Goals.
It says over the next year and I feel like it is time to create some new goals!
I was sitting here going over the list of goals; I had made when creating the blog. As I read through them, I felt a smile begin to stretch across my face. I was reading and check marks were “dinging” as I finished each goal in my head. I am getting things done. It made me feel powerful. It made me feel like I was finally maybe honing into what God has called me to and the pieces were going into place, finally. I felt like I was finally focused on where I was supposed to be going.
Do you ever feel that way? Like, you have a goal that you really want and you are working towards it but it’s as though you are just treading water. You are making no progress and you evaluate why and you can’t find a way to fix it so you just continue treading. Its like you are truly stuck. Like, wrong time and wrong place but you don’t know how to change the time or place? Well, I feel like we are finally moving a little bit instead of treading along. We found a church that we love and is local. We are meeting people and having meaningful conversations. We have filled out our connection card and openly said “Hi, we are new here and we are wanting to start attending your church”. Which I feel like is more of a deal than anyone says it is.
Personally, I launched this blog. The one you are reading right now. Crazy right? It has been going incredibly well for what I was expecting and it has been a game changer for my life. I feel like I am doing what God is calling me to do. I have something that gets me out of bed in the morning and makes me excited. I want to share with you guys and help in anyway I can. It is so exciting. I spend time thinking about what I can create and praying over you all. I try to create content that is NEEDED not just enjoyed and it’s been amazing.
I wanted to grow this community where I was creating content that was genuinely resonating with you all. I didn’t know what that would look like but it looks like having deeper and more meaningful conversations with so many of you. We talk so much more in my Dm’s. It makes me so happy. I feel like so many of you have become more comfortable with talking to me about your struggles but also asking about how I deal with certain things. Which then in turn feeds this content and helps others who then reach out. It has been the biggest blessing being the writer of this blog. wow.
Now, the brand partnership thing is going slowly but its going. As you guys probably know I am a brand ambassador with Pura Vida and they gave me a code that I can share and use myself as well.. It is “WILLOWSMITH20” and that gives you 20% of whatever you are buying and then I receive a 10% commission which is really neat. I hope to grow more of these partnerships with brands I know and love that will benefit you all. I became a brand ambassador for the comfiest bras and undies ever, Lively, I dont get commision from your purchase and I dont have a discount code but I get points for purchases you guys make through “AMB-willowann8”. I wish it was a discount code because my goal is to help get discount codes to things we as disabled people need and not have to break the bank! I think as my points build up, I will just do a random giveaway of some of their products for you guys. That way it ends up being a chance at a free bra or something! Anyways, super exciting and I am working on more!
Mike and I have been attending local small town events and I have been able to recognize people. Like all of a sudden I have a small group of people that i could actually run into out in town. It’s so neat to me. We are slowly but surely and enjoyably creating our community and it is just as fun as having a community! Mostly, I really am just trying to enjoy every step of creating this new community and family for us.
Family, we are feeling more and more ready to begin our journey towards that. We still need to get a new fertility doctor here in texas but we are getting closer to what we feel God’s timing is. Every step of this has been tricky for me but lately I feel I have been able to find more joy in every step because I have stepped more confidently into my faith with Christ!
December, It’s crazy to think but that is right around the corner and with that comes my first visit outside of the country. We will be in Israel in December. That is mind blowing to me and honestly, a little terrifying but I am beyond excited to go on this journey to grow deeper in my faith.
School is where I have made the least amount of headway. I have been dealing with such an internal battle about it. I feel like its more of a waste of my time, money and resources to finish it than to not have it. However, If I ever wanted to do something that requires a bachelor’s degree it would be super annoying to have to go back for it before beginning whatever I was trying to do. I am so conflicted. Please pray for me in this area.
This was a lot of information just about me and my goals. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to approach this. I loved that I shared my goals with you on the about page and I think a lot of you appreciated their honesty and straightforwardness. However, I don’t know if I should cross off the ones I have completed, delete them, explain that I completed it on the goal list. I want to include you guys. You are part of the goals. I want you to feel the check mark beside each goal as well. I began thinking how often do we check in on our goals? I think for me, having my goals on this blog has helped me keep my focus on what I am working towards each day. I don’t think I ever fully appreciated how much a vision board can do for you. The constant reminder it helpful. Otherwise I think my goal list would be in the back of some journal and I would not be writing this right now.
Maybe we should check in on our goals monthly and then do an evaluation like this quarterly. I wonder how that would go. I would post and explain my place on each of my goals and if you wanted you could do it with me. We could then see where the holes are in the goals or create new ones if we are running low. This way you all can complete the goals with me. We can cross the finish line as a team and that feels pretty darn special to me.
