Goal Check, Month 4

 

Well, we are in the fourth month of 2023 and I thought today, since it's a rainy, damp Sunday, would be a good time for me to look at my goals for the year and see how I'm doing. 

PERSONAL/CAREER/MENTAL GOALS

My overall goal for this has been met!  It was to complete 15 credit hours for my NYS Aspire account (teaching credits and required yearly courses).  I completed this in February!  My short term goals for this included:

• complete 3 on site trainings by April (this was completed in Feb and March!)
• complete 2 online trainings via the NYS OCFS website for Early Childhood Educators by June.  Well...I am all caught up with the requirements and since I announced my retirement from teaching after February break, I am no longer required to update the Aspire account!
• participate in all agency staff meetings.   This is also completed as we have only 1 more required meeting before I retire. 
• upload all certificates to Aspire by the end of summer school.  This has been done since I no longer need to continue the required yearly courses. 

I had another overall goal:  spend less time on social media. 

• turn off my phone after 8 pm.  (this is still on-going....I can't say I'm doing this 100% of my time....on average I'm doing this mainly on the weekend nights). 
• read 2 non-fiction books by June:  I have completed this short term goal!  I have completed the non fiction book about the ballet dancer and the Christian study book Forgotten God.  I am actually reading a third non-fiction book about ex-President Barack Obama and his main speech writer. It's listed on my side bar. 
• read 45 books by the end of December.  I am books #16 and 17. I think I will meet this goal?? 
• Write letters and cards to far away family and friends twice this year.  I have sent out 6 cards since the beginning of March and two letters to far away friends.  This  goal is met!
• practice piano 3x a week after work.  I have not completed this goal.  I'm averaging maybe 3x a month!  Once I retire I plan on meeting this goal as I'd like to practice every day. 

SPIRITUAL GOALS

My overall goal for this category is:  pray more and discuss spiritual matters more with family and friends. The objectives for this goal are:

• read and study 1 major prophet of the Old Testament and discuss with Dave (I am about half-way through my study of Isaiah and I've been sharing some tidbits with him from the study guide I am using. ).  It's been really fascinating and I've summarized 5 chapters at a time on this  blog. 
• read through the Psalms (I am only about 1/4 of the way through Psalms)
• read and study the book of Galations in the New Testament : this goal is met!
• begin new women's small group:  this goal has been met!  my new group is going to be in Book Club format and it begins on May 24th.  There will be 7 of us and we are reading Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. It's all about how to know if it's God's voice you are hearing or not. 
• have a set time for prayer and meditation each morning or afternoon (I am  getting better at this but I have to say there are some mornings when I feel rushed and so I either pray in the car or read the Word after work.  This will definitely be easier once I retire!) 
• engage in one online Bible Study:  I have already met this goal.  I have actually completed THREE with my cousin Trisha and some other women this past winter.  Right now I am concentrating on finishing the Isaiah study so won't be doing anymore online ones for a while. 

EMOTIONAL/RELATIONAL GOALS

The overall goal here is to continue to establish and maintain friendships and family ties. 

• set up coffee dates with my youngest daughter Claire (we have had 2 since the beginning of 2023. This is on-going monthly). This goal is met
• set up dinner dates with the oldest daughter Courtney.  We have had 4 of these since January!  We are now doing this once a month with her. This goal is met!
• Continue to have at least 1 date night per month with Dave.  We just started back up doing this.  We had one in February, none in March (although we did have a lunch date then), and Friday evening, we had a real date night!  This is on-going. 
• Set up coffee/breakfast dates with close friends.  I have met this goal.  I've been meeting my bff Lynn for regular monthly coffee dates, my spiritual mentor and close friend Monica for coffee and dinner dates (we do this every 6-8 weeks and just met for dinner last week!), and Dave and I are getting together with 4 other friends in the beginning of June for breakfast out followed by a hike. This is an on-going objective. 
• Continue to meet with prayer partner/spiritual mentors every 2 months:  this goal is complete. We are now in a good routine. 
• Host 4 game nights/dinner nights by the end of the year.  This goal isn't met yet (we have hosted 2 since Christmas).  The one we had planned for February had to be cancelled due to us getting Covid-19. 

PHYSICAL/SELF-CARE GOALS

The over all goal here was to make a treatment plan for my back, neck and head pain.  THIS GOAL IS MET although it is on-going. The short term objectives were:

• meet with the neurologist: this  was completed the first week of April and we have been messaging back and forth via MyChart.  I have a follow up appt in July. 
• continue meeting with my chiropractor: this goal is met and it is now a twice monthly appt!!  Glory to God!
• follow the stretching/yoga routines daily.  I am up to 4 days weekly. I have almost met this goal.
• Follow the fitness ball routine daily. I am not needing this routine currently although I do this about 3x a week anyways.  It is an on-going goal. 

Another overall goal for this category: Continue to be physically active within the proper boundaries for my back/neck issues and lose some weight. 

So...my primary doc says I don't need to lose weight as my BMI is only 21.  However, I still want to lose 8 lbs.  I fluctuate with this.......since Xmas I have lost 5. I guess this is on-going.  I currently weigh 128 although I'd like to be 122 but I'd be happy with 125. These last 3 lbs!! ugh!

Short term objectives here:

• plan more deep woods hikes in the eastern/High Peaks regions of the Adirondacks.  This goal cannot be met until after Mud Season.  I do have 1 hike planned for the end of May in the southern region. 
• hike on 2 new trails in Vermont:  again, this has to wait until June.
• power walk 5x weekly outdoors; walk with Dave 2x a week.  I have met the first part of this goal!  however, Dave only comes with me once a month or so even though he himself has lost 15 lbs!
• continue to take phytosterols for lowering cholesterol levels.  (I have met this goal although it's on going because I do not want to go on a statin!)
• continue to follow a plant-based diet. This goal is met. We eat plant based 5 out of 7 nights usually. 
• learn 2 new plant based/vegan recipes by June.  I have completed this goal!  I have learned to make pulled jackfruit and I have learned to make vegan chocolate crinkle cookies. 
• Hike 2 mountains by July.  This will be met sometime in June!  We had a mountain hike planned for last weekend but we had to cancel it as the road isn't opened up to the trailhead!
• Bike 2-3 times a week this spring.  This is not met yet as I need to ask the chiropractor about this at my appt next Monday. Plus, my tires need to be fixed.  But I plan on getting this done by mid-May!

I am happy with my progress.

How are you doing with your goals or resolutions for 2023??