good exercise for me. At the least, it will remind me how much I need a Savior and how futile it is to earn favor with God.

Not only do I want to journal with more intentionality, I also like Franklin's idea of spending time at the end of each day reflecting on that day's high and low moments.

Thanks for journeying along with me this year. I'd love to hear from you:

What accomplishments from 2014 can you look back on with positivity? And do you have any goals for 2015?

**first image courtesy of Wolfgang Staudt via everystockphoto

**second image courtesy of Art of Manliness