Goals – Page 29

Categories: Goals

Five in Fourteen

At the beginning of this year, I did what I always do and set a list of yearly resolutions. Goal-setting is my jam and I especially love resolutions. I know a lot of people scoff at setting resolutions, and few people take them seriously, but I do. I love them and I try my best to succeed at them. Last year, I had a wildly unsuccessful year with only a handful of goals completed. I chalked it up to a bad year (well, a good year, but a bad year resolutions-achievement-wise) and made a new list of goals to achieve in the coming year. I set 15 goals, all fairly easy to achieve and manageable. But the more I thought about my goals, the more I realized I needed to change the way I set my yearly goals. I want to scale back on my resolutions and set just five goals that hold deep meaning for me. Every year, I want to set a health goal, a money goal, a reading goal, and two “one-off” goals, meaning something I just need to do once. While the first three goals would be carried out throughout the year, the last two goals would simply be something fun I’ve wanted to do. (This could range from taking a vacation to skydiving. Whatever floats my boat.)

With that in mind, I sat down and thought about what I want to accomplish this year. I wanted my goals to push me to new levels, but also be achievable for me. Goals I would be proud of. Goals that could be life-changing and also make me feel really good about myself. I don’t want to feel stressed when I look at my yearly goals, I want to feel happy and excited. So, behold, my revamped goals for 2014:

1. HEALTH: I want to be at a healthy BMI and lose at least 40 lbs.

2. MONEY: I want to pay off my credit cards, start an emergency fund (have $1,500 saved), and pay off one school loan.

3. READING: I want to read 75 books, including 10 off this list.

4. ADVENTURE: I want to travel to Miami to attend a Miami Dolphins home game.

5. FUN: I want to get a tattoo.

And that’s it! Just five goals to accomplish over the course of this year and all goals I am really confident I can achieve and will also push me past my comfort zone a bit. The first two goals will require an intense change in my life as I know it now: learning to live a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis and learning how to budget effectively and save money. But they are also two goals I desperately want to achieve and goals I know I can cross off my list. I just need to continue to live my theme for this year and be committed to the process.

My reading goal isn’t anything to get excited about. I decided not to strive to read 100 books this year because I felt a little crazed from all the reading last year and it made me put aside other hobbies. This year, I’m just aiming to finish 6-7 books per month. Nothing crazy! (At least for me. I realize that sounds crazy to other people. Extreme bookworm over here.)

And lastly, I have two fun and adventure goals: to see my very first Miami Dolphins game sometime this fall (fun fact about me: I am the biggest Dolphins fan and have been since I was 8 years old) and to finally get that tattoo I’ve been talking about. I’m thinking of getting the tattoo when I lose 30 lbs, so it’s something to work towards and will be a fun way to celebrate almost meeting my biggest goal for the year. We’ll see! (As of right now, I’m contemplating this tattoo on my wrist, though it would be the word grace and not joy, or this one on my foot.)

I like my new list. It doesn’t stress me out – it excites me. And I can’t wait to show you all my fabulous (because it will be fabulous!) progress throughout the next ten months.

(And I promise this will be the last post about goal-setting of any sort, other than setting monthly goals. Whew. Can you tell I’ve been going through something this month with my goals?! I’m going to try to get it together somehow.)

Categories: Goals

February Goals

It’s February! January flew by in an instant and here we are, already settled into the second month of the year. Today, I’m recapping my January goals and revealing my goals for February. Let’s get started!

Recapping January goals…

Start exercising again. PASS. In January, I exercised 4-5 times a week on average and I’m really loving exercise again. I’m so happy Best Body Bootcamp is back in my life and I am fairly devastated that this will be the last round Tina does. But I’m going to enjoy these next six weeks and hopefully find great results, both on the scale and with my fitness levels. Yay, endorphins!

Meal plan on a weekly basis and only eat out three times a week. PASS-ish. I sat down every Sunday and wrote a meal plan that I usually followed, but I think I ate out around 3-5 times a week. It’s a work in progress.

Decorate the walls of my bedroom with my new floating shelves and goal board. PASS-ish. My goal board is up and it’s a good reminder of my goals and what I want to see happen this year. I keep a list of the monthly goals I set, a little counter for how much weight I’ve lost, and a checklist for workouts. It’s very motivating for me! As for my floating shelves, I was all set to put them up last weekend. I took every piece out of the box, got my tool kit ready, found where on the wall I wanted to hang them… and realized I needed a power drill. I do not own a power drill. But my brother does and I’m sure he’ll be able to help me get them up the next time he’s over. So this goal was half accomplished.

Drink 50 ounces of water every day. FAIL. I didn’t drink 50 ounces of water every day, but I did drink water daily so it’s a win for me. I don’t think I’m going to make myself drink a certain number of ounces of water every day, because as long as I’m drinking water as my main source of fluid, that’s good enough for me.

Start a writing group with a friend. PASS? My friend and I never got around to starting our writing group in January, but we’re having our first meeting on Friday so I think this is a pass, since it is happening, our schedules just never matched up for January.

Three-ish out of five ain’t too shabby! I’m very pleased with my progress this month. I think putting it up on my goal board and constantly seeing it multiple times a day kept me in line. I’m excited to see how this helps me throughout the year with my goals!

In February, I want to…

Pay off my credit cards. This all depends on when I get my tax refund since I am using it to get my credit cards paid off. I have to wait on one more W-2 to arrive in the mail, but the minute it does, I’m sitting down and getting my taxes done so I can have my refund as soon as possible. Last year, I got my refund in mid-February, so I’m fairly certain I can get this goal completed.

Organize my closet, bedside table, and bathroom. I am a minimalist wannabe, which means I tend to let things clutter up until I feel overwhelmed and annoyed every time I walk into my room or bathroom. The rest of our house is pretty well organized. (Okay, our kitchen and closets could use some TLC, but that may have to wait until next month.) I want to take February to pull out everything in my closet, bedside table, and bathroom and organize it. Toss out or donate things I don’t need and figure out better ways to organize what’s left. I love organization to my core, so I am seriously, seriously excited about tackling this!

Eat fewer sweets. This will be the biggest focus of my month since it coincides with my obsessive goal. Not only is the scale friendlier to me on the weeks I eat sweets in moderation (go figure!), but I feel so much better. Both energy-wise and just feeling proud of myself. I don’t need to eat sweets every day! A few times a week is plenty.

Eat out no more than three times a week. I. Can. Do. This! If I stick to eating at home Monday – Friday, I really think I can kick this goal out of the park.

Look for a therapist. The first step is admitting you have a problem, the second step is finding someone to help. My anxiety hasn’t been out of control, but I really would like someone to talk to about my, um, issues who can give me strategies and feedback and advice. Finding someone is going to be difficult because it’s very hard for me to open up and be honest about how I’m feeling. (I know, I know, I have no issues blabbing about my personal issues on my blog. In real life? A much, much different story.) A simple goal is to do some research and find someone I could possibly start seeing.

Do you have any goals for February?

Categories: Goals

January Goals

Well, here we are. The new year is upon us. We’re declaring themes for the year, setting goals, and getting back into the routine of life after the holiday season. I am really excited about what this year holds for me. The truth is, I have some of the same goals I had for 2013, but something feels different. I still want to lose weight and get out of debt, but I feel like I am finally ready. I am ready to make the changes, do the work, be committed, and trust the process. It’s my time, and I’m ready to prove to myself that change is possible. These next twelve months are going to fly by in the blink of an eye, and I want my life to look drastically different. But instead of feeling dread for all the change that is to come, I am welcoming it with open arms. I am tired of feeling defeated and broken down and out of control. I’m ready to take back control.

And all that starts with my first set of monthly goals. I didn’t end up making goals for December, because it was a bit of a crazy month and it was all I could do to keep my head above water. With the new year comes a new month and a new set of goals to achieve.

Here we go!

In January, I want to…

Start exercising again. It’s been way too long since I stepped foot inside my gym. Lately, my form of exercise has been taking Dutch on his usual walks, which involves a lot of standing around while he sniffs every blade of grass to find the perfect spot to pee. I want to start by working out four times a week, for 30 minutes, and then amp it up to five times a week, when the winter round of Best Body Bootcamp begins on January 20.

Meal plan on a weekly basis, and only eat out three times a week. I have to get back on track with meal planning. The holiday season threw me for a loop. I spent a lot of money eating out in 2013 as a whole, and it’s a habit I need to stop this year. (Not completely, but going out to eat 7-8 times a week on average is not something to be proud of.) I am planning on doing a “No Spend” month in March, which will include 31 days straight of not eating out. That’s a drastic lifestyle change for me, so I want to gradually work on how often I eat out in January and February, so it feels less scary when March rolls around.

Decorate the walls of my bedroom with my new floating shelves and goal board. I bought new floating shelves with a Target gift card I was given, so I want to set them up and decorate them this month. I also bought a bulletin board that is going to serve as a daily reminder of my goals. It will be a place to literally pin motivational quotes, display my monthly goals, and remind myself of certain weight loss or financial goals I’m striving for, and how I’m going to reward myself when I make them. I’m really excited about making a goal board, and I think it will keep me focused and committed.

Drink 50 ounces of water every day. I should be drinking more than 50 ounces a day, but I’m taking baby steps to get there. Fifty ounces is doable.

Start a writing group with a friend. Sometime in December, a friend in my book club posted on our Facebook group about starting a writing group (a la The Wednesday Sisters, a book we all read this year). She has a novel she wants to write, I have a novel I want to write, it’s the perfect setup! We’re hoping to have our first meeting sometime in mid-January and I’m really excited to get started.

Do you have any goals for January? If you haven’t heard, I’m on a mission to send more snail mail to blog friends throughout the year. Sign up here if you want a little something from me in your mailbox this year!

Categories: Goals

Goals for 2014

I had planned to wrap up my “2013 in Review” posts with a look back at my 2013 resolutions, but let’s just say things didn’t go as planned. Last year wasn’t a great year for me in terms of goals, but other, more important, things did happen so I can’t be too upset with my year. It was still a good one, even if I only ended up marking three resolutions as complete.

That said, I still love goal-setting and making New Year’s Resolutions. I know they aren’t for everyone, but I just really love them and I’m entering 2014 with a new mindset when it comes to my goals. I’m creating action plans, vision boards, and celebratory moments for when I reach certain milestones.

So, without further ado, here are my goals for 2014:

1. Lose 50 lbs

2. Train for a 5K

3. Pay off all credit cards and stop using them

4. Have $1,500 of emergency savings

5. Complete Project 365

6. Read 75 books (including 10 off this list)

7. Visit NYC in the fall

8. Travel to Miami to see a Miami Dolphins home game

9. Get a tattoo

10. Start therapy

11. Go on more dates

12. Try yoga

13. Read through the entire Bible

14. Send snail mail to blog friends throughout the year (Want something from me? Make sure I have your address!)

15. Help my mom plan a beautiful wedding

Did you make any goals for 2014?

Categories: Goals

My Theme For 2014

My favorite part of the Holiday Council is when we have to come up with a theme for the upcoming year. It’s a big decision, right? One word, or phrase, or mantra, that is fitting for the types of things we want to achieve and feel over the next year. Molly does a fabulous job at helping us map out our theme, with her many worksheets, that delve deeply into certain visions and feelings and goals we’re seeking. How do we want to feel? What happened last year that made us feel proud? What happened last year that left us disappointed? What do we want to rock in 2014? What feelings do we want to leave firmly behind in 2013? It’s hard, but it’s easy. It’s scary, but it’s freeing.

Last year, my theme was do the work. I wanted to see big changes in my life. I wanted to lose weight, gain control over my finances, make friends, and stop feeling so dependent on my mom. Those were the big goals behind my themes. In some ways, I feel like I embraced this theme. I did the work by finding a new job because my old job wasn’t serving me anymore. I did the work when I cultivated new friendships and made an effort to be a more social being, even when it’s not in my nature. I did the work when I began doing more things on my own and accepting the place my mom’s boyfriend has in our family and discovered I am so ready to be on my own. I did the work by buying my own car and helping out with the bills more.

But there were many areas where I faltered majorly. With my health and losing weight and being stronger. With my anxiety. With my finances, and the fact that I’m still in credit card debt, as well as medical and school loan debt, and my savings aren’t anywhere near where they should be. When I let my social anxiety dictate my life. With my faith, and the way it no longer feels a part of me.

My biggest goal for 2014 is to lose weight. And I hate that this is still a goal for me. This unachieved goal has become such an area of defeat for me. Every year, it goes unmarked. I have no excuses. I have no reason for why I’m continually ending every year in a place that leaves me ashamed and sad and disappointed.

I don’t want to end another year feeling ashamed and sad and disappointed. I want to feel vibrant and alive and whole. I want to feel free.

There was one key phrase that kept making it into my worksheets while I was discovering what held me back in 2013 and what I’m aching to feel in 2014. That word was captive. I feel captive. I feel captive with my anxiety, my weight, my finances, my energy, my passions, my introversion, my shyness, my body, my inability to sustain a relationship, my faith, my fears. The list goes on and on and on.

So what’s my theme for 2014? There were so many words circling through my brain. Release. Joy. Strength. Radiance. Devotion. Boldness. Revelry. Abandon. Brilliance. Bliss.

And all those words mean something to me. They are all words I want to bring into the new year.

In 2014, I want to feel free, open, and in love with my life. I want to make big changes, do big things, see big results. I want my life to look completely different and I want to feel completely different by this time next year. Not just with my health, though that’s a big one, but with the overall feeling about my life. I don’t want to feel captive anymore. It’s a terrible feeling that grips you and keeps you from fully investing in your goals and being bold with your life. It holds you down, saps your strength, and makes you feel small and inconsequential.

I have big goals for 2014. Big dreams. And there is one word that’s going to keep me focused on my overall vision for this upcoming year.

In 2014, my theme is commitment.

I want to be committed to my health – to losing weight, getting in amazing shape, and developing healthy habits.

I want to be committed to my finances – to budgeting better, getting rid of credit card debt, and saving.

I want to be committed to my anxiety – to understanding how it affects me, finding a therapist, and opening up about my fears.

I want to be committed to my relationships – to strengthening friendships, being a better friend/sister/daughter/cousin/niece/aunt/granddaughter, and keeping my heart open to love.

I want to be committed to stepping out of my comfort zone – to adventure, taking risks, and saying “yes” more than “no.”

I’m excited to see what 2014 holds. It’s a year about commitment. About crushing my goals and staying true to what I want, even when it’s hard.

Have you declared a theme for 2014? If not, what’s one feeling you’d like to experience in this upcoming year?