Happy New Year!

I love the new year! I love making goals and improving myself- it makes me so happy. I have a big list of goals this year to work on, but you know what- they are totally doable! I wrote them down probably a hundred times before January 1st so I could kind of memorized them and have them in the front of my mind and then I asked myself, "How can I stay motivated to actually achieve these goals?" I can't tell you how many times I have made goals, with good intentions, and then life gets busy and I don't do them! But this year has been different (I know it's only January 5th, but I feel it in my soul, it's different! ;) One of my goals this year is to study the Gospel with a question everyday- whenever I can find the time and even if just for 10 minutes- to not miss a single day. So my first question for my first study was "How can I stay motivated to accomplish my goals" And my study led me to this answer: "See my goals as literally coming unto christ, as walking towards him." This changed my whole perspective and brought me so much purpose! I have been so motivated to do my goals because I so badly need Christ by my side. I know he wants me to be close to him to and is rejoicing in every step I take towards him. I already feel more peace and joy and purpose in my life. In one of Elder Scott's talks he says that there are 4 habits that if practiced are like actively accepting Christ's invitation to come unto him, they are: Prayer, scripture study, temple attendance and FHE. So I have a goal for each of those categories and I am excited about them! My prayer goal is to simply say my prayers first thing every morning before I do anything else. So many times, I put them off and then get busy with mommy stuff and can't find the time to pray and so I miss out on my morning prayers. But I realized that even if you don't feel like you need that prayer in the morning you never know what the day will bring and you will need that prayer sometime that day. As I have done that I have felt so much peace and strength. Some of my other goals are to blog ;), exercise 3 times a day- totally doable with being a mom, journal every night including What went well's , read a book a month, Memorize a quote/scripture every week, and never go over my budget! Those are just a few ;) They are totally doable, sometimes I think we need to believe in our selves more and what we are capable of. "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land amongst the stars" It's all about TRYING. I think one of the greatest secrets to life is that you are happy when you feel like you are doing your'e best. When you can't say within yourself that you are trying your best there is a nawing feeling that won't go away. It's because becoming something is the whole point of life. "Repentance is not a back up plan, it is THE plan" repentance is a gift and the most hopeful and happy word in the english language. It simply means to change, to learn, to progress and grow. Without Jesus Christ, we would not be able to do that. But with him anything is possible and when we choose to improve ourselves or pursue any goal we are choosing to pick up the gift of his atonement and use it. HE suffered the most unimaginable pain in hopes that we would because he loves us! This year each day in my planner says things like: Gospel study, FHE, temple, journal, do something nice for Mike, exercise etc...all with the focus of coming unto Christ.....and whatever else gets done gets done but those are the most important things and they are my focus, and somehow all the rest fits in even better then it did before! :) Happy 2017 everyone! I am turning 30 this year and having my 3rd child, how did that happen? But I am excited!