My Resolutions for 2021

 

Each of the past two years, I've managed to come up with 13 New Year's resolutions ranging from the easily attainable to the laughably impossible. This year I decided to whittle things down to what I can actually pull off, and cut the list down a little. Here's what's in store for 2021:

1. Watch the entire Ken Burns filmography

Maybe you've noticed, our country's going through something of an identity crisis. The question "who are we?" is one that a liberal Californian, a moderate Wisconsonian, and a conservative Texan would probably answer very differently from one another right now.

Ken Burns has spent his entire career telling the story of America through documentaries about everything from the Civil War to baseball to jazz to our national parks. So in 2021 I'm committing to watching his entire filmography (I already got a jump at the end of 2020 with my annual rewatch of his 11-episode Baseball doc.) This is easily the most fun resolution on the list.

2. Read all my unread books

As I've mentioned before on this blog, I keep a handwritten list of every book I own, and when I finish a book, I cross it off the list. The goal for years has been to eventually cross every single book off the list.

At the time of this writing, I'm 11 books away.

It's go time.

3. Reach out to 5 church members every day

The pandemic made it more important than ever to keep up with my church members, and more difficult. No longer could I count on casual conversations in the hallway, quick chats after Sunday School, or unexpected drop-ins to my office throughout the week. If I want to keep up with my people, I have to make the effort to reach out.

So in 2021, I'm committing to reach out to 5 church members every work day (Sunday-Wednesday and Friday). Reaching out = a phone call, a text, an e-mail, a Facebook message, a personal visit, or a note in the mail. It does not include contacting people for "business" reasons (scheduling a meeting, replying to an e-mail they sent me, etc.)

4. Read through the Bible with Lindsey

In 2020, Lindsey read the entire Bible with the help of the Bible Recap reading plan and accompanying podcast. In the course of doing so, she talked with me numerous times about some of the things she'd noticed and learned about. So in 2021, we're going to make those conversations a daily occurrence by reading through the Bible together. Excited for this one!

5. Pay off our SUV

We currently have two outstanding debts: our car payment and our mortgage. With an assist from some Christmas checks and the latest stimulus package, we think we'll be able to pay off the former this year if we stay focused and don't do anything dumb. Stay focused and don't do anything dumb...sounds like a New Year's resolution to me!

6. Spend 5 hours per week writing (not for work)

This is a revision of one that was on last year's list, when I committed to writing for one hour each day. Whether I'm writing a blog post, a music review, or a chapter of that book I keep saying I'm going to write someday, I want to commit to 5 hours per week of writing...and sermons, Bible study curriculum, and devotionals don't count.

7. Do something nice for Lindsey every day

Another holdover from last year that I embarrassingly didn't follow through on. "Something nice" can mean writing her a nice note, doing one of the chores that's normally hers, buying her a Sonic drink...really anything. The point is to do something kind each to show her I love her.

8. Listen to 3 songs per day

This was on my list in 2019, and here it is again. I like music too much to listen to as little of it as I do. I really wish I could work with music playing.

But since I can't, I'm committing to 3 songs—ten minutes, basically—of dedicated listening per day. Eyes closed, headphones on, nothing else going on. Anything beyond that is great. But I'm not going to bed until I've done at least that much.

9. Put my phone down

My average screen time per day (on my phone, not my computer) is nearly 4 hours. I don't know about you, but that makes me say yikes.

Goal for 2021: get that number closer to 2 hours.