SMART Goals: January, 2014

My life has literally been turned upside down. Or maybe I should say, it’s been turned right-side up.

My family recently moved from a small two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco to a country home west of Boston. Two extremes. Not only have we moved across the country, even farther from our family and friends, but we’ve also landed smack in the middle of a snowy winter, far from the warm weather we’re used to.

The move has been more challenging than I had anticipated. Our two-year-old daughter has had a hard time adjusting. There have been a lot of tears and tantrums. To be honest, it’s been emotionally and physically exhausting.

We’ve been in survival mode. No Christmas cards went out this year. Quick responses to emails aren’t happening. The upcoming yoga stories haven’t had any attention. I haven’t gotten on my yoga mat. I’m sure some things have fallen through the cracks.

I had expected better of myself, given that this is my fourth relocation. But this one has been the hardest. When I did this before, I wasn’t a stay-at-home mom with a toddler and a small business.

I wrote this post with a foggy head because I’m just getting over a winter cold, which was Boston’s way of saying welcome—and a good excuse to slow down.

But, we are here—in a new place, with a fresh start. And that’s exciting.

As I look out into our backyard, I see squirrels, birds, and snow-covered trees. It’s definitely the perfect view to inspire new yoga stories this year.

The last couple of days have brought a flood of ideas for 2014.

You see, I love planning. I mean, I LOVE planning. It’s one of the things that I miss about being a teacher. Writing the curriculum and preparing the monthly topics for the year brought me a lot of joy. I love the creative process and coming up with new ideas. I used to teach my students about creating SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals, too.

Now, as a mom, author, and blogger, I love writing a monthly focus to keep me on track and ensure that I’m constantly growing and learning.

This year, I’m teaming up with ten other bloggers to write our monthly goals in the hopes of inspiring you to write your goals, too. Please join us, tell us your goals, and share your successes and failures. Here’s to our collective growth and making the world a better place!

My SMART goals for January

My goal for the past few years has been to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. My mantra is: “Happy, healthy, and wealthy.” Wealthy for me means not just financial freedom for my family, but also abundance in love, emotion, fulfillment, and gratitude.

January is not going to be about creating new goals. Instead, what I need most right now is to stop and rejuvenate. This month is a time for me to get grounded into our new life, kind of like a hibernating momma bear.

My ten objectives for the month:

– Help my daughter to feel comfortable in her new preschool for a couple mornings a week.

– Support my husband in his new job and create a happy home life for him to return to at night.

– Continue the monthly theme of Africa and write one yoga sequence on the KYS website.

– Reflect on 2013 and get clear on what specific content my readers find valuable.

– Work on the maintenance of the Kids Yoga Stories website.

– Complete my 2013 financials to prepare for tax time.

– Send gratitude to least twenty people who have supported the KYS journey.

– Create a healthy lifestyle, with healthy foods and regular exercise.

– Find a new yoga studio and attend at least one class.

– Start publishing the next Kids Yoga Stories book, an African safari counting book.

As always, I would love to hear your feedback. Please e-mail me at giselle at kidsyogastories dot com with your suggestions for improvement, either with the yoga stories or website. Help me deliver high-quality content that assists you with bringing happiness, health, and global education to children everywhere.

As a side note, I had a similar focus of rejuvenation and reflection two years ago, which sparked the birth of Kids Yoga Stories. You just never know when the miracles that are already in your life are ready to blossom!