In addition to setting a word for 2015 (adventure), I wrote down more specific goals for the year. As 2015 comes to a close, it brings an opportunity to reflect on all those goals we set last January.
- Run a marathon. I also want to run 500 miles. Done! I ran the Kentucky Derby Marathon in April. It was surreal running through Churchill Downs, where the most exciting two minutes in sports take place. My total mileage for 2015 so far is 566.7 miles, my highest ever. This may be a humble brag, but I am proud of myself for achieving this goal.
- Move. Either into a new, bigger home or away from Phoenix. Preferably the latter. I wanted to move from Phoenix (not because I hated it, but because I wanted to grow), and I did. Moving to Chicago is one of the best decisions Graham and I have made together.
- Volunteer more. I wanted to double the amount of time I volunteered in the previous year, and I failed to do that. When I moved to Chicago, other parts of my life took precedence. In 2016 I want to be more a part of the city I live in by volunteering at the neighborhood garden at least three times.
- Travel outside of the country and to (at least) one state I haven’t been to yet. I was able to see New Mexico, Utah, Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois thanks to our big move. I didn’t get to travel outside the country in 2015, but I did make plans for Costa Rica in January 2016.
- Teach yoga again. Another failure. I applied to three yoga teaching positions but only heard back about one, though it wasn’t at the location I wanted. I had the opportunity to get on a sub list at another studio but I didn’t pursue it because I knew I had a busy couple of months of travel coming up. I hope to pursue teaching in 2016.
- Do a handstand away from a wall. I stopped trying to do this. I figured it would happen when it happens. I have made progress against fear, but I need to be more consistent in my home practice if I want to be able to do a handstand away from the wall.
- Work on a book. I have written 31,000 words in my book. I planned to finish it in November but only added 8,000 words. I consider that progress, though I need to get serious about it if I ever hope to finish it.
Other goals:
- Completely unplug after dinner time. Big fail. In fact, I have even gotten worse about this.
- Cook more. I succeeded in this. Working from home allowed me to make dinner more often. I’m no chef, and I take shortcuts, but at least more of my meals were prepared at home.
- Work on my decision making. This will always be a work in progress.
I think it’s important to reflect on how we did so we can become more self-aware, notice patterns and hold ourselves accountable. How did you do on your 2015 goals? What did you succeed at and what goals did you tweak or abandon?
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.