By small and simple things

Back in January I had a lot of ideas swirling around in my head of things I wanted to accomplish for the year 2015. I have never been one to sit down and write out goals for myself though, so "writing them out" in my head seemed good enough. Then one day I was listening to a Dave Ramsey podcast and he was explaining that goals need to be written down, measurable, specific, and time-sensitive. He also talked about the seven categories in our lives for which we need to set goals. You can read more about that here.

It definitely inspired me and I got to work writing down my goals for the first time in my life. And now, several times a day I see them hanging on my bathroom mirror…staring back at me. At first I wanted to be perfect in every single area of my life every single day and if I wasn't achieving all of my goals, I felt like I was failing. Isn't that in our human nature? I am always tempted to do all or nothing--to be perfect or not. But as the weeks have gone on I've realized I need to be kinder to myself and more flexible. I need to remind myself that my goals are what I'm aiming for or are the desired result of consistently trying each day.

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon where the prophet Alma states that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." This has been my mantra with small children for the last few years, and it certainly relates to myself and my own goals too. For example, I may not get to vacuuming that day because the kids and I spent the afternoon at the park, or I might not be able to run one week if I'm sick, or I might not get in my green smoothie that morning because we ran out of spinach. Ha! Do you see what I mean? Life is going to happen. It just is. But I've learned to look at what I DID do, as small as they may seem: I may not have clean carpets today, but my children and I spent quality time together out in the sun. I may not have had time to do much work today, but I helped a friend instead. Following those promptings to help and serve are important and a part of being flexible. They may seem small, but in the long-run these things will be the GREAT things.

I also think it is in the consistent doing of small things that you become more intentional each day and are more mindful about choosing to do the best things--the things that matter most--and sifting out the unnecessary, mindless parts of your day. Instead of looking at ALL that needs to be done, start one step at a time. Think, "I have 5 minutes so I'm going to unload the dishwasher or read a book with my children or run an errand. When looking and prioritizing my goals in small and simple steps, I find that I'm not so overwhelmed. 

There is a lot of power in consistently trying too. One day may not go well, but the next day is a new day and you can try again. It is never perfect for me, but I'm starting to see already how the small things add up and how they will impact me and my family for good by the end of this year…and in 5 years and 10 years...and for many years to come. So be more forgiving of yourself if you're not accomplishing all that you've planned. Just keep trying! I'm sure you're doing more than you think!