Now that we all can breathe a collective sigh of relief that we’re so totally not perfect, I’d like to revisit my October goals. Because, yes, I certainly don’t and can’t do it all, but that doesn’t mean I want to be sedentary. I want to learn new things. I want to deepen my relationships. I was to be successful. I want to be happy. And the only way I know how to do that is by articulating how I can get there.
[October goals revisited]
Write down all my friends’ birthdays. | Done! And I’m trying to make an effort to send a message to my friends on their birthday. Birthdays are special days and I want to help contribute to that experience for others.
Say yes to hanging out. | Yes. I saw a lot of friends this month. When Mike went to a party for school, I invited a friend over for Friends and white wine. When my friend asked me to hang out and talk to people about a ballot issue, I said yes. When an acquaintance I met at a park asked us over to breakfast, we went. When we had a Friday free, we went to dinner with one of our favorite couples. And so on. I like my friends and I love to see them.
Be Romantic | Ish. We went on a date (!), and have spent a few nights with our computers away and just watching movies or spending time together. It’s a challenge to find time to spend together, what with me spending most evenings on design work and Mike getting his PhD and all. We are technically in the same room, but not really interacting.
Practice patience and forgiveness. | Ish. It’s so hard to avoid turning silly arguments into actual, feelings-hurt, frustrated arguments.
Start running. | Yes! I only have time/am Gabe-free enough to run once a week, but it’s been fabulous. I started running in super lightweight running shoes to help my knee pain and I am amazed with my post-childbirth ability to push myself harder. I used to cut my runs short when they got too difficult, but now? I somehow have the ability to push beyond the tiredness and achieve the distance goals I set for myself. It’s like I go to a place where I just know I can do it and just do. It’s…strangely reminiscent of childbirth. Is that weird? I also signed up for a weekly yoga class and am in my third week. It’s just perfect.
Stop complaining. | I did well enough on Twitter (save for some horrendous nights with Gabe…but I like to think that was warranted). I wasn’t as mindful as I’d like to be about griping to Mike about little things – mostly discomforts. And work. Sometimes work can be filled with relationships where snark rules conversations, and it leaves me feeling guilty and negative. I’m going to focus more on positive and less on the negative, but it’s a tough habit to break.
Apply for a craft show. | Nope.
Host my first Facebook contest. | Nope. This is so overdue.
Reply to comments on one post a week. | Yep.
Setting goals gives me intentionality to each month – it’s a long enough period to not feel overwhelming, but a short enough period to not worry about setting ALL THE GOALS. And sharing them here is a great opportunity for others to share with me their struggles and successes in these areas as well.
So, on that note-
November goals!
Practical:
Keep my house clean with the daily 7 (well, six of them). When I am busy, which I am, cleaning is the first thing to go. It’s a catch-22, since dirty dishes in the sink and paper piles stress me out so much I can’t be as productive or as happy, but I feel too busy to clean. Hopefully instituting six of these habits (make beds right away, keep your kitchen sink empty, do a load of laundry most days, clean up after yourself, bathroom wipe-down, before bed 10-minute clean up) will keep me on track. Amen. No excuses.
Go to bed by 10 each night. I will need on task to do this. To get ready for bed sooner, to wind down from design and blogging sooner, and *hopefully* get in bed by 9:30 each night to read. Unfortunately, this also coincides with Gabe’s bedtime moving from 7 to 8pm…losing an hour of design time is tough. But, perhaps I can wake up earlier?
Creative:
Stock my Etsy shop with TONS of stuff for the holidays. I’ve been squeezing in time here and there to cut and pin and sew…and will be stocking up! Any requests or suggestions?
Photograph someone or something new to me.
Update my Little Leaf portfolio and gallery.
…
And start Christmas shopping. Eeek!
What are your November goals? Doing NaNoWriMo or NaBloPoMo?
If so, kudos! I did NaBloPoMo a couple of years in a row…until a certain little fella entered our life. Such fun!
You did really well with your October goals – here’s to November!
My goal for November is to really take the time to make things happen – with my writing, with growing my blog, because those things have brought me amazing joy and I don’t know why I’m not trying to pursue it more.
Oooh, I love your flat cards in your shop – I’d love to see those as full-size cards – or holiday themed?! Oooh!!!
i am loving the new blog design! See, just another reason why I shouldn’t always read things in my reader. It looks fantastic!
Great job on those goals–that’s awesome that you’re feeling more inspired and determined on those runs. Good luck with those November goals :) I am doing NaBloPoMo. The last time I did it was the November I got married, so I figure if I could do it then, SURELY I can do it now! We shall see….
So I have been gone from your blog for far too long; I LOVE your new look and your writing as always <3. Way to go on your October goals. And Gabe! He looks like such a little man; how adorable :) Here's hoping November is great for you.
My goal- to live in the now more. That's hard to measure but I need to stop worrying and planning and just be a little bit more. I think I can get there. At least I hope so.
You did wonderfully with your goals! And have inspired me to make some of my own for this month :)
I saw someone who made little fabric coasters that you can actually attach to your wine glass and they are so cute!! I would totally buy a stock of them if you had them on your etsy! :-)
Congrats on reaching many of your goals! I’m sure November will be a very productive month for you as well!
Such adorable pictures of your family!
Can I ask, what is NaNoWriMo or NaBloPoMo? I must be out of the loop because I have never heard of it!
For your Etsy, have you hear of mini-shoppers? I bought one for my friend who moved out for the first time, and now I want one for myself!
P.s. You’re so luck you love to run! I dread running and seriously need to start working out again! My excuse is always that I have too much studying to do! Sigh. Any advice for motivation? Do you have a running buddy, or upbeat i-pod music?
Good luck with your daily 7 and November goals!
Congrats on achieving so many of your goals! And Gabe is absolutely adorable in those fall photos…he looks like he is having so much fun!
I had no idea what NaBloPoMo was so I googled it and now I have a new goal for the month of November. I am going to do my best to blog every day this month. Of course I’m already one day behind but I’m not going to let that stop me! Since I’m still new to the blogging world, hopefully this will help me get more involved and better at blogging. Thanks for the inspiration and good luck with November!
I think it’s nice that you two can get some productive time in together. I always feel awful when I have to do school work on evenings/weekends, when Joe is home and able to relax. So sometimes I end up rushing through things in an attempt to have a “normal” schedule, too. I wish he had little projects to make me feel a bit less guilty. :-/
Gabe in a pumpkin patch = too much cuteness!
Good job on your October goals, & good LUCK on your November ones! I always have fun with mine each month too and it’s nice to see other people doing this monthly goals thing.
How is October over?
You did so well with those goals! Good luck with November. My November goal is to keep my head together as everything shifts around for us and my extended family. This month may be a doozy.