Every year, I revisit my top 12 (big) New Year’s Goals that I have focused on over the last few years and make a few changes for the upcoming year. These goals continue to be the foundation on which I build my spiritual, physical, and mental health.
Some of these goals require just a few minutes of my time every day. Others are habits that I will be working on mastering throughout the year.
GRAB THIS GOAL PLANNER!
Though I listed specific goals below, I feel as though my New Year goals can be summed up in these Bible verses …
My Bible verse to meditate on in the New Year: And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Luke 10:27
My Bible verse to remember in the New Year: A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9
12 New Year Goals For A Busy Mom
1. Read the Bible every day – Starting in 2018, I have cultivated a habit of reading the Bible in some capacity daily. Not just to/with my kids as part of our morning time, but also for myself. Some years I simply read the Bible straight through, and other years I read books that seem to call to me, in any order. Since our eldest daughter died (suddenly) on July 14, 2021, my husband and I have been waking up early and having Bible study together every single morning. My husband reads a devotional from John MacArthur, and I read from Mornings & Evenings with Charles Spurgeon, in addition to reading a chapter of the Bible. Several months ago, my husband started reading a chapter from the Bible every evening. We sometimes sing a hymn together. I plan to continue incorporating Bible reading into my day in these ways in the new year. Read: Which Book Of The Bible Should I Read + FREE Printable
Books For Moms
Mother Culture ®: For a Happy Homeschool
Pocketful of Pinecones: Nature Study With the Gentle Art of Learning : A Story for Mother Culture
2. Read Books For Me – I read quite a bit to my children, especially for history, but I rarely read for my enjoyment. I don’t have much free time, and I gave up reading most fiction years ago (except for books written by Karen Andreola), but I have several non-fiction books on my reading list this year. My newest stack is from Serene&Pearl. Elisabeth Elliot, Ken Ham, Joel Salatin, and Charles Spurgeon are a few other authors I am focusing on. 
3. Exercise Daily x15 Minutes – Other than the act of caring for my children, I am not very active. I want to do 15 minutes of exercise every day. I plan to do 3 sessions of 5 minutes each. It works well for me to tag my exercise routine onto my meal times, so I will do a quick session before breakfast, lunch, and supper every day. I will continue to use the techniques I’ve learned from my favorite online exercise site, or simply go for a walk around our property. Walking 1 mile every evening has been the most consistent way to stay active.
4. Stay on the Trim Healthy Mama Plan – I have been doing THM off & on since 2013. I have been 99.9% on plan since January 2020 and have no plans to change my eating habits going forward. The Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle is simple and easy to follow once you kick the sugar addiction. I became a Certified THM Lifestyle Coach in January 2023 and “retired” from being a certified coach in September of 2025. You can follow my health account on Instagram HERE. Read: Best Ways To Support Female Health
5. Go To Bed By 9 pm – This is a goal that my husband & I have together. We want to stick to our bedtime routine of putting our kids in their bedrooms by 7:30 pm (they are allowed to read/play quietly until 9 pm), spending some time relaxing together, and then going to bed by 9 pm is ideal. We will give ourselves Friday & Saturday nights to stay up a little later with or without the kids.
6. Get Up For The Day By 5 am Mon-Fri – I wake up by 5 am every day and have Bible study with my husband before he goes to work. But sometimes I go back to sleep until 7 am, once my husband leaves for work, if my youngest is still sleeping. I feel much better if I just stay up at five and get started on my day. I can have my morning time and plan my day before the children wake up. I feel refreshed! Get my favorite printed planner HERE.
7. Get Outside More – We now live in the country on 1 acre of land, and getting outside is easier than it was while living in the city. I still need to be intentional about it, though, because I can so easily stay busy inside the house. I have the excuse to go outside and visit the animals on our mini-farm now! My husband and I often enjoy walking around the land while drinking our afternoon coffee (especially on the weekends). Plus, we walk together almost every evening. It is SO refreshing to me! Read: Our Journey Back Home To The Country
8. Purge, Declutter, & Organize Routinely – I hope to do this weekly on Friday afternoons and also more deeply during the last week of each month. Whether it is just one drawer, a closet, or an entire room — I just want to purge, declutter, and organize something often! Read: Top 5 Decluttering Tips
9. Stay Off The Internet – I am going to stay off my phone and computer during our school and family time. And when I do get online, I will be intentional about what I share. Read: Before You Hit Publish, Ask Yourself Some Questions
10. Set Online Work Hours – This goes hand-in-hand with the one above… I am setting computer work hours for each weekday. For a few years, I have set aside Tuesdays and Thursdays as my days to work online. I spend time in the kitchen and caring for my home in a focused way on the other days of the week.
11. Create More Products For You – You can find all my FREE printables HERE, my full-size Digital Products for Cultivating a Meaningful Life in my Etsy Store HERE, and my physically published books are available on Amazon!
12. Grow – in my faith, as a wife, as a mom, as a friend, as a homemaker/homesteader, and as a business owner … as a mentor, digital content creator, and personal consultant for so many of you who love Lilla Rose, Norwex, & PaperPie! I hope to dedicate 15 minutes each weekday to reading something for my own growth and enrichment, embracing “mother culture” as Karem Andreola calls it.
Those are my main New Year’s goals. Of course, many of them will be broken down into smaller steps to make them easier. I’d love to hear about your goals for the new year!
My Favorite Health Resources
Fit2b is my favorite online exercise resource – start with the 5×5 challenge! Learn More HERE.
Beeyoutiful is my favorite place to order vitamins, supplements, herbs, probiotics, and essential oils – I have been a loyal customer since 2008! SHOP HERE
Trim Healthy Mama offers a sustainable lifestyle for the whole family! Their resources will help you succeed! Shop Here
Subscribe to the Christian Herbal Magazine for some old-fashioned help! LEARN MORE HERE.
I, too, am a homeschooling mom of 7. I have one beautiful boy in Heaven waiting for us. Thank you for your encouragement.
Us mamas gotta encourage each other!
I am a homeschooling mama of 7, ages 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, and 6m. This goal list is inspiring. I have such a hard time keeping resolutions, because once I trip up once, I feel like a failure, and have a hard time getting back on tract. I think I will try again.
My oldest was 9 when my youngest was born, too! My youngest has global developmental delays so even though he will be 4 in May, he is like an infant who can not sit up or crawl… Just take one day, one moment at a time and try again. Give yourself grace!!!! You don’t have to do all of the things, all of the time.
These are wonderful goals, Clarissa! xoxo
Thanks Jamerrill!!
You will be thankful that you chose “Evidence Not Seen” by Darlene Deibler Rose. Amazing story of God’s provision and care in the worst of circumstances. The other books look good too. Happy reading.
Clarissa this list is wonderful. I want to start doing exercise regularly get back to dancing and cutting down on the computer.
Marion
Love your list Clarissa. My sister gave me a hula hoop for exercise. I want to learn to sew, so she gifted me with a child’s sewing machine that teaches how to make doll clothes. This will give me a baby step in learning to sew. I want to get out my tapes again to exercise by dancing. I also have Marie Osmond’s exercise object and I intend to use that,too. Clarissa good luck with your goals. You can do it! Blessings to you and yours in 2020.
Marilyn
I’m impressed. Your goals are not only realistic, they are also about more than you. It’s a great list for anyone to use as an example.
How do I get the printable?
Hi Andrea, you fill out the form with your name and the email you want the free printable to be sent to – the form is within the article.
how do i download?
Fill out the form that’s in the blog post and the free printable will be sent to you!