2024 Goals Update

It's mid-May and we're about 5 weeks away from the start of Summer.  I'm looking over my 2024 Goals for the year and realized I need to update them.  The last time I did  an update was February and I know I've accomplished some of these goals or have made good progress on some. 

• Practice French daily: I'm doing this! It's been a lot of fun reviewing French via the Duolingo app and my brother in law, his wife and my oldest daughter are also doing this.  It's been a lot of fun. So far I have done 160 days in a row since first starting the French review. This goal is on-going for my personal development. 

• Study Galatians in the New Testament and with an in depth Study guide: I have completed this study! I completed it just before Easter.  It was a great study and I learned a lot. 

• Read 4 non-fiction books including 1 biography or autobiography: I have completed this goal already!  This is a first for me, to read this many non-fiction books before Summer even begins. I read a devotional book by Joyce Meyers; an autobiography of a Vietnamese woman, a memoir written by a local woman about her husband and his freak accident; and a powerful look on prayer by one of my fave Bible study authors, Priscilla Shirer. I'm hoping to borrow Obama's book The Promised Land from the library sometime over the summer.  


• Power Walk 6 days a week:  this goal is also on going for my cardio health.  I'm currently averaging 5 days a week according to my fitbit.  Last week I walked every single day outdoors!! Brisk walking does seem to help with the chronic headaches and neck pain I've been experiencing.

• Hike 3x in the High Peaks Region of the ADK:  Cannot begin this goal until after black fly season...but I'm making plans!! This will begin the end of June/July. 


Hike 2 new trails in the deep woods: I'm hiking one today!!  4 of us from my SoulSteps Hikers group will be in the Berkshires of MA exploring a new to us trail that leads to a remote pond and  supposedly there will be beautiful spring wildflowers.  


Hike 1 mountain never climbed previously:  this won't happen until after June


Practice piano 3x a week:  this is on- going. I'm currently working on the 2nd movement of a Haydn sonata and a Scarlatti piece.  It's been challenging and even though I played both pieces in my last year of college, this is much more daunting now. 


Visit 3 more ADK towns for the 102 Challenge before end of Autumn:  My oldest daughter and I are actually doing this next Wednesday! She has the week off and wants to do some things around her apartment like spring clean, go to an art museum with a good friend, etc.  But she asked me to go on a day trip with her to get more signatures for the 102 Challenge so we are heading up towards Lake Champlain and Plattsburgh. It will be a long day  but it should be fun.  The goal is to get 2 of the villages checked off. I might even have 3 total left up that way. 

Volunteer once a month for a non-profit organization or church event:   This will become an ongoing goal. I'm currently arranging a meeting with an organization in a small  city to the north of us where I'd like to begin to volunteer come September. I also plan on volunteering with our church for the upcoming worship choir. 


Have monthly meetings with the new SoulSteps group:   This is an ongoing goal as we meet for Walking from Feb-June and then Sept-Dec.  And the Hiking group will begin April-November. We have had 4 months of SoulSteps Walking groups and have had 2 SoulSteps Hikes. This has been a lot of fun to lead. 


Coffee or breakfast/lunch date with 3 close friends:  I've had 1 coffee date  this past winter (January) with Monica  and I had a breakfast date with my cousin and good friend Trisha in February.   I had a coffee date on March 8 with my church friend Diane.  I had a lunch date with my childhood friend Diane W and my sister Hope in March and last week I had a brunch date with my spiritual mentor M. I have met this goal!!


Host 2 Game Nights before the End of Summer: Dave and I hosted a lunch with my sister Hope and her husband Donny. We planned on doing games but it was so nice out we decided to burn brush and have a bonfire instead!!  But we have a Game Day scheduled for July 6 at a family BBQ in central NY and I plan on hosting a Saturday evening game night sometime at the end of July. This goal is on-going. 


Invite 2 couples over for dinner before the end of October:  We've had one young couple from church over for Sunday dinner (mid-January) and it was a lot of fun. We invited our friends Darlene and Bob over for sometime in July....we just need to pick the date. This goal is half met!!


Have monthly date nights with Dave:  We have had 1 lunch date this winter;  four dinner dates,  and weekly in-home movie date nights.  So far we are doing well with this goal. I'm going to say this goal is met!  Of course it will continue. 


What about you?  How are you doing with any 2024 goals you might have set?