Head Staff Goal Setting: Wrapping it Up

As we are counting down the days to camp, we are here with our final update on our Head Staff goal setting series for the year. In the fall, we each claimed a few different goals we wanted to work on this off season, and then after the New Year, we updated everyone on how we were doing on some of our goals (a few of us were doing better than others!).

Today, we are giving you the final look into how our goals are wrapping up for this year. While setting goals is such a good thing (and something many alumnae remember talking about often with JimDaddy in Breakfast Club), I think this final post does a great job of showing that you surely don’t have to perfect when you set and claim goals (even when you do it publicly on the camp blog!). We all experienced some progress but definitely not perfection!

Without further ado…

Jimboy

Spiritual Goal: Read the entire Bible (I am using a 90-day guide book to aid in focusing this effort). I won’t do it in 90 days, but should certainly do it over the course of the year.
Final Report: The Bible app on my phone has been wonderful and made this goal manageable for me. Will finish this month! Success!

Social: Face mask smiling perfected (how to convey a friendly smile while having face covered and being socially distant).
Final Report: Successful! My new “Taco Cat” mask collection has proven to be a hit with campers who visit for tours, sometimes appreciated by the general public. Success!

Physical: Fast food limited to 2 meals a month maximum, 1 hr. low impact exercise 5 days a week.
Final Report: Complete success with fast food (I seldom get fast food anymore… and feel much better as a result)! I find it easy to do a fair bit of walking with a typical workday (pays to work at a camp). A brisk walk is good enough for me… Success!

Mental: The art of beekeeping explored and three colonies established by springtime.
Final Report: We will have ordered two colonies to be a part of the Farm Barm program…success!

Ellen-Anne:

Spiritual: Start journaling again!
Final Report: I have journaled once in the last month…but planning for camp has definitely kept me praying, so that’s spiritual growth, right?

Social: Continue my socially-distant super club with friends in Asheville.
Final Report: I have bailed on all of my gatherings but have enjoyed some gatherings with camp poeple as we plan for camp!

Physical: Have another baby (!!!!!)
Final Report: Else is thriving…WIN!

Mental:Try to read two books a month at least.
Final Report: Have started 3 news books…haven’t finished one.

Catherine

Spiritual: I’m taking a leaf from JB’s book and going to read a little bit of the Bible every day.
Final Report: My mid-year goal was to read a little bit of the Bible every day, and while I didn’t quite hit every day (ya girl still needs a consistent morning routine - if you have tips, send them my way!), I did alright. This Praying through the Bible book is basically just Scripture and I have been loving it, and while it’s a little outside of the “purely Bible” category, Gentle and Lowly is chock full of Scripture and wisdom - I have been loving it and want to give it to everyone I know!

Physical: Needing a new hobby in quarantine has resulted in me finally being interested in something new - tennis!
Final Report: So remember when I was trying to persuade Peter to teach me tennis? Great idea, and willing instructor, but it only happened a couple of times - whoops! Now that the weather is gorgeous again in Raleigh, I want to be outside as much as possible. I’m combining physical and social growth in my new goal - to go on walks with our Raleigh friends before I leave for Tuxedo for the summer.

Mental: I’ve tried to read 100 books every year for the last couple, and this is finally going to be the year I make it happen! I want to have read 100 books by the new year, and right now I’m on track - so far, so good!
Final Report: I’m on track with my reading goal for the year (it’s my favorite way to unwind and spend free time!), but I will admit that my reading always slows right before camp. Just too much on my brain for me to focus… in a good way! So I’m trying to give myself a little grace and do what my mental capacity allows… and if that’s just the Voice right now? I’ll survive. I do want to listen to more audiobooks though, and prioritize putting those on when I’m running errands or doing work around the house. So if you have good audiobook recommendations, hit me up!

Katie

Spiritual: Committing to at least 5 minutes of focused/non-distracted prayer during my devotional time in the morning.
Final Report: My quiet times have been sweet, but focused prayer time has remained hard, so it has been a goal that has not been met. HOWEVER, I transition into more quick small prayers throughout the day - praising prayer when I am thankful, petition prayer when I am praying for others - so I am praying more but in smaller time frames.

Social: Socialize our new puppy so that she will be a good camp dog next summer!
Final Report: Pippi is coming along her social training. She is SO friendly, but has a habit of jumping up on people so we are working on that!

Physical: Continuing with healthy eating (after taking a quarantine break) and adding at least 3 days a week of walking 20 minutes or more.
Final Report: With this busy season it has been harder to eat healthy….but I still tend to gravitate to healthy choices most days. I am getting a lot of movement with working on getting the store set up for the summer!

Mental: Tackling 1 storage attic in my house - sorting, organizing and cleaning that attic this fall.
Final Report: Has been a fail in what I hoped to do with organizing. My mental energy has been re-directed to working on the store and getting Junior Camp ready for the summer :)

Laura

Spiritual: Start journaling!
Final Report: I am still not as consistent as I should be, but off and on is better than nothing (that is my rationalization for falling short of my goal:)

Physical: Get to where I can run 3 miles again (and since it has been soooo long since I ran, this goal might kill me, but I am committing!)
Final Report: I haven’t tried to run 3 miles yet, but have been working out pretty consistantly. I joined “Beachbody on demand” (I know, hysterical that I am doing a program called “beachbody” haha), and I love the hard workouts. While we were recently at the beach, my grandsons Harter and Levi did a couple of “Kids Exercise” on Youtube with me (with varying moments of success.)

Mental: I am enjoying learning about gardening and hope to have a spring and fall garden next summer.
Final Report: Gervais gave me a soil test kit (it’s like a chemisty set), and I have tested several areas in our yard and compost. I have chard, kale, peas, spinach, herbs, asparagus, spring onions, celery, weeds and my lemon grove all going. And by the time camp is over, the weeds will have won! It’s been fun for this COVID year but thrilled to replace gardening with CAMP!

Elizabeth

Spiritual: Spend time praying or reading the Bible several times a week. Not only asking God for help, but thanking Him for what we already have.
Final Report: Really slowed down on my quiet time - trying to find new time with little Edith around! Find myself praying more and more; there many things I need help with these days.

Social: Get back in the habit of enjoying time with friends. Quarantine has turned me into an introvert!
Final Report: Intentionally slowing down on this one. Loved having good time with friends and family while on maternity leave, and now focusing on getting ready for the summer!

Physical: Get back in the routine of walking in the mornings!
Final Report: Keeping it up! Got in a great routine while preggo and slowly getting back into it - got to get ready for camp.

Mental: Choose to read or do an activity rather than turn on the TV after a long day.
Final Report: Trying to keep this going and enjoy each day. Currently making my way through the Narnia series for a light read!

Alli

Spiritual: Completing a Write the Word journal.
Final Report: I finished one Write the Word Journal and treated myself to an accessories pouch from their company and a new Write the Word–Refresh Your Mind.

Physical: Run 3 miles. I’ve already signed up for a run training program with my Baby Boot Camp group!
Final Report: My baby moves enough that he runs 3 miles in my belly every day, but I definitely do NOT.

Mental: Keep reading at least 52 books per year, with at least 15 of those being outside of my normal genres of chick lit, YA, the fluff stuff, etc.
Final Report: I’ve read 9 of 15 books (that I should have read so far) this year. I’m stocking up and planning to do a lot of reading when on maternity leave.

Sarah

Spiritual: About to start a socially distanced Bible Study with my friend group - I’m committing to reading and going!
Final Report: Have continued doing this, and it has been refreshing for the soul. We are currently studying James!

Social: Want to do a better job of touching base with some friends I haven’t seen in a while due to social distancing.
Final Report: Did okay with us, but not awesome. Have taken a few late night walks with friends recently that have been refreshing!

Physical: I just read Carrie Underwood’s book Find Your Path, and it was inspiring. I would love to start lifting weights to get stronger.
Final Report: Dropped the weights but ran a half marathon. I’ll count it as a win!

Mental: I’m really into weird American history facts right now, so I want to start reading more about the Presidents. Thinking 2-3 books before the holidays?
Final Report: Played quite a few rounds of Scrambled States of America, and listened to my son read aloud some of the Who Was books on presidents - I’ll count is as a success!