2018 Yearly Goals

Last year was mostly successful in my yearly goals. I've kept many of the same goals in order to keep doing well on those goals, but I've added some more. I'm a bit worried that all of this might be a tiny bit too ambitious, but I'll see how things go in the first quarter and adjust from there if necessary.

Area One: Fitness Goals
1) Workout four times a week - I eventually want to get up to five times a week, but I think since I'm so ambitious about the rest of this list, I'm going to keep this the same as it was in 2017, especially since I didn't quite get to an average of 4 last year.  It's obtainable and keeps me on track.
2) 11,500 steps a day - I know this is doable from last year.
3) Track food intake each day - This third goal is going to be flexible during the year. I think I want to track what I eat in the first quarter, track calories in the second quarter, actually limit to 1400 or so calories in the third with the eventual goal of getting to my goal weight (which is about seven pounds from where I am right now) by the end of the third quarter and then maintain that weight through quarter four. I'm going to just start by writing everything I eat down for now.

Area Two: Communication Goals
1) Update my blog twice a week - I didn't quite accomplish this last year, so it's going back on the list.  I think I'm going to try really hard to actually write more about the many, many, many podcasts I listen to and that will help me to actually have a weekly topic.  That, along with how my reading and sewing goals are going, should allow for this goal to be met fairly easily. I do say that every year and this is year three without actually accomplishing it, so I might be aiming too high.
2) Make contact with four people (MDTT) at least once a week - I did pretty well on this last year, but I definitely want to keep going with it and do even better.
3) See my mom four times in the year -  I accomplished this last year and would like to do so again. I think I can do it.
4) Send a letter or postcard to my grandmother and two of my elderly aunts at least once a month - This was harder than I thought it would be last last year, but I definitely want to keep it up.

Area Three: Finances
1) Track every penny I spend each day - I've sort of made jokes about how we're hemorrhaging money around here, but I'm not comfortable with how comfortable I've been just dropping hundreds of dollars here and there. I think, much like writing everything down that I eat, writing down everything I spend will definitely force me to be more aware.
2) Low buy year - I'm not going to pretend that I won't spend money. But I want to really only spend money on things that are necessary. This means no new clothes, makeup, fabric, and house stuff unless it's essential.  The rules: Gifts I would normally buy for birthdays, housewarmings, new babies, weddings, graduations, and the like are okay.  I am allowed to grab something to eat outside of the house if I'm going to be outside of the house for more than six hours (this doesn't happen all that often, but essentially allows me to eat when traveling, especially on days when I'm in the car for a long time) and I'm allowed a coffee/Diet Coke/snack once a week. I will ease up during vacations and travel. I might add other caveats as I go, but my goal is to stay frugal, not miserable.
3) Save $XXX to savings account each month - Our savings account was decimated when we bought the house and by all the work we've had done or are currently doing on it. I'd like to see this account rebound in 2018. With the low buy year, I think I can do it.

Area Four: Personal Improvement Projects
1) Complete three sewing projects this year - Last year I did terribly on my sewing goals because we were moving and the room wasn't set up, but this year I have three goals. I want to finish the dress I've been working on for over a year. Even if it's terrible and I end up not wearing it, it will be done. I want to sew a quilt for the guest room. I want to sew a quilt with my mother-in-law's holiday shirts that have been given to me to do so.  (I also need to fix a button on a pair of jeans that have been sitting in the sewing room for months.) If I need to buy material to finish these projects, I can, but I need to use what I have available already if possible.

We're going to get rugs from family friends. Until then, I'm using this blanket. Low buy!

 But the sewing room is up!  A tall table has been procured. No more excuses.

2) Spend 10 minutes a day on Spanish practice - I've been doing Duolingo for almost five months now. I'd like to continue this. I also bought Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Spanish and I'm going to really try to become more fluent. 2019 might bring a Spanish class into my future, but for now I'd like to just focus on figuring out basics.
3) Complete the Book Riot Read Harder challenge this year by reading two of the books each month - I did this last year, but I didn't really start until the summer and then I felt like I rushed and I didn't always choose the best books. I think if I do it slowly and do more research about which books I choose, I can make this work. I'm a bit concerned that my sewing goals might interfere with how much reading I can do, but I'll do my best.

Area Five: The House
1) Brush Zelda at least three times a week and brush her teeth each day - She really needs to be brushed daily, but she fights it so much that I'm going to start slowly.
2) Clean the house for 10 minutes a day - This can be straightening up, dusting, vacuuming, whatever, just try and make sure there are no problem areas.
3) Water the plants twice a week - My poor plants. I neglect them horribly. I need to at least check their levels a couple times a week instead of once a month.

This seems crazy, but it all seems doable. Also, I'm on winter break right now, so of course it seems doable. We'll check in after the third quarter and see how things are really going.