Today has not been the big dynamic mover, changer kind of day one would expect on the first day of a new year or decade.  Today has been a sit in my happy pants with my feet up, having donuts for breakfast and doing a few minor things around the house day.  We’ve watched a little Netflix and some football and that’s about it.  A pretty inauspicious beginning to be sure.  But as any teacher will tell you, progress, or making things better, is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

Nothing gets better without high expectations and setting goals.  Goals have steps that must be taken.  Like a good strategic plan, you have a vision of where you want to be within a certain amount of time and you do those things you need to do in sequential order to get there.  It’s not all at once, it’s a process.  Today began with a to-do list and getting things on the calendar, working on some short term goals that will eventually fulfill long term goals.

The problem with having resolutions is that we expect to just start one day and keep it up day after day.  Sometimes these things need to be more like weight loss.  Eat a little less, exercise a little more each day and things will begin to change.  If you’re like me, there are so many things I want to do or change that if I try to just “do it” all at once I get overwhelmed.  But I CAN expect to do things a little better every day and make real change happen.

I’ve labeled 2020 as the “Year of Transition” and those transitions have already begun.  But I began the process last year in order for things to begin this year.  I talked to my mother-in-law about this a little bit this past week.  When she asked me what she could pray for, I asked her to pray that I make the right decisions.  She asked if maybe it was just time to relax and spend time with the grandsons.  While that sounds nice, I feel like there’s more for me to do.  I can also spend time with the boys, but other things need to be done as well.  These are not just things I expect to be better for me, but things I want to be better for others.  Not judging others who decide to relax and spend time with the grandkids, just not what I need to do just yet.

This begins the fourth year writing my blog and there will eventually be some transitions in subject matter.  Life changes after all and so will my experiences and perspective.  I hope you’ll keep reading during this transition.  I hope that my transitions encourage others to take some chances to follow their dreams by setting goals and taking steps.  There will be doors closed and windows opened with mistakes made, with joy and discouragement along the way but I expect things to get better.  Looking towards an exciting 2020 for all of us!