2014 Goals

Hooray for a new year! 2013 was a huge year of change for us, and although 2014 will involve some changes (like a summer internship. . .somewhere), I don’t think it’ll be quite as life-altering as 2013. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.

In 2013, Bart labeled it “The Year of Big Goals.”

When we sat down a couple of nights ago to hash out what we wanted from 2014, I determined that 2014 would be the year I focused on Consistency, Balance, and Productivity.

I also have tried not to set too many goals, instead focusing on the things I REALLY want to do, not things that are kind of cool or semi-interesting to me.

Here are some of my biggest ones for the year:

• Start a walking group. In Texas, there was a group of women in our apartment complex that did a 4 mile route twice a week. We pushed our kids in strollers and it was a really fantastic part of our routine. I loved getting outside, spending some time being social, and the exercise. I’ve missed it desperately, so I asked a couple of women in my neighborhood if they’d be interested. I can’t wait to start up next week.
• Read 150 books. Last year, I didn’t set a reading goal because I felt like it was pushing me to read books just to hit numbers. But this year, I read so much less because I wasn’t making it a priority. I’ll talk more about some of the ways I plan to fit in more reading later. And I want to write more about books here this year. I’ve loved branching out in the last couple of years, but I still want books to be a core part of my blog (which, you know, requires me to actually read some).
• No Desserts Monday thru Thursday.  I started doing this a month or two ago and it’s been really successful for me. I like it better than two desserts a week because I don’t have to make decisions every. single. time. If it’s M-Th, I just know I’m not going to eat any. And if it’s the weekend, I can. Bart is doing this with me, which is really helpful. I’m also taking dessert to mean most sugars (in the past, I’ve not eaten “dessert” but loaded up on chocolate chip banana bread. . .). Holidays are an exception, but not the week of the holiday or the whole month of the holiday. The day only. Or, in some cases, the day we’re celebrating.
• Start a couple’s bookclub. This is something I’ve wanted to do for ages and now that I’m missing my stellar bookclub in Texas, this seems like the time to do it. I am REALLY excited. (My mom, Merrick, Landen, and I are also doing a bookclub of our own).
• Take one night a week off. I’m something of a workaholic and I love the work that I do, but it’s easy for it to eat up every moment of my free time. I try not to work on weekends, but with Bart doing homework most weeknights, it’s easy for me to work during preschool, then naps, then all evening after the girls go to bed and never have time to do any non-computer projects. This year, I’m dedicating one at-home weeknight to doing whatever I feel like doing, whether it’s reading, sewing, watching a show on my own, going to bed early, or making a giant mess with glitter.
• Go on one six great dates this year. Bart and I are kind of boring (I know, what a surprise), so we’re making an effort to do more fun things together this year, outside of the normal dinner/movie routine.

You can see my goals from 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009 here.

P.S. If you’ve written a post about your 2014 goals, please leave me a link – I’d love to check them out!