Oh, goal-setting, how I love thee. I am really excited about September. Not because I have anything fantastically awesome planned, but it is the beginning of my favorite time of year. We’re back to football, Halloween decorations are out, and it’s really not too soon to be thinking about Christmas and singing holiday tunes now, is it? (Don’t answer that.) Plus, I have a really, really, really exciting fall planned. September is also a huge birthday month – my brother turns 27 (WHAT!), my nephew turns 5 (I don’t even want to talk about it), and it’s also my mom’s boyfriend’s birthday. Celebrations all around!
Let’s dive right into goals!
August Goals Recap
1. Be more social, by going out at least twice during the month (excluding book club). Yes! I actually ended up having three nights out this month: dinner and a movie with a friend, a night out at a yummy restaurant downtown with my book club girls where I also had my first taste of gelato (!), and then book club was basically canceled because nobody read the book (except for me!) so four of us met at a Mexican restaurant after work one Thursday. I made way more of an effort this month to be social, and I realize going out three times in one month isn’t crazy for most but for me, it’s a solid social month.
2. Take Dutch to the dog beach. Yes! Well, actually, we took him on the first day of September but whatever, I’m counting it. Ha. He had a blast, we had a blast, and we’re already talking about going again. Yay!
3. Ask five bloggers if I can post on their blog and pitch topic ideas. Ugh, still no on this one. It’s something that’s SO easy to let fall to the wayside because I feel a little uncomfortable about asking people if I can post on their blog. (What if they say no?!) I still need about 20 blogs to reach my goal so I just have to get over myself and just ASK.
September Goals
1. Try out a trampoline fitness class! A while back, my mom bought a Groupon deal for both of us for an “Airobics” class at a local indoor trampoline arena. The Groupon expires in mid-September and we have three classes to use, so I’m really excited to try this out! It just seems like a ridiculously fun way to get some exercise, you know? I’ll be sure to report back on how the classes go!
2. Go back to church. So, big confession: I haven’t been regularly attending church for well over a year now. And I know you don’t need to attend church to maintain your faith, but I actually think you do. You need to be around other believers, need to worship, need to hear the Word. I always feel more centered after a church service, because I know it’s where I’m meant to be. I want to regain control of my faith and I think a big step is to just get back to attending church every Sunday.
3. Sit down and create a new budget. Along with my new job came a significant pay raise, so I will need to sit down and rework my budget. My immediate goals are to bring my credit card balances back up, start helping out with household bills more (I’m in charge of our grocery budget, but want to get to a point where we’re going halfsies on all bills), and get back to a cash budget system for all unnecessary purchases (i.e., eating out, shopping, etc.).
What’s your favorite thing about fall?
So fun that you guys have dog beaches! We just have boring old dog parks =)
I can’t believe that it’s already September. Where is this year going? I’m so excited for fall, for the coziness of the fall days, and all that is ahead still this year. This month (near the end) I turn 30 so I have that to look forward to, a 3-day weekend ahead, a friend’s wedding reception, and another friend’s 5th year wedding anniversary! Lots of fun stuff going on.
It is absolutely not too soon to start thinking about Christmas. I LIVE for Christmas! I’m going to try not to wish Pumpkin Spice Lattés away before they actually arrive, but I cannot wait to start planning Christmas-y things. 🙂
Looks like an awesome September! 🙂 Have fun!
Fall, I like sweaters!
Mmmmm. Gelato.
I heard that Costco already has Christmas merchandise out!
I love all things pumpkin flavored and scarves. <3
I totally agree with the whole needing to go to church on a weekly basis. It always makes me feel more peaceful when I make time to go to church every week. I am really glad that I found a Catholic church here in Charlotte that I love. The priest is great and it’s a beautiful space, so I look forward to going there each week.
Good luck with your goals for September – hooray for a big pay increase! That is awesome! My goal for September is to listen to my body and take it slower when I need to. I start my RA drug on Monday so I am not sure what this month will bring, but I will make it work!
Those are great goals! I love goal setting, too. But sometimes I get a little over ambitious and come up with so many goals its impossible to focus on anything. Y favorite thing about fall is the weather! It is literally a breath of fresh air after a hot muggy summer.
I have fallen off the goal-setting bandwagon and I need to get back on this month. My summer was hectic at work so I gave myself a free pass to go easy on setting goals. I’m so excited for fall, which is good because then my sadness about summer ending doesn’t feel as bad.
I can’t tell you the last time I went to church – a lot of that is because right now I’m struggling with the structure of the church I was raised in, and trying to figure out what I think/want/believe. However, I know it does help to have that sense of community every week. That trampoline fitness class sounds like so much fun!
September is big for me too – we have a family wedding this weekend, I turn 30 next week, and the weekend after that I’m having a Night Circus themed-midnight dinner with the girls (and their boyfriends/spouses) in my book club to celebrate my 30th! I cannot WAIT!
HELLO!
Great goals, and great job on accomplishing 2/3 in August. I know you’ve guest blogged for me a few times in the past, so I wasn’t sure if you’d want to do it again. But if you’d like to put something together, I’d be more than happy to have you! Just let me know if you’re ever interested 🙂
I’m also in dire need of a new budget. I just borrowed Kevin O’Leary’s new book & he’s just really great about telling you like it is. I made the mistake of reading about 25 pages before bed last night and I nearly had a panic attack, so I need to sit down soon with a pen & paper to follow his rules, without traumatizing myself too much. I highly recommend his book (it’s on my ‘currently reading’ on Goodreads, I forget the name right now) he gives AMAZING tips on how to avoid consumer traps, and ways to budget yourself and be financially responsible.