Category Archives: Personal Goals

2023 On the Farm – Reflecting on Progress

December 30, 2023 Amanda Leave a comment

My husband, brother-in-law, and I frequently get asked about the latest projects we’re doing on our farm. We love that question. It’s indicative of the work we’ve done over the past three years (from Dec. 2020 to Dec. 2023).

We’re busy remodeling, restoring and refreshing my husband’s family’s (nearly) bi-centennial farm in Michigan.

Photo Credit Michigan Photography and Austin Thomason

As I look back at what we’ve accomplished to date, it’s amazing. And that’s not bragging because it’s not what we’ve done in our strength, but what has been accomplished as we sought the help of countless others.

Farmers, firefighters, conservationists, demolition and excavating companies, and more, are part of our 2023 story.

If you look back to 2020 and even before, so many others contributed to our progress. But for now, I’d like to focus on 2023 as the end of the year allows for reflection. I always enjoy reflecting before intentionally planning and strategizing the year ahead.

Looking back

House demolition

In March, after several years of careful planning and prep work, several local fire departments helped to burn down the 1854 farmhouse on our property.

We donated the home, which was beyond repair, to the firefighters for several training exercises. It was the home where Tom’s and Jim’s great-grandfather and family lived, and then where Tom, Jim and their family lived. Read the full story here.

What an incredible experience to be part of! And we are forever grateful for the partnership with the fire departments to complete that daunting task.

After the fire, two chimneys remained that needed to be pushed into the old basement. Excavators came to complete that job and to grade smooth the previous site of the house.

What you don’t see here, is the work our family did to pick up rocks and tree limbs and put down grass seed. Hours of work, but we didn’t mind it one bit. And now, we have a beautiful side yard.

Continue reading 2023 On the Farm – Reflecting on Progress →

Christian Faith, Farm Life, Personal Goals

A Day to Remember on the Farm

March 24, 2023 Amanda 10 Comments

It’s amazing when a plan comes together and goes better than you imagined. That’s what happened this past Sunday, March 19, 2023, when firefighters from three nearby areas came to our farm and executed a controlled burn on one of the two houses. In less than two hours, it completely burned to the ground, yet the planning and preparation had been in the works for 4 ½ years, since the Fall of 2017.

You may wonder why we would demolish a home, especially one that:

Was a landmark on our historic farm and rich in history
Was my husband’s childhood home
Served as a temporary home to our family from June – October 2021, while we waited for the remodel next door to be complete

Let me explain

My husband’s family farm is nearly 200 years old. It has been passed down from father to son for six generations. During those generations, several homes were constructed on the property.

The original home was a log cabin. Then in 1854, the home we’re talking about was built (pictured below in 1910). It was the home of my husband Tom’s great-great-great-grandfather.

Later, in 1911, Tom’s great-grandfather built another house on the property right next door — the home we remodeled and restored in 2021 and live in now.

Continue reading A Day to Remember on the Farm →

Motivation, Parenting and Motherhood, Personal Goals

3 Things I Learned from My Failed Blog

Quote December 18, 2021 Amanda Leave a comment

3 Things I Learned from My Failed Blog

This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my full disclosure policy.

Just because you can’t right now, doesn’t mean you can’t ever! What are you wanting to achieve in 2022 that you aren’t quite sure you’ll be able to do? Do you have big dreams and goals that feel a bit out of reach? I do, too. But let me encourage you with a quick story about a failed blog of mine.

My Story

When I became a mom in 2010, I realized just how much I had to learn. Babies don’t come with instruction manuals or directions, and I was clueless about so many things!

Working only part-time and with a love of writing, I wondered if I could start a blog and chronicle all that I was having to figure out and learn. I thought it might help other young moms and give me something else to do when the days grew long with just me and my baby at home.

I went online and bought a domain name and website. I called it, “A Learning Mom”. That was fitting, and I liked the sound of “alearningmom.com”. Nice ring to it, don’t you think?

The problem was, I had no idea how to start a blog, format it, add new posts, new pages, pictures — no clue! I had a website with a fancy colorful title, but nothing else.

The idea quickly died…a total failed attempt.

Mind you, this was back in the day when Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning wasn’t a thing — or if it was, it wasn’t sophisticated or well known. Though I had an interest in blogging, my phone and computer were unaware and unable to push helpful content to me. As a result, the idea quickly died, and I let the domain name and website go. A total failed attempt at blogging.

Fast forward to 2017 and 2018. I signed up for a course about blogging, and then — thanks to AI and machine learning — was inundated with information and training on starting a blog. New content and tempting courses filled my social media newsfeeds daily.

This time, there was no stopping me. Originally, I had only the desire. But now I had the desire plus the knowledge and ability!

With this new blog, I broadened the title and subject matter, and thus Yours Intentionally was born!

Here’s the lesson from this tale.

Continue reading 3 Things I Learned from My Failed Blog →

Christian Faith, Counseling, Parenting and Motherhood, Personal Goals

The 5 Ps of Intentional Parenting

June 27, 2020 Amanda 2 Comments

We were driving through town with the windows rolled down, and the three of us belly-laughed for about the fifth time in only a few minutes. My two daughters and I were spending a sunny afternoon running errands together.

After the laughter subsided, my oldest said, “Something’s different lately. You seem happier, and you aren’t yelling at us as much. What changed?”

“Hmm. I don’t know…” I said.

But I did know, and a little grin spread across my face as a warm feeling grew inside my heart. The truth was, I’d been working to improve myself in order to improve my relationships. Apparently, it was working and being noticed, which was extremely rewarding.

I’ve been spending time focusing on what I’ll refer to here as the 5 Ps of Intentional Parenting:

Pray
Play
Praise
Protect
Prepare

Quick history

Before I explain, let me take you back to 2017 & 2018. I found myself extremely unhappy with several relationships in my life. I sought counseling to help me manage and cope. At the time, I learned several helpful strategies that immensely improved my relationships because of changes I made within myself – in my heart and in my head.

But lately, I had reverted back to some old habits and old ways of thinking. I had forgotten to apply the strategies, and it was beginning to show – big time.

In my parenting, I felt angry, frustrated, and disconnected from my kids more often than I liked. I knew they felt it, too. It was showing up in how often I scolded and bossed rather than instructed or asked. How I reacted rather than responded. How I was quicker to shoe them off than pull them close. This started to really bother me, and I knew it was time to work on myself – again.

In doing so, I came up with these 5 Ps of Intentional Parenting. When I reflect on what I want to be as a parent and what my kids need me to be as a mom, these 5 Ps sum it up. If you’re a parent wanting to be more intentional with your kids and wondering how, let me encourage you to start here.

Continue reading The 5 Ps of Intentional Parenting →

Christian Faith, Mindfulness, Motivation, Parenting and Motherhood, Personal Goals

Shifting Focus

February 23, 2020 Amanda Leave a comment

Has this ever happened to you: You set out determined to do one thing and pretty soon you realize God had something else in mind for you? It recently happened to me, and it’s been an eye-opening experience.

It’s no secret that I try to live intentionally, so at the beginning of 2020, I set a one-word intention for the year. This is becoming quite a popular thing to do; many are choosing to set intentions rather than resolutions since resolutions have a bad rap for not lasting more than a few days.

What word did I choose for 2020? The word FOCUS.

Here’s why. I had set pretty big goals for myself in 2019 and worked hard to achieve them. Having made some awesome progress, I decided to buckle down and set out to achieve even more. My thought was simply that I needed additional focus. I thought if I could just zoom in and get really clear about my goals, I’d make forward progress. I would use the word FOCUS to remind myself to stay the course, avoid distraction, and not be derailed.

I also created a vision board for 2020 and have it displayed in my bathroom where I can see it every morning and night. As I’ve been focusing on its six categories and the images intended to inspire me to achieve those goals, I remind myself to work towards them and put in the effort to make them a reality.

But here’s the funny thing… it’s now mid-February, and I believe the word FOCUS is being laid on my heart in a very new and different way. It’s as if God is revealing to me what 2020 is really going to be about despite what I had in mind.

I believe God is shifting my focus.

Continue reading Shifting Focus →

Christian Faith, Mindfulness, Motivation, Personal Goals, Work Life and Career

Form the Habit of Reflection

November 19, 2019 Amanda 2 Comments

Taking time for reflection is a key to learning. In business, Lessons Learned Meetings are held – or in an Agile business environment they’re called Retrospective Meetings – in which a team reflects on what went well, what could have been handled better/differently, and what was learned. In the military, After Action Reviews are used, in which there is reflection on what happened, why it happened, and what could have been handled better/differently. Regardless of the setting and the specific questions, the premise is the same: reflection leads to improvement, learning and growth.

But I don’t want to talk about business or the military, I want to talk about our personal lives. I started thinking, why can’t we adopt the same behaviors in our homes and family situations? And, of course, we can! It’s truly a habit we should form; a practice we should adopt.

Speaker, author and leadership coach John Maxwell is a huge proponent and advocate for this. In fact, he takes time for personal reflection every day! He reflects on how he intentionally added value to others on a daily basis. That’s something to aspire to; I’m not there yet.

I do, however, like the idea of creating a habit in which we periodically, purposefully slow down and reflect. According to John Maxwell, “Reflection is an intentional stoppage, a deliberate habit that must be cultivated.” I completely agree. If we just keep plowing forward without looking back, we will miss important lessons and growth opportunities.

“Reflection is an intentional stoppage, a deliberate habit that must be cultivated.” — John Maxwell

When should we reflect?

There are natural times when reflection is more top of mind; for example, at year end or when creating New Year’s Resolutions. But we can also make time following traumatic events, stressful periods, or times of transition and change in our lives.

I just came through a pretty trying 40-day period (late Sept. to end of Oct.), which is why I recently spent time reflecting. Now that I’m on the other side, I can look back and think about what went well, what I could have handled better or done differently, and what I learned. The transferrable lesson here is that YOU can do the same.

Let me share my experience so you can begin to contemplate how you might apply reflection to your situation.

My experience

In a recent 40-day period:

I was informed of organizational restructuring that affected my job.
I had a death in the family, losing an aunt I was close with, and
I was studying for a professional certification, which required much of my time and attention.

Continue reading Form the Habit of Reflection →

Health and Fitness, Marriage and Relationships, Mindfulness, Motivation, Parenting and Motherhood, Personal Goals, Work Life and Career

Our Beliefs Influence Our Actions

September 7, 2019 Amanda Leave a comment

We’ve all seen the board sign that says, “She believed she could, so she did,” right? It makes a nice wall hanging and adds to our décor, but have you ever really thought about that phrase? It’s both accurate and motivating.

Believed she could Board Sign — ‘Believed She Could’ Board Sign

I’m learning, through multiple sources, that our beliefs shape our thoughts and emotions, which ultimately determine our actions and behaviors. This makes what we tell ourselves and what we believe extremely important.

My conclusion, of course, is that we need to be intentional about telling ourselves we’ll be successful and believing that we will be. Or telling ourselves that we’re capable and truly believing that we are.

Our beliefs influence our actions

Belief alone is not enough; the other half of the equation is following through and taking necessary actions. However, since beliefs influence our actions, we must first get our thoughts and beliefs solidified.

Our beliefs shape our thoughts and emotions, which ultimately determine our actions and behaviors. This makes what we tell ourselves and what we believe extremely important.

Far too often, we let limiting beliefs about ourselves hold us back from actually achieving what we want in life. We might believe we aren’t good enough or not worthy. Or perhaps we think it’s going to be too hard or that we’ll never be able to change ourselves or our situations.

It’s the difference between having a Growth Mindset and a Fixed Mindset. Believing you are stuck or that your efforts can’t change your life or your current situation, equates to having a Fixed Mindset. But when we believe that our own efforts can make a difference, and that we can change/improve/grow, we have a Growth Mindset. It comes down to what we believe.

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Motivation, Personal Goals, Uncategorized, Work Life and Career

The Gap Between Real & Ideal

June 8, 2019 Amanda Leave a comment

Maybe you’ve already come a long way towards a more ideal state. Praise yourself if you have! Hopefully all of us are striving each day to do better and be better. But there’s a lot that can steal our attention and distract us. That’s why you have to be intentional about it.

Continue reading The Gap Between Real & Ideal →

Motivation, Personal Goals, Uncategorized, Work Life and Career

Why You MUST Expand Your Horizons

April 28, 2019 Amanda 2 Comments

The Future Requires It

Do you think your 4-year degree was enough education? Do you think having a Masters or Doctorate under your belt means your education is complete? Think again! Heather McGowan and other forward thinkers are telling us differently. In addition, there are macro trends making it absolutely imperative that we expand our horizons to continue learning and become innovative.

Let me back up and explain

Have you noticed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning is already impacting your life? Both are hot topics in the organization where I work (and likely yours, too) as leaders try to determine how AI and machine learning will transform the workplace and the workforce. But it’s not just something that’s coming; some aspects of AI and machine learning are already here and impacting our world more than we may realize.

For example, you’re probably familiar with the fact that Facebook, Instagram and other social media/online platforms gather data about you and your interests — basically learning you — based upon what you click. Then through complex algorithms, they show you more of what you seem to like and want.

How great is that personalization? We love it, right? In fact, that’s probably why we’re so addicted to our phones. Not only can we find just about anything we want, but we hardly have to work for it. Searches aren’t even really necessary because once you’ve clicked on something, more, similar content will be pushed right to you.

Want an example?

When I was interested in starting a blog, I saw one ad in my Facebook feed for an online blogging course. I clicked to read more about it, and the next few days my newsfeed was inundated with entrepreneurs who had hit it big through blogging, or writing, who now wanted to offer me their online courses as well. It was practically unavoidable!

The more links I clicked, the more content was tailored and pushed right to me. Pretty soon, I found other people, like me, who were in the process of starting a blog or who had gone before and now had lessons learned they were willing to share with newbies.

This is nice, right? I had all the info I could ever want about starting a blog right at my fingertips, and I had like-minded people with similar goals to guide me along the way. It was super helpful, and it took some of the leg work and guess work out of the equation. Who would complain about that?

I’m not complaining per se, but I do want to draw attention to one potential problem: As I became more micro-focused on only the things that interested me, I was losing sight of the macro world around me.

I do want to draw attention to one potential problem: As I became more micro-focused on only the things that interested me, I was losing sight of the macro world around me.

Continue reading Why You MUST Expand Your Horizons →

Marriage and Relationships, Parenting and Motherhood, Personal Goals

3 Ways to Show Patience

March 31, 2019 Amanda 13 Comments

Have you ever prayed for patience and then quickly realized God was simply giving you more opportunities to practice being patient? I have. Patience is something I could use more of – especially in dealing with my kids.

Many parents likely struggle with patience. In our busy lives, when we need uninterrupted time to focus on tasks, stopping every few minutes to provide snacks, answer questions, or break up sibling squabbles can be tiring and frustrating. Refraining from snapping at our littles and reaching the end of our fuses can be a challenge. It’s something I’m working on, for sure.

In thinking about how I wish I would respond, examples of my dad came flooding into my mind. He passed away in 2013, but his whole life, he was the perfect role model for patience — in both big and small moments.

Many who knew him would describe him as laid back, fun loving, easy going, and possessing a great sense of humor. All of that is true, and I would also add: kind, gentle, full of unconditional love, and patient.

There are three lessons we can probably all learn from my dad when it comes to showing patience to others. They are:

Place people above things
Look for opportunities to teach rather than scold
Approach conversations with unconditional love

Let me share two examples that illustrate all three of these lessons.

Continue reading 3 Ways to Show Patience →

3 Things I Learned from My Failed Blog

This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my full disclosure policy.

The Future Requires It

Creating the Life You Want – On Purpose