Spiritual Goals

I got some medical test results back and it looks like my cholesterol has crept up into the not so hot range, which in my family means heart attacks and whatnot. So, I'm making a chart of health goals to get started on before my doctor's appointment next month, like daily walks, going to the gym 3 times a week, fish twice a week and recording my vegetable intake each day.

That got me thinking. I'm worrying about my physical health, but what about my spiritual health? I mean, it's great to take care of my body in the dunya, but what have I done for myself in the akhira? Why not make a chart to track religiously oriented goals?

So, here are the things for my spiritual health chart:

Salat - 5 times a day, inshaAllah add some sunnah once I have everything set with my fard.
Dhikr - write in whatever I do that day. I don't really have a problem with avoiding dhikr. I love it.
Listening to Qur'an - I subscribe to a spiffy Qur'an weekly podcast that has the Qur'an recitation in arabic followed by a decent reading in english. I try to listen to some each day on the bus ride to and from work, so why not track it?
Reading Qur'an - I've been reading through the 30th Juz of the Qur'an, reciting the arabic as well as I can, followed by the english and then reflecting on Muhammad Asad's commentary. I think however, I'm going to start from the beginning, and read a few pages each day inshaAllah.


There are a ton of variations on this - one could track the components of salat, to check that they're doing everything correctly, follow their sunnah fasting, or they could track a Qur'an memorization goal. I think for the moment though, I'll stick with these 4 things, things I already do, but would like to create a habit for and do more.

One of the things I hope to accomplish to to actually see and realize how well (or not) I am doing in deen-y oriented things I've been saying I will do. I know I read some Qur'an, I know I listen to some on the bus, I know I pray, but how much do I miss? If it's there, on a chart, on the front door to the house, I have to face my shortcomings several times a day. inshaAllah then I can improve.

inshaAllah I'll keep this up, and hopefully post updates on how I'm progressing.