Resolutions?

I love making goals... sticking to them is a whole different issue. I'm great with ideas, not as good with follow-through. I work hard, but tend to bite off more than I can chew.

But at the end of the day, I love to push myself.
The big theme for this year is: Follow-Through

I want to not feel like I am always behind!

Personal
(1) Follow training plan... a plan that is more flexible and reasonable than I used to set.
(2) Run 1000 miles
(3) PR (in half and full marathon)
(4) Floss!
The first three will be tracked in more detail on my running blog

Relationships
(1) Be intimate 400 times (the boy helped set this one!)
(2) Rekindle friendships I have let slip

Work
(1) Work half as much
(2) Make twice as much
(Note: This were "borrowed" from J.Money at Budgets are $exy! Perhaps the most inspiring New Year's Resolution post I read!)

In order to keep myself accountable I am going to make a pretty reminder sign for them all and a tracking spreadsheet like Little Miss Moneybags.

More detail and monthly goals to come...

2011... over already?!

Apparently, I've been gone since around April/May... I just took a look back at my 2011 goals. How did I do?! (Without every looking at them again since the 1st quarter?!)

Happy: * Find a two hour time each week to have "me time". This could be sitting at a coffeeshop reading, or hiking by myself. I need this time. Semi - Fail: I would do this occasionally but no where near the regularity that I need. * Have a 1 hour a week check-in/organize for the week time. I also really need this time. Semi - Fail: I would do this occasionally but no where near the regularity that I need. I'm trying to do it more with the business too, but it doesn't always happen. * See friends an average of 2 times per week. Fail: Depression slightly took ahold of me at times, and life was overwhelming. ::Sigh:: * Take my dogs hiking/long neighborhood jogs 1x/week Semi - Fail: This would go up and down... I'd to great for a week or so, then stop. One dog hurt his doggy ACL so he's been sidelined as well.Healthy:  This is going to be one of my big pushes this year... * Set a PR in Austin Marathon on 2/20/11:  Success: Did!!!  By 5 minutes, plus a 5min bathroom break! * Run a sub 2:15 half on 4/16/2011 Success: Not on that date (I had to pull out of that race), but on one in January 2011! * Set a PR on a half or full marathon after the above Success: At the Nike's Women's Marathon I ran a new PR of just under 5:15... a 15 minute PR from February! * Run a sub 55 min 10K Fail: Only ran one 10K and ran/walked with a friend.  * Run 1000 miles (trying again after last year's miserable fail) Fail: Yeah... no excuse here. I'm going to keep trying for this one. Heart: * At least one visit to NYC & Baltimore to visit family Halfway - Due to a family death and a family wedding, I ended up in Baltimore 4 times instead of my usual 1 (if that). So I'll consider it a success even though I didn't make it to NYC. I did see my brother a few times in Baltimore and Cali.  *Have intimate time with my guy at least 4 time a week... things get so busy and I need to make sure there is plenty of time for us. Semi - Fail: Depression sidelined this one in the spring, but it is something I have really been working towards in the fall.* Read and follow through with a personal development book I have Fail: Haha... I got through another chapter or two in my time management book! * This isn't measurable at all, but just be more present in my relationship. I am bad about letting deadlines and other times get in the way. Work in Progress: I think this will always be a work in progress. Since my life has changed a little with only running my own business instead of a job that made me miserable everyday in addition to my business, I've been really focusing on this one  So there you have it... less than 50% success. I've been working on adjusting my goals for 2012 and will post those soon Happy New Year!!!

28 Truths to Live By

I turned 28 the other week. 27 was a strange year for me; while there were many times I had a wonderful times, there were also many times of stress, sadness, and even anger. I have been working to feel like myself today and in honor of turning 28, I wrote down 28 Truths to Live By.

Sleep does my body and mind good.
Giving love allows me to be loved.
I need time to myself to re-energize.
I run to be balance.
Reading provides me with a mini vacation; TV does not.
Drinking enough water helps me feel stronger.
Jewelry makes me feel pretty.
Healthy eating energizes me.
Everyday I am capable of being the best me.
Laughter makes life feel easier.
Sometimes it’s okay to enjoy the view instead of climbing higher.
To keep a friend, I need to be a friend.
Water makes me happy.
Clutter clutters my mind.
I am most productive in the morning and my schedule should reflect that.
Remember how much fun it is to be a girlfriend.
It’s okay to say “no” as long as it’s not always to self or loved ones.
Make time for those around you, before they go away.
I do have control of my life.
Working out calms me and is important.
Relaxing does not make me a lazy person.
Swimming is my yoga.
A day is made up of many moments, not just one.
Don’t forget to take pictures.
I can reset once a week, once a day, once an hour. It’s my choice.
I am working of giving and receiving intimacy.
Breathe.

30 Day Organize-athon Day 1

Although life is still really crazy... there is a bit of light come May and the end of the tunnel is June. In the meantime, I do need to keep some level of organization in my life, or I'll never make it. Enter: The 30 Day Organize-athon at Get Organized Wizard

The purpose is to spent about 5 minutes on a specific area each day in April. Yesterday's challenge was to declutter your living area.  Since it's just me and T at the house, I didn't need to go through everything with a trash bag. I did mainly the "if you have extra time part" which involved taking everything that didn't belong and putting it back where it does belong. I also very quickly vacuumed just the living room. (This is where the dogs mainly hang out, so the carpet is awful.) It needed to be done and the whole thing took me less than 15 minutes....

Now let's see what Day 2 has in store for me!

Goals on Hold...

The past month or so has been tough for me. I'm struggling with feeling like I have any sort of control right now. In February, I spent 245 hours out of the house for work. My mom was in town for 3 days when it didn't work at all. This means that over the remaining 25 days, I was out of the house, on average, 9.8 hours EVERY day. This doesn't count the house I work on things for my business at home, which I would guess it at least 10 hours a week. (Should be more, but as you can see... I don't really have the hours!)

Back to goals... while I'm doing okay on most of them, they just stress me out. They feel like another thing that I have to try and squish into my days. The PsyBlog had an interesting article on The Dark Side of Goal Setting. I know goal setting is important, but I think I'm setting goals that I won't reach...and I really don't need another reason to beat myself up. Right now I need to focus on trying to actually swim a little instead of just treading water.

I am a list and goals type person by nature. So what does that mean for March. My goal for March is to get done things for work the day before they must be. To make some progress on my massive to-do list (which doesn't even touch the goals I set), and to try and abide by the one goal of not working past 8pm (so far I've only worked by 8pm twice this month.)

I spent yesterday mostly in bed feeling mentally crappy. I started to come around by the evening. I have today and tomorrow to just get things done and relax. I'm planning on today being on the more productive side and tomorrow more on the relax side, with a bit of balance on both.

Wish me luck. Happy Monday!

March Goals

I'm still feeling overwhelmed, but I have somewhat of a plan now... more on that later. For now, let's see what I have in store for March.

1) Be intimate 24 of 31 days.

2) Morning stretching routine 21 of 31 days.

3) Floss 21 of 31 days.

4) No work past 8pm.

5) Run 80 miles.

6) Review AIM Modules

7) Go camping

8) Go out with friends 6 times

9) Cook dinner 10 times (T cooks a lot of the time)

10) Breate. (I think this one might be the most important of all!)

February Goals Wrap-Up

February was not my best month over, although I was the most social I've been in a while. I'm busy working on my life plan to achieve more balance, but I'm not there yet.

1) Take dogs running or hiking 10 times: 6 times total. Poop.

2) Run 80 miles: 47 Total. Better than I usually do. Still not awesome.

3) Finish taxes: I am going to owe. So I'm in a holding pattern.

4) Do a morning stretching routine at least 18 of 28 days: 15/28 days

5) Be intimate at least 18 of the 28 days: 13/days days. This needs to become a focus.

6) Review AIM Modules: nada...

7) One social outing a week with friends: I went to happy hour with T on Friday, and Thai food and jazz music (by a friend of ours) on Saturday the 12th. This past weekend my mom was in town, so we did things together... not sure if that counts, but it was social! The last weekend of February was a crazy one, which involved me working a ton, Blue Man group, house party, grand opening of a friend's gym, and a comedy show. I think I did great with this goal!!!

8) Schedule a vacation... even a small one: tentatively planning NYC for my birthday... and camping in March. No more progress on that.

9) Finish organizing work materials in spare room: I have decided that this is a very low priority while everything else is crazy right now. This will be a summer project.

10) Have a dinner party: nope