Goals (2)
In January, I set up a structure for focus in 2012. Because I was excited about these goals, I had a very successful first month. Would the second month, when the winter doldrums set in, be equally as productive or would I (like many people) begin to lose direction? Let’s take a look!
Simplify Online Organize My Life
In January, I spent some time going through my blogs, quitting those I no longer read and adding some new ones. I felt good about the direction my blogging life was taking. In February, I continued to organize my online life, but I also realized that something else needed organizing … my life! So, I’m going to change this goal to focus on bettering my life through better organization.
In February, I blogged about the mess in my home being on the verge of spilling over into a lack of organization. Y’all had some great suggestions, as well as reminders that life is messy when you have kids. Here’s what we accomplished last month:
- Sweets and I wound up buying two, small, storage ottomans for our kitchen. Great for Gavin to play on them. But, we are putting things we don’t want to deal with in them. Once a month (or more frequently, if needed), we will go through that stuff and decide what to do.
- I cleaned off our kitchen island, putting a number of things in the ottomans and recycling a number of things, too.
- We have also decided to pick one morning a month when we will actually drive to the Salvation Army or other places to donate the things we’re no longer using.
- We are going through our mail when we get it and recycling the junk mail (about 75% of what we get) immediately.
I consider this a good start to feeling more in control of the space in our home.
Get Involved
I mentioned that I spoke with the director of Gavin’s daycare about a Parents’ Night Out (PNO) and that she was enthusiastic about my suggestion. Well, in February, I put the wheels in motion for this event. I hosted a meeting at my home to begin discussions of what this night would look like – the director and a couple members from the fundraising committee attended the meeting. We decided a happy hour on Cinquo de Mayo would be a great first event. I met with a potential PNO venue and reported back to the committee. Once we finalized the details, I created a PNO flyer that the daycare will email and hand out to parents and Board members. And, I delivered a deposit check to the venue of choice! I’d say I was very involved this month!
Read
In January, I met my goal of reading one book when I finished One Day. February was a tough month. I started reading Very Valentine, but it was slow going. I began getting nervous that I wouldn’t finish the book. But, I focused a bit in the last half of February and finished my second book of the year. Though I haven’t started reading yet, my book of choice for March is Every Last One by Anna Quindlen. I think I’ve finally found a way to balance the craziness that is my life with reading – hooray!
Exercise & Eating
I described January as a meh month in terms of exercising and eating. I was sick for most of the month. Something needed to change. Towards the end of January, I joined a small neighborhood gym. In February, I worked on a schedule of getting to the gym on a regular basis. I managed to go 3x during the week and a couple weekend days, too during the month. I consider that a success. At the end of the month, I bought a new pair of running shoes (running friends, you’ll cringe when you hear the last pair of shoes I purchased was a year ago – it’s criminal!). And I set the stages for an exercise plan in March. While my exercising dramatically improved in February, my eating has still been meh. I’m trying to quit the Diet Coke habit (said as I’m halfway through one) and make better food choices. It’s a work in progress.
Stay in Touch
As my regular readers already know, we have a very busy social life. Staying in touch with local friends isn’t a problem and we had a busy February as a result. I had dinner with a girlfriend and grabbed coffee with another girlfriend. We had playdates with Gavin’s city cousins, friends from the suburbs, Gavin’s preemie twin, friends we met during childbirth class. We saw my mom briefly in Chicago and saw both my parents and brother for a long weekend in New York. We also managed to spend time with my aunt & uncle and Sweets’ parents.
For my long-distance friends, it was another month of phone tag! So frustrating, but a necessary evil of people with busy lives! I know I’m very much to blame, because Gavin is a time suck (in a good way), which leaves little time to chitty chat with friends. I did, however, leave messages for friends in Charlotte and Savannah … eventually speaking with my friend in Charlotte. I also got to speak with another dear friend who shared with me very exciting news. And, I exchanged some emails with a girlfriend in Boston who will be in Chicago for a visit in a few months. Not bad, though I still wish I actually connected with more people.
Photograph
I had such a good start in January, but February was a BIG FAIL. I took a ton of photographs in New York, but managed to ignore my camera the rest of the month. Must be better in March.
Focus on My Family
January was a tough month, because our family time was forced, since we were all sick at one point or another. February was … another BIG FAIL. We traveled to New York, which was sort of time to ourselves (as in the traveling part), but not really (as in, we spent the whole weekend with my parents and brother). And the rest of the month was packed with gathering with friends. This goal is tough. I treasure our family days (our getaway trip to Galena in December was AMAZING), but we also have a lot of friends and I don’t want to lose touch with them just because I’m holing up with my family. This goal is another work in progress … and, quite frankly, is a goal I need to put some more thought into.
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I think it’s been a good first two months. I don’t think about these goals every day, but they are shaping how I approach certain aspects of my life. I’m a firm believer that goals shouldn’t be rigid. Goals make perfect sense for a snapshot in time. If we’re lucky, they continue to make sense over time. But, oftentimes, life changes course and it makes sense to adjust, abandon or even add goals. This month, one of my goals needed an adjustment and I had no problems addressing it! In the long run, I like to think it will better help me accomplish what I set out to do.
Are you black and white about goals (meaning, after you set goals, you either achieve them or you don’t) or do you see goals as being more fluid like I do (meaning, sometimes they need to be revised)?
March 1st, 2012 at 9:30 am
First, did you like One Day?
Second, don’t know if you’ve looked into this, but you can actually remove your name from some junk mail lists. I forget what the website is (maybe google it?), but I was able to fill in my info. and then you can select what you want and don’t want. I feel like it’s severely cut down on the amount of junk mail I get, especially from credit card companies.
March 1st, 2012 at 9:53 am
My goals have to be fluid, life has a way of throwing curve balls so , I just have to learn to be flexible. It is a goal in itself to be able to roll with the punches because I like to set goals and get them done.
We are doing a similar home organization process as you and Sweets are. I have made some progress and we are ore organized in two areas of our house but we have a bit more to go.
March 1st, 2012 at 10:05 am
Great strides in the “organizing life” goal -- both “real” and “virtual”. And working out 3x/wk is amazing! I’m only 1/wk, if that :(. And congrats on finishing 2 books already! I have 3 unfinished books from last year. Ugh. Anyways, I agree that goals need to be revised as needed. Life isn’t black and white, why should goals? Especially if the change needs to be made to make it BETTER! March, here we come!
March 1st, 2012 at 10:38 am
Oh man, goals are definitely fluid in my life! Otherwise I’d never quit beating myself up about not accomplishing them. I think the storage ottoman idea is brilliant! Also, you might think about opting out as a way to reduce the amount of mail that comes into your house. I recently did and it makes a big difference. Here’s the info: To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit http://www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies.
March 1st, 2012 at 11:31 am
I think it’s good to reframe goals as you go. That’s realistic. And, of course, I’m happy to hear about the new running shoes! :)
Also, I seemed to have picked up my diet coke habit in the last few weeks and before then I can’t even remember the last time I had one. This needs to stop. As soon as the twelve pack I have is gone. Eek.
March 1st, 2012 at 8:12 pm
Regarding all the junk mail that you’re dealing with, have you heard of Catalog Choice? https://www.catalogchoice.org/ It’s a free service that helps you opt out of catalogs, phone books, credit card offers, coupons, etc. that clutter your mailbox. It’s definitely helped simplify my life and cut down on all the time spent sorting through piles of mail.
March 1st, 2012 at 9:23 pm
* :)
March 2nd, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Totally think/agree that goals are fluid; people change, needs change and circumstances change so it only makes sense that goals can change too.
That’s awesome you found and like a local gym! Definitely makes it a little bit easier to go when it’s nearby. I’ve started holding myself accountable for my five days a week workouts by writing them down AFTER they are done in my E.C. planner. If I miss a day I feel compelled to fit it on another day as I don’t like the hole in my planner. So far it’s working. Will see how it goes when I travel back to the home office next week as that always throws a wrench in my plans!
Also: spending time with family but balancing friend and even you time? Tough, at least I think so. I’m still working on that one.
March 3rd, 2012 at 9:35 am
I’m more fluid about my goals. Feb was supposed to be about financial fitness and it ended up being a financial drain, so I just need to rethink things. I had the diet coke habit too. The first couple of weeks were tough in that I craved it every single day at lunch, but that finally passed and I can enjoy one every once in a great while without getting hooked. It was mostly lunch that I had that problem, so I started drinking kombucha, which satisfied that need for a fizzy drink.
March 3rd, 2012 at 6:04 pm
I tend to have some black and white goals (like run a marathon this year) and then the others sort of ebb and flow with life (like my financial goals). I am still committed to them, I am just trying to be realistic about what I can achieve.
I think it sounds like you are doing great so far. That parent event sounds so cool. A Cindo de Mayo celebration? Sign me up! I hope you have a great turnout!!
I hope you like Every Last One… It was one of my favorite books from 2011 and I know Nora loved it, too. The topic is a bit heavier, but it’s so good.
March 5th, 2012 at 11:22 pm
I definitely see goals as being fluid and just because you didn’t accomplish everything that you set out to do, it’s still worth to look at the positive changes that you made. I think you’re doing pretty great!
March 6th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
I’m terrible about being flexible with goals -- meaning I want to bend the rules all over the place just so I can cross them off my list. :) I’m impressed that you’re sticking to yours with such a busy schedule. I really don’t know how you do it. I need to hire you to give me lessons. Seriously.
March 7th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Awesome update on the exercising. Since I’ve gone back to the gym, it’s been better for me health wise and goal wise.