I honestly cannot believe it is time to recap my 2012 Resolutions! Didn’t I just make these goals? How are we three days away from the end of this year? I gave myself lots of goals for 2012. Let’s see how I did!
Health and Fitness
1. Get to my happy weight (ideally 115 lbs). Nope. Ugh.
2. Run an entire 5K in under 35 minutes. The only 5K I ran was in April and I definitely didn’t make this goal. And then I took a break from running because I was hating it so much. And then I broke my ankle and was sidelined for 3 months. And then I started running but now I’m sidelined again until I can have a proper sports massage because my muscles are cramping, they are so tight. And then. And then. And then.
3. Exercise 4-5 times a week. About 70% accomplished. I was so much better at exercising when I belonged to a gym but cannot afford a gym bill anymore, so I just need to have the motivation within me. Excuses, excuses.
4. End my addiction to soda. Not completely, but I’m getting better. I want 2013 to be the year I stop drinking soda altogether!
5. Get up-to-date on all doctor’s visits. A goal accomplished, finally!
6. Give blood at least three times. Yes! I started taking daily iron pills after I went twice to give blood at the beginning of the year but my iron count was just below the cutoff. Now that I take them regularly, I never have an issue and give blood as often as I can!
7. Run the Turkey Trot 10K in November. Nope, thanks to that stupid broken ankle.
Money
1. Pay off all credit card debt. About 2/3 completed. I paid off my largest credit card bill earlier this year and just paid off my Target credit card. My last credit card is halfway to the balance, which I am hoping to get paid off sometime in January. I haven’t done well with this goal, but I want 2013 to be a much smarter year for me financially, so I’m working on it!
2. Try as best I can never to keep a balance from month-to-month on my two credit cards. FAIL.
3. Pay off my ER visit bill. I didn’t even get started on this! I want to focus on getting this paid off (or the majority of it) in 2013.
4. Set aside 5% of every paycheck into my savings account. FAIL.
Blog/Social Media
1. Switch Stephany Writes to self-hosted WordPress, with a brand-new design. I checked this one off in early March and I worked with Doniree on the switch. She took care of everything and made the process so easy and stress-free. I am so happy with the switch and completely recommend using Doniree if you want to make the switch. (I also use her hosting service, Whiskey Cloud, which I never, ever have issues with. Wholly recommend!)
2. Take one break from social media a month. I think the only month I missed doing this was September, but as I was coming back from a month-long social media hiatus, I think it’s okay. I really love stepping away and I want to continue stepping away regularly in the new year. (I’m thinking about one weekend a month.)
3. Have a weekend away with special blogging friends. This didn’t happen. Sob.
Writing/Reading
1. Write and edit a novel. When I did my resolutions recap post in October, I was 100% positive I was not going to make this goal. And then I went and wrote a novel in November. See what happens when we stop making excuses and just start doing? Pay attention, Steph. I haven’t gotten around to editing my novel, but I am super proud of writing it! Yay, me!
2. Read one nonfiction book a month. Completed! I really like reading nonfiction but I generally do not read a lot of it so I made this a goal so it could become more natural for me. This year, I’ve read: Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling, Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff, MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche, What Women Fear: Walking in a Faith That Transforms by Angie Smith, Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli, If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone, Twenty-Something, Twenty-Everything by Christine Hassler, The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe, Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman, The Joy of Less by Francine Jay, and Quiet by Susan Cain. Whew!
3. Read 75 books. I’ve read 89. BOOM.
Other
1. Fly on an airplane. Yup! Accomplished this goal back in September when my mom and I flew to Atlanta to visit family. It was a short ride (less than an hour) but I was still silly excited about it. I am totally an eight-year-old at heart.
2. Fully immerse myself in the online dating world. I feel like I did accomplish this. I’m not sure what I was aiming to get out of this goal, but I think I just wanted to put more effort into dating and finding that special someone. I connected with a few guys, went on some dates, and tried to open my heart more to love. I’m hopeful for what 2013 will bring me.
3. Find my faith again. I don’t think I ever lost my faith but I do think I was searching for something when I started this year. I was struggling with my faith and I was stuck on this idea of perfection when it came to being a Christian. While I still feel like the crappiest Christian there ever is, I’m starting to realize God cares more about my intentions, less about my perfections. I know I can do better and I want to do better, but at the end of the day, it’s about loving Jesus and trusting in Him.
4. Join a book club, Bible study, or some type of social group. Yes! I started attending a woman’s Bible study at my church in the earlier part of 2012 but wasn’t able to make it to their Fall or Winter sessions, due to scheduling difficulties. But I also joined a local book club that I’m totally loving. Yay!
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In total, I accomplished 12 of the 21 goals I set, or about 57% total. I failed miserably at the health & fitness and money goals and surprise, surprise – they are a major focus for me in 2013. But there were a lot of goals on here – like writing a novel and joining a social group – that I really hoped I could accomplish but didn’t have a lot of faith that I could. So it’s pretty neat to be able to cross them off as complete!
I really love making New Year’s Resolutions. I love sitting down at the end of the year and evaluating what goals I want to make a priority in the new year. It’s no secret that I love, love, love goal setting and creating New Year’s Resolutions gives me a focus for the upcoming year. I know I’m not going to achieve every single goal I set, but I was able to achieve 12 major goals this year. I am thrilled about that!
Stayed tuned – next week, I am bringing you lots of 2013 goodness. I will reveal my theme for the year (including the vision board I worked on this past week!), as well as my intentions for 2013. I have some lofty goals for this upcoming year, but I know I have all the power within me to achieve them.
What are some goals you set this year that you accomplished?