Life By Kristen

2013 Goals Check In

As the new month of April and the spring has finally sprung, I’ve been feeling really amazing lately about everything going on in my life. So much that when I see I haven’t accomplished a whole lot in terms of my 2013 goals, it doesn’t seem to matter because I’m living in the moment and doing things as they feel right, as opposed to dwelling on the list and plan. In fact, the plan is sort of gone- and that’s ten types of amazing. 

In terms of my financial goals, the only one I have made efforts on is growing my emergency fund. I’ve barely made a scratch into debt, haven’t even thought about my retirement stuff, and started in February on the One Month, No Buy Challenge, but a number of things for the house were needed and I spent most of March making sure I had everything I needed to my Amsterdam trip ( in 24 days!!!!).

I’ve been doing REALLY WELL in the healthy living department. Breakfast happens 4-5 days out of the week, and weight training has been happening about once or twice, depending on my schedule. I have been walking outside as much as the weather will let me, but with a lot of moving/cleaning going on at work, I feel like I’m moving enough during the day. I’ve cut WAY BACK on the carb intake ( minus Easter, though I passed on bread) and am down to one sugar in the coffee in the morning. The real test will be in the next few weeks as I bring out the spring and summer clothes and see how they are fitting, but overall, I’m feeling great, sleeping well, and have so much more energy.

The house goals I think I have made the biggest strides in. The office/reading nook area is set up, but I’m awaiting a shelf going up and trying to figure out how to incorporate painting space into the room. The outdoor goals of vegetable garden, painting front door, and cleaning up the backyard are in planning stages, but I’m very happy to report a new back fence was installed last week- and it’s fantastic (thank you tax refund)! The new blinds and shades for the house are one of the first action items I have in mind for May after I come down from my post-travel high. And researching remodeling the attic hasn’t gone much farther than pinning a bunch of ideas together, which is still a step in the right direction I think.

The lifestyle goals are really what have transformed me. I haven’t done well at all with having friends & family over for dinner which is the one thing I want to improve, hopefully kicking it off with a party in May. I am definitely more social and spending time outside the house, which has made me more appreciative of my down times and less critical of my personal space. I’m behind in the reading goals for the year, but with the summer and travel coming up, I know I will better my numbers. I’ve been doing okay with the blog, but the crazy work month of March again took hold of all of my creative mind space, leaving little room for writing here or for freelance, as well as virtually no painting. All of these things are priorities moving ahead because I know the joy and peace they bring to me and I feel like I’m bursting at the seams to get them out.

All in all, I think I’m on the right track. I know where I want to improve and how my priorities have shifted from January to now so I’m adjusting the goals a bit too. I think that’s part of the process of self-discovery and personal growth- to allow yourself that wiggle room to course correct as needed and as life happens 🙂