Stephany Writes

Categories: Goals

Goals for 2012

New Year’s Resolutions get a bad rap, I think. People either hate the word or the feeling of “Hey, new year, new me!” I don’t look at resolutions/goals that way. I have made New Year’s Resolutions for the past few years and it always fills me with such hope and excitement to spend the last part of the last month of the year envisioning what I want out of the coming year. I know I won’t attain each and every one of them but I do know I will try my best each and every month. I also think people don’t set attainable resolutions or stick with them throughout the year, because they get discouraged so easily by doing too much too soon. I’m a big goal-oriented person and I think of resolutions as long-term, yearly goals. And as my good friend, Melissa, pointed out in a comment, it’s not realistic to make every goal you set for yourself. The fun part about making goals/resolutions is trying to achieve them but learning a whole lot about yourself in the process.

Without further ado, here are my 2012 Resolutions (or Goals, if you prefer). I have a lot and they’re all broken into categories. I know I won’t achieve them all, but I’m going to have a grand time trying!

Health and Fitness

> Get to my happy weight (ideally 115 lbs)
> Run an entire 5K in under 36 minutes
> Exercise 4-5 times a week
> End my addiction to soda
> Get up-to-date on all doctor visits
> Give blood at least 3 times
> Run the Turkey Trot 10K in November

Money

> Pay off all credit card debt
> Try as best I can to never keep a balance from month-to-month on my two credit cards
> Pay off my ER visit bill
> Set aside 5% of every paycheck into my savings account

Blog/Social Media

> Switch Stephany Writes to self-hosted WordPress, with a brand-new design
> Take one break from all media a month, whether it be for a day, a weekend, or a week
> Have a weekend away with special blogging friends

Writing/Reading

> Write and edit a novel
> Read one non-fiction book a month
> Read 75 books

Other

> Fly on an airplane
> Fully immerse myself in the online dating world
> Find my faith again
> Join a book club, Bible study, or some type of social group

Do you set resolutions or goals for the coming year?

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Categories: Goals

December Intentions

I stopped doing posts on my monthly goals in September. I’m not sure why, but the posts felt a little forced and fake. I wasn’t fully chasing after the goals I set for myself and I knew I needed a break for a few months. And now since these types of posts are popping up all over the Interwebz and with the desire to bring back these posts, my monthly goal posts are back. (And hopefully better than ever!)

I won’t be recapping the goals I set for myself in September, but starting fresh with intentions for December.

This December, I will…

  • Drink water daily. I’m pretty good at drinking water on a daily basis and I want to make this more of an everyday habit. I still don’t drink enough water and I still have an addiction to soda, but I’m working on ridding myself of it. It starts by keeping soda out of my environment and making an intentional decision every day to fill up my cup with water and sip on it throughout the day. I know when I drink it regularly, my body starts to crave it.
  • Keep track of my budget by paying my bills first, keeping my Amazon budget under control, and taking out cash for any other purchases I want. I had a bit of a scary moment last month when I didn’t have enough money in the bank for one of my bills. Luckily, my mom loaned me the money and the bill was taken care of but there was no reason for me not to have money in my account for my bills. I know I need to figure out a better system for keeping track of my money – especially my spending money – so I’m devising a spreadsheet to help me figure out how much I need for bills, to pay my mom (for household bills + cruise saving), and how much is left over for myself. I tend to get click-happy on the Amazon website thanks to having an insane appetite for reading which is something I need to keep track of better. December is a tough month for saving, but I’m hoping I can keep myself out of trouble by keeping track of where my money is going. (And only having cash on hand for my purchases!)
  • Attend my first jury summons. And try not to freak out too much. I always thought I would be excited to get a jury summons in the mail, but I’ve been dreading going to jury duty ever since I found out my date. It’s not that I had to do my civic duty, but it’s not something I want to spend one of my days off doing. (My work doesn’t pay me for it, so I have to take a personal day.) And I’m just nervous about the whole process of it all.
  • Turn off the computer by 9:00pm. I’m having a terrible time getting to bed at a decent hour lately. And since I’m now doing morning workouts, my alarm usually goes off at 5:15am Monday – Friday so I’m averaging less than 7 hours of sleep a night. (Not good for a girl who needs 8 solid hours.) I’m sleepy at work and that’s never a good thing. I think my problem lies with my laptop and being too caught up with what’s happening on it to shut it off and prepare for bed so I can be asleep at a decent hour. Shutting my computer off at 9:00pm is a step in that direction.
  • Open my mind and heart for the Joy Council, leaving behind the junk of 2011 and preparing for a kick-ass 2012. I am so excited I was able to join Stratejoy’s Joy Council this year and it’s already showing me things I want to change in 2012, as well as how thrilling 2011 was for me. I want to be able to keep my mind and heart open to be willing to seek changes in 2012 because while 2011 was a great year for me, I want 2012 to be even better.
Categories: Goals

2011 Resolutions: October Recap

On January 1, I made a list of 10 resolutions for me to complete in the next twelve months. I’m not a hater of resolutions by any means and I actually quite like them. (Which, um, is why I made my own. Captain Obvious over here.) I’ve decided to make a “25 Before 25” list starting the day after my birthday, which means the goals I haven’t been able to complete (or are still in progress) will be added to that list.

Goals I’ve completed…

  • Graduate from college. It still feels surreal that I’m a college graduate. But I am.
  • Begin working a full-time job, utilizing my degree. Check! I remember saying in my last resolutions check-in post how disappointed I would be if I was still on the job hunt. I feel so blessed to have found a job and am still pretty happy with what I am doing. I’m not exactly sure marketing is IT for me, but it’s a good place to learn and grow.
  • Travel. I didn’t do a whole lot of travel, but I went out of the country for the first time in my life so I’m counting this as a success!

Goals that will be added to my “25 Before 25” list…

  • Get to my goal weight. My weight loss has been pitiful this year. Just like years prior. One day I’ll get it, right?
  • Pay off all my credit cards. I have successfully paid off one, am very close to paying off the second, and will finish payments in February for the last one. Once that is done, I will be credit card debt-free! And then I get to work on my medical bills for the stitches I got last September. Yay.
  • Complete Project 365.
  • Join a book club. Just need to put my social anxiety aside and do this. I know I’ll be happier when I do.
  • Begin therapy. I’m not sure what kind of therapy my insurance covers (if any), but it’s something I desperately need to start. My anxiety has been a little out of control lately.

Goals that will be completed before my birthday…

  • Read 60 books. I’m currently sitting pretty at 54 books and I’m quite sure I’ll be able to mark this goal off by November 28th. Woo! Now I just need to come up with a different book goal.

Goals that won’t be completed, nor added to the new list…

  • Run a half-marathon. No. Just… no.

I need a new book challenge for my 24th year (well, my 25th. But let’s say 24th because it makes more sense.) Anyone have any ideas for me?

The winner of the training ball from PlanetGear.com is Missa Lee! Missa Lee, email coming your way today!

Categories: Goals

August

August. Oh, August! I am so ready for this month. So many changes happening and all of them for the better. My life is going to look drastically different one month from today and I’m excited, but also slightly scared, for what’s coming up. July was a month mainly used for applying for jobs and trying to get my health back on track. I set 5 goals for myself:

1. Reorganize my room. Eh, somewhat. My room is a huge work-in-progress and for the majority of the month, we were in a holding pattern, deciding whether or not we were going to move. (Our rent is only going up by $20.) We’re staying here for one more year so I really need to get my room together. It’s a mess, currently, but I’m confident it will look more put together very soon. (First step: buying a dresser.)

2. Drink 1 liter of water a day. FAIL! Huge fail! While I have been consistently drinking water every day (which is a huge win) but drinking a whole liter every day is a big goal for me. I need to start smaller and focus more on when I’m drinking water, not so much how much. I don’t drink a lot by nature, so it’s more necessary for me to focus more on drinking more water than anything else (especially soda).

3. Start writing again. Another big fail. I did a little writing this month, but not much and definitely not at the level I need to be writing if I ever want to become a published novelist. I don’t know if I’ve just lost my motivation or inspiration, but my writing has stalled a lot this year.

4. Make a budget and stick to it. I didn’t even attempt this goal in July. But, honestly, there wasn’t much need with the money I’m making right now. But! I am starting a new job in August (have I mentioned it enough yet?!) and will be contributing to the bills much, much more. So I’m excited to actually make a budget and learn to play with my finances.

5. Apply, apply, apply to jobs. Oh, success. A big, big success. Maybe you didn’t hear? I was offered a job and START IN SIX DAYS? Oh, my God. Crazy, crazy! In the best possible way. (And yay, for the first time in 3 months, this goal won’t be on my list!)

August is going to be an incredibly busy month, but an incredibly awesome one. My goals are as follows: to start working and embrace my new role with gusto, complete VEDA as best I can, track my food every single day (even if I’m over my limit for the week), begin boot camp at my gym and try not to die, and finally, make a budget and stick to it.

What fun things do you have planned for August?

Categories: Goals

Resolutions 2011 Check-In #2

Resolutions completed (1/10)

Graduate from college. I made this goal knowing it would be complete in May, but still under a cloud of doubt that something could happen. I could fail a class, my credits might not be in order, anything that could cause me to fail was planted in my mind. Last week, I finally received my diploma. For the first time in who knows how many years, I’m free from school. It feels weird, like I should be gearing up for another semester in August. But mostly, it feels good and relaxing and freeing. Graduate school is still a possibility but I’m going to enjoy a few school-free years before I even think about taking the GRE.

Resolutions I’m on track to completing (5/10)

Get to my goal weight of 115 – 120 lbs. While it would be nice to reach this milestone before the end of the year, I’m also going to be satisfied if I’m anywhere close to it (within 10 pounds or so). I don’t want to put a strict time limit on my weight loss, but gosh darn it, I want to conquer this beast. Changing your entire mindset about healthy living is hard, yo.

Read 60 books. Currently sitting at 35 books read, with 3 more to be finished very soon. Which means I am killing my goal. I know now that reading 100 books in one year was a stretch, but I’m hoping to make it to 75-80 before the year is out.

Pay off all my credit cards. Very close to paying one off completely (my lowest balance), on track to pay off the middle bill, and have successfully paid 5 of the 12 payments needed to get my last (and biggest) credit card paid off. I am right on track with this one! Yay!

Travel. Well, there was my cruise, as if I didn’t talk about that enough. That satisfied my travel bug, cruising through the Carribbean and hitting the Cayman Islands and Mexico. I’m hoping to add on more trips once I get a job, visiting faraway friends and places I’ve only seen in pictures. Hopefully, I can start a travel fund and begin exploring my country and world soon!

Complete Project 365. I won’t have this fully completed by the end of the year, but I’m hoping to keep at it until I finish! I’m also blogging about my pictures on Saturdays to keep my motivation intact. So far, so good.

Resolutions at a standstill (4/10)

Begin working at a full-time job, utilizing my degree. If this goal isn’t on my completed list the next time I do a check-in, I will lose it.

Join a book club. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m letting my social anxiety/laziness control me with this.

Run a half-marathon. This is a goal I know won’t be completed, since I have no interest in completing it. Funny how much things can change in 6 months!

Begin therapy. I had one, fairly informal, therapy session with a good family friend. It was relaxing and it lead me to have a lot of insight into my dad and my future. But I still want to see someone more regularly, because I still have a tendency to hide my emotions and pretend things are fine and dandy when they are not. I still need to learn how to live with social anxiety – successfully. And I still need to move on from my dad and learn how to forgive him.

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All in all, I think I’m doing well at this stage of the year! I think the biggest goals I want to focus on for these next few months are losing weight and finding a full-time job. And maybe joining that book club. Maybe.