year in preview

i used to think of goals as a finite thing. you make one or maybe two. you work on them. you accomplish them once and for all. you move on to a few more. an open and shut case, if you will.

i now see goals as a much more fluid thing. i feel like i am making, and remaking, them all the time. as long as you (i) don't get overwhelmed, i like this sense of perpetual motion and improvement. and i like making goals that address the things that are most on my mind at that moment.

so, i've made some new years resolutions of sorts, but they're really more like the goals i want to focus on for now. i might stick with them for a while, or they might fill their purpose quickly and then i'll move on. we'll see.

one longer-term thing i did for the year was pick a theme. i've never really done that before, but i decided to give it a try. so, my personal theme for 2013 is "more holiness give me." my really major goals all deal with taking my spiritual life to the next level: regular prayer and scripture study (not just reading), fasting with a purpose, service and temple attendance. i know i could get more out of my relationship with deity, that i can commune more deeply. and i know that will make the rest of my life better, too. (not that it's bad, naturally, but better is always a good thing, right?)

and that's where i'd like to focus most of my energy. but, i have some other goals, too. more exercise and less sugar. more family dinners. more letter-writing. more sewing. more patience and thoughtfulness.

i don't want to say 2013 is going to be the best year yet, because that seems like an impossible thing to know and i don't want to hurt all the other years' feelings. every year should be the best yet, don't you think? so instead i'll say, 2013 is going to be an imperfect and wonderful year. and i'm pretty pleased with the start i've made.