Over a Year Later

I can’t believe it has been a year since I’ve posted here. Well, actually, I can, because when I wrote that last post in January of 2020, I had NO idea what was coming. None of us did… So given that my track record shows me posting about 4-5 times a year, I’m not surprised that in 2020, I was focused on other things, trying like so many of us to keep my head above water and spirits high.

I guess I’ll get right into it then!

I don't set hard goals when the new year rolls around. In prior years, I've always done a no-buy January but this year, I just didn't have the heart. For one, getting little packages in the mail has really helped during all this covid crap. I haven't gone overboard, but it has helped boost my mood. Another reason I didn't want to do a no-buy January, is because I know some businesses are really hurting. I tried to buy small when I could for Christmas, and even still, I'm trying to be more thoughtful about where I'm spending my money while people and businesses are hurting. I'm not getting it right every time. But I'm trying.

What I do like to do each year, is make loose goals. For example, in one of the last years I wanted to read five books. I think I read one, but it was one more than I would've read without that goal.

This year, I have the following loose goals.
Walk more
Write more
Sleep more

That's it! And I know that a little framework can help with achieving goals, so I made a rough outline for my days to allow for more of those three things. It means actively walking outside on the days it isn't raining, or hitting the treadmill on days it is. I also want to carve out time before bed to write. I told myself it could be anything... Laptop, phone, paper and pencil, photo caption, journal, blog post. As long as I'm taking time on a regular basis to write, I'll be happy with that goal. And lastly, but definitely not least, sleep more. This is the area that I haven't really been able to "adult" well in. I've always been a night owl. I loved staying up late before kids but I love it even more now, because I get those few minutes (or hours) of quiet. But I usually pay for it in the night or morning, because well, kids. So, I've also scheduled in a bedtime. I'm not hitting it every night. But every night that I do, or even get closer, is a win in my book. Around Christmas and shortly after, I was staying up until midnight several nights a week. While I thoroughly enjoy that, it does not fit my current lifestyle. So I've set a bedtime, and I've hit it once or twice, but I keep getting closer to that goal as the days go on. All of this is a work in process and while it does help better me, it is also fun. I've loved getting outside on purpose to walk. I've loved getting on the treadmill and watching part of a show or listening to a podcast. I love writing and always feel happy doing it. And sleep. Well, I do love to sleep, but if I had it my way, I'd sleep, uninterrupted, from midnight to 8am... but, we can't have it all. So I'll settle for an attempted 10:30pm bedtime, and hopefully not more than one child interruption in the night. A girl can dream, right?

So tell me, do you have 2021 goals? Are they more detailed or specific? Do you have loose goals? Or maybe no goals at all? I'd love to hear.

Maybe one of these days I’ll regularly get to bed at a decent hour