Obviously 2020 has been a difficult and unusual year. Despite this, I feel like I’ve achieved many goals, even if they might not have been the ones that I set for myself at the beginning of the year. Let’s see how I did…
2020 Resolutions
Blog: Commit to two blog posts a week and catch-up on old book/travel reviews. = I’ve mostly achieved this. I posted two blog posts a week without missing a deadline and I’ve caught up on a majority of my older posts.
Attend a Writing Conference = Fail, primarily due to Covid
Read a Minimum of 50 books.= Fail. Although it would seem that this would have been an easy accomplishment during quarantine, my mind was elsewhere. I completed 24 books. I’m not happy with this one.
Start my Youtube Idea: Keeping quiet for now, but I have a business idea for YouTube, which ties into my tutoring job. = I actually started this and posted a few videos. It was time consuming, but I will restart this idea in 2021.
Start my Podcast =. I have the equipment, I have a name, and I have a solid plan. I hope to get this going in the the first quarter of 2020. = Fail. I simply didn’t do this, even though the everything is set up.
Maintain Going to the Gym =. Dan just bought us gym memberships and I’m hoping that we can get this to become a routine. We both need the exercise and to shed a few pounds. I’d also like to get better, build up to a longer, more intense cardio workout. I love strength training and pilates, but I currently avoid cardio. = Until Covid hit in mid-march, we were going consistently. I was even running on the treadmill. Our gym closed with covid and we really didn’t start exercising again until the summer, when we got bikes and went on walks. It’s turned too cold and icy now.
Maintain Food Log = Be aware of what we are eating and focus on eating more sensibly. This always works when I need to focus on my health. =. I kept this going until August and then we traveled, which derailed my efforts and I haven’t gotten back on track.
Achieve and Maintain good Blood Test Results = Earlier this week, my annual blood test came back with high triglycerides ( a problem I’ve had throughout my life) and prediabetes (a new and scary diagnosis.) I need to do my best to focus on healthy eating and exercise to change these issues. This is definitely the most urgent and vital resolution of 2020.= Partial success, see number seven.
Visit a new country, state, or major city.= I’m writing this on December 18th and on the 20th we will head out on a road trip which will include several new states before January 1st= Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee! I’m so excited!
Finish Scanning photos and documents - this should be easy to accomplish. It just feels great to know that precious photos are backed up on the computer.= Complete fail
Add several new recipes to our repertoire. We can throw a great dinner party meal, but we usually resort to the same tricks..I’m looking at you, English roast dinner! I’d love to expand and be more creative in the kitchen. =. Accomplished! We cooked a lot more during Covid. I made my first layer cake completely from scratch from Nigella Lawson’s recipe. I learned some Greek dishes and how to make delicious buffalo cauliflower. We also have two new oatmeal recipes and two incredible fish dishes.
Now the fun part…2021 Resolutions. Since we have the kids with us and are traveling until mid-January, I am officially starting my Resolutions on January 16th.
Read 50 books. I’m setting this same goal again, since I know it is possible.
Stick with my inked Voices Writing group and finish my novel before summer.
Submit a minimum of 25 pieces to literary journals.
Finish three courses at ACC.
Start an exercise routine when we get our new home gym ( likely in March) and build up to running a 5K.
Maintain a food journal and limit sugars/alcohol/fried food ( when not on vacation/special occasions) in efforts to lower blood sugar and triglyceride levels.
Blog twice a week- same as in 2020.
Try two new recipes a month from our cookbook library.
Finish scanning old photos/documents.
Organize family recipe cards/print outs.
Visit new Country/State/Major City
Continue with Duolingo Spanish tree and work through Spanish text book.
Creative write for an average of 300 hours a week. I actually kept to this goal for a majority of 2020, but crumbled in the fall.
I’m excited and hopeful for 2021. I think it is going to be a year where goals are completed and many areas of life are improved. Although I set goals throughout the year, I always love this reset in January.