What did you want to accomplish this past year?

[fryjack2]

I pulled out my list of things I wanted to accomplish this past year and have a few things left to do.  If you make a similar list, was was on your's? I'm looking for things to put on my next one. 

[W.T.Faulkner]

Survive my first year of motherhood without serious injury, murder or divorce.

We’ve got two months left but it’s looking good for H and me not killing each other.

HIGH STANDARDS

[TR]

I wanted to read 100 books and I’ve read 104 so far. I want to finish my first semester of my MBA with my sanity and above a 3.0 (3.5 would be preferable) so that one remains to be seen.

[fryjack2]

Oct 13, 2019 14:32:50 GMT -5 TR said:

I wanted to read 100 books and I’ve read 104 so far. I want to finish my first semester of my MBA with my sanity and above a 3.0 (3.5 would be preferable) so that one remains to be seen.

104 books and getting your MBA?  Rockstar.

[mx27]

Get a new job. I got it. I don’t like it. I’m talking with my former employer about coming back in a new role (hopefully this can be figured out by the end of this month).

[TR]

Oct 13, 2019 14:39:56 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Oct 13, 2019 14:32:50 GMT -5 TR said:

I wanted to read 100 books and I’ve read 104 so far. I want to finish my first semester of my MBA with my sanity and above a 3.0 (3.5 would be preferable) so that one remains to be seen.

104 books and getting your MBA?  Rockstar.

Well, I read, like, 98 of them before I started my first semester in mid-August, LOL. But thank you. My goal for next year will be very different.

[katfco]

I always want to lose weight; never happens, but st least I’ve maintained, so I’m okay with that.

I have a quilt I started last year that’s going to take a ton of work (I’m hand stitching it), and it looks pretty good, but it’s got a long way to go.

[campermom]

I wanted to lose weight. I lost 15 lbs. I wanted to beat my marathon and 50k times, but I cancelled both of them. Oh well! I got a new body instead and I’m much happier. There’s always next year!

[nextbigthing]

150 gym classes (I get a shirt if I do it.

I've never been able to stick to a serious workout plan so I decided for turning 40 this year it was a good goal.

I'm at 125 so I know I'll make it. The goal is to hit it before Thanksgiving

[simpsongal]

Relandscape backyard, paint house, fund @ 529s, rebuild savings.

Next yrs goal is new master bath
2021 goal is to return to Hawaii to visit family.

[joenali]

Get pregnant.

Big. Fat. Fail.

[juliachild]

Get a new job. Done.
Exercise more. Done.
Finish the home renovations. Maybe next year...

[Whitecaps]

Find a job.
I haven't yet.

[fivechickens]

My goal was to not accomplish anything.

I am proud to say so far I am winning!

[Patsy Baloney]

Keep my 4.0 on my MPA - check (graduating in spring)

Spend time bonding with each of my kids - had a baby in May, so he’s easy, but I wanted to preserve some of that only-child feeling for my 6YO DD, and so far so good. We just got back from a She and Me Girl Scout camp, so that was great.

Be the best Girl Scout leader ever and help my Daisies earn their Summit award - getting there!

Make sure H and I have time for just us - we’ve got the 8pm and after daily time together, but we also schedule nights out/a weekend here or there for just us.

Be diligent at work so there’s less stress on me. I try to be conscious of not procrastinating or putting things off.

Eat well, be active - that’s always a work in progress.

[notsopicky]

In 2018, I wanted to finish my second masters (check!) and get a job in the field (check!). Accomplishing those things motivated me to have goals for this year.

In 2019, I wanted to lose weight. I am killing it--30 lbs. down (started June 17) and 25 more to go. I wanted to stop drinking pretty much b/c I feel so crappy the day after. I've had drinks maybe 5 times from May to now. I wanted to be a better traveler in order to have more positive memories of trips with H and E. Killing that too--I use positive self-talk to get me through my anxious periods. Lastly, I wanted to reconnect with some friends who don't live in my area. I've hung out w/ my female BFF from high school a few times in recent months, and I'm having dinner w/ my guy BFF from HS in a month or so when I'm in his area for a conference.

2020 goals are to find an exercise routine that I will love so much that I will commit to it and to go on more date nights w/ H.

[minzy]

One of my big goals for this year is trying to reduce carbon emissions. I have gone about it in literally dozens of ways. Aside from simply talking about it ad nauseum with everyone I know (which actually seems to be pretty effective), my biggest win is probably with composting. I went through a lengthy process with my HOA, and I was able to get the bylaws changed to make it more accessible for everyone. As of last week, I am officially composting our own food waste to be spread in our own backyard. I am also helping make composting a thing at a nearby school (both big picture stuff and the nitty gritty, as in, later today I will be picking plastic out of the compost bin to reduce contamination). Another goal of mine was switching to solar energy and electric cars. We don’t have panels, but we are now signed up for community solar, which is an option if you live in certain parts of my state (Maryland). It means, for accounting purposes, that what my family draws from the grid will come from a solar farm, or other renewable energy source, rather than a coal plant. We don’t yet have an electric car, but it is coming at some point, and I am driving less now because my younger daughter rides the bus. I am still weighing my family’s weekly trash (4.15 lbs for four people this week, some of it due to cleaning out a junk drawer) with the goal of getting it lower. I have essentially stopped buying new clothes for myself (less one science themed dress in January and two pairs of running pants with pockets this spring, because pockets, and I’ve dropped my cell phone too many times). There are some fails, mainly in terms of trips I’ve taken, but I’ve seen several national and state parks while traveling this year, so maybe that makes it not so bad?

[isabel]

Move into a new house in a better location. Check.
Read 52 books. I am currently reading/listening to numbers 51 and 52, so basically check.

[Waffles]

As every year, I wanted to lose weight and get fit. I did lose some, but not as much as I need to and I am fitter, if not fit yet. At least I have exercised consistently throughout the year, even on holidays.

After surviving the first year of motherhood without murder or divorce (lol W.T.Faulkner) I was slightly more ambitious for year 2 and wanted to start feeling like a functioning adult again instead of this foggy brained entity. I'm still forgetful but it is no longer alarming and I even feel relaxed/on top of things sometimes.

[isabel]

Oct 14, 2019 8:59:47 GMT -5 Waffles said:

As every year, I wanted to lose weight and get fit. I did lose some, but not as much as I need to and I am fitter, if not fit yet. At least I have exercised consistently throughout the year, even on holidays.

After surviving the first year of motherhood without murder or divorce (lol W.T.Faulkner ) I was slightly more ambitious for year 2 and wanted to start feeling like a functioning adult again instead of this foggy brained entity. I'm still forgetful but it is no longer alarming and I even feel relaxed/on top of things sometimes.

My kids are 4 and 2 and I had a realization this weekend that I am just so much more relaxed in general because of their self-sufficiency. I know life gets harder in other ways as they get older, but I feel like this is one of those things that will just get better and better.

[isabel]

Oh, here's one that may be applicable to others... I have been noticing how focused I am on my phone all the time. This weekend, I took both kids to the park separately and left my phone on a table. I played hide and seek with DS1 and helped DS2 climb on stuff. It felt so good to just engage with them and I actually had fun instead of being annoyed with them bugging me because I was focused on my phone. So that's my focus going forward and for next year. Being more present, putting my phone down, and engaging more with my kids one on one.

[Patsy Baloney]

Oct 14, 2019 9:09:08 GMT -5 isabel said:

Oh, here's one that may be applicable to others... I have been noticing how focused I am on my phone all the time. This weekend, I took both kids to the park separately and left my phone on a table. I played hide and seek with DS1 and helped DS2 climb on stuff. It felt so good to just engage with them and I actually had fun instead of being annoyed with them bugging me because I was focused on my phone. So that's my focus going forward and for next year. Being more present, putting my phone down, and engaging more with my kids one on one.

This is a big one for me, too. I've been trying to leave my phone in my purse from the time I get home from work to the time my kids go to bed - it's really just 2.5 hours, but I was getting so ANNOYED at the end of the day when I just wanted to turn off and ugh, baby needs a bottle, big kid needs help with reading, etc. I'm in a much better mood and way more "in" on life if I just let my phone leave my hand until I actually can vegetate at the end of the day. 

[followyourarrow]

Eat whole foods - not so much, too much stress means too many oreos.
Read 20 books - I should make it.
Lose X weight - lol, see the oreos and stress above.
Pay off a credit card - should make it.
Get efund to X amount - should make it, projections show being $4 under, I think I can do it.
Get more involved in work - umm no.
Self care weekly - it's been up and down, but I'm trying to focus on it.

[beerlover]

isabel and Patsy Baloney, thank you for bringing this up about the phones. This is really what I need to do, from 5pm when I get DS through bedtime at 8. Which is only 3 hours, and shouldn't be a big deal, but damn I am addicted to my phone. I need to start leaving it another room or in my purse, and maybe shutting it off altogether.

[isabel]

Oct 14, 2019 9:56:19 GMT -5 beerlover said:

isabel and Patsy Baloney , thank you for bringing this up about the phones. This is really what I need to do, from 5pm when I get DS through bedtime at 8. Which is only 3 hours, and shouldn't be a big deal, but damn I am addicted to my phone. I need to start leaving it another room or in my purse, and maybe shutting it off altogether.

I have started taking mine upstairs and plugging it in. I don't really go upstairs throughout the course of my evening until it's time to put them in bed, so it's less tempting than if I set it on the kitchen counter, for example.

This realization sort of kicked in for me when DS1 asked me if I would read him a book and as part of his request said "you can bring your phone!" It's fucking embarrassing and makes me feel like a shit parent. I love my phone for all the various things it does for me, but I need to stop letting it rule the free time I have with my kids.

[waverly]

I deleted the past stuff, so this is just for now until December/ January.

1. Survive all the kids scouting fundraisings and activities (fall is the busiest season, although baseball is pretty busy too)
2. Semi private swim classes for the kids
3. Christmas in Hawaii (paid flights with points)
4. Go to the zoo or the arboretum for the Christmas lights
5. See a theater show either a holiday one or in January/ February
6. Pay off credit cards and put regular purchases and change the way we purchase items in the future so that it doesn't creep up again the way it did.
7. Pay off my student loan
8. 10K in something for retirement? I'm not sure how to do it since we can't do a Roth IRA, so a Roth with my pension or other retirement account maybe?
9. DH got companion pass from Southwest again this year!
10. I want to walk on the treadmill again to get ready for our vacation. I want to do that to look better in my swimsuit but also be stronger for hiking.
11. I like all the ideas here on the phone stuff.

[klingklang77]

I wanted to find a contract job, but I’m still working freelance .

I wanted to gain weight because with stress I lost too much weight. I gained 4 pounds and I’m really happy with that. Now I’m satisfied with my weight. I plan to start a workout routine next year. For now, I just do walking all over the place.

[dochas]

Thanks for posting this. My knee-jerk answer was "Nothing. I've accomplished nothing" and it's really not true!

I was a stay at home mom since my son was born (almost 9 years). My goal had been to find a part-time job in the fall after school started. I actually found one at the start of summer that is working out really, really well. There's no going back to my previous career, and I think I've found something I like that can become even more. Why would I think that's not an accomplishment? We also survived my husband having a major surgery and being out of work. I've also had a goal to start putting myself first sometimes and meet some of my own needs. The things I've done have seemed so small - prioritizing my monthly book club, even if it isn't convenient for everyone, or I have to miss out on something as a family. I also sent my son to a camp day for one of his school days off instead of changing my work schedule. He LOVED the camp and I loved still having my regular schedule not interrupted.

My upcoming goals are to keep saving for a big trip and a car down payment. We started that a few years ago with really tiny amounts and they're really adding up to something. I want to add something just for myself as well. Either starting to write a bit or learning an instrument.

[beerlover]

Oct 14, 2019 10:09:50 GMT -5 isabel said:

Oct 14, 2019 9:56:19 GMT -5 beerlover said:

isabel and Patsy Baloney , thank you for bringing this up about the phones. This is really what I need to do, from 5pm when I get DS through bedtime at 8. Which is only 3 hours, and shouldn't be a big deal, but damn I am addicted to my phone. I need to start leaving it another room or in my purse, and maybe shutting it off altogether.

I have started taking mine upstairs and plugging it in. I don't really go upstairs throughout the course of my evening until it's time to put them in bed, so it's less tempting than if I set it on the kitchen counter, for example.

This realization sort of kicked in for me when DS1 asked me if I would read him a book and as part of his request said "you can bring your phone!" It's fucking embarrassing and makes me feel like a shit parent. I love my phone for all the various things it does for me, but I need to stop letting it rule the free time I have with my kids.

You aren't a shit parent at all, but I can totally see my son saying something similar and me feeling the same way. He is also really into technology and screen time and I'm afraid I'm setting a really poor example for him always being on my phone or computer. It's like I can't have one second where I'm not entertained or occupied. It's become ridiculous and I'm embarrassed about it too

I'm going to try plugging it in upstairs as well, except maybe when I'm cooking/cleaning up because I love to listen to podcasts to make that time more fun!

[beerlover]

One thing I did accomplish this year was to be better about building up our savings account. We have saved money in the past, but it was pretty arbitrary when we chose to do it and how much we put in, and we usually counted on our tax return for part of that. I finally opened a new savings account and set up an auto deduction every week for a general savings account and a vacation fund, and now after almost a year we have a nice amount in both of those accounts. Seems totally stupid that we weren't doing this before.