May Homestead Challenge

 2021 Goals!

I dream plenty - now it is time to take action!

My goals for this first year of retirement is to transition from filling my days with working for someone else to working for myself. Whether my day is filled with all sorts of projects or just a couple, my goal is to be cool with being home full-time. 

It's a big thing to work away from home for 26 years - working in an office environment and serving the public. Always representing the fire district well during while at work and sometimes when away from work.

These days I just want to be me and represent the Lord well. I'm working on relationships right now and with that I'm making myself healthy. It is slow going, because I want to be a hermit, but that's allowed. If I allow myself to become a hermit then my retirement will not be as full as I would like. I would be home doing all the farm things that I like, but that in itself is not fulfillment. There is no balance. I have to be intentional in allowing others into my world. Even if it's just a couple of people walking past our house and asking about the critters. Sometimes I have to reach out and ask someone for a coffee date or whatever. If I can get into the habit of asking other people how they are doing and how I can pray for them or how I can support them - that would be a step in the right direction. 

People are not the problem (not totally at least) just me in this transition from 40 hours per week away from home to being home all the time. At least once a week I ask Tom if I'm doing enough, because I don't feel like I am. The irony is that I may have filled my day with doing inside chores, baking bread, working on a sewing project and then helping with the outside chores in the evening. If I could just realize that doing all of those things ultimately make me feel content and somewhat accomplished, then I would feel better about being home. 

It's a perspective thing. It's a lot to be around people all day long, day after day who just want the latest new shiny thing or "need" to go on a big vacation. I've done my share of wanting and traveling. Now I need to be home and grow this space into something special to share with people around us. People who are neighbors or people who are friends.

My other goal is to have a kick-ass garden. Last year was so bad - I thought I would just give up growing a garden forever. So far I have plants that I started from seed to plant in the garden and I'm hopeful. Anything going forward will be much better than last year!