Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Year in Review: 2016 Goals

We are on the cusp of a new year and while my mind is totally focused on 2017 and all the exciting things it will hold (like marrying Phil!!), I want to take a little time to assess how I did on my 2016 goals.

1.  Health and Fitness

> PR at the YWCA women's triathlon.  Did not complete.  I'm not counting this against me since I couldn't have done this due to my hip surgery.

> Run a sub-4 hour marathon at Grandma's marathon.  Did not complete.  I'm not counting this against me since I couldn't have done this due to my hip surgery.

2.  Personal growth

> Identify an organization to volunteer with and volunteer on a consistent basis.  Completed! I started to volunteer in an ESL classroom for immigrants through the Minnesota Literacy Council. This has been so rewarding and I feel that I've learned more from my students that they have learned from me. I had to take a break from volunteering starting in November as I got overwhelmed by my schedule but I would like to volunteer on a monthly basis in 2017.

3.  Reading

Finish all of the books on my nook. Sort of complete. I read 3 of 4 books.  I could have read the 4th book but it didn't really interest me and I would have been reading it just for the sake of completing this goal. Life is too short to read books that you aren't really interested in. 

Read 12 physical books that I already own. Completed! 

Complete the 2016 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. Completed!  This is the last Read Harder Challenge I will do, at least for the foreseeable future. While I loved doing this challenge for the last 2 years, I've recognized that I need to read what I feel like reading instead of what I think I "should" be reading. Lord knows I have enough to-do lists in other areas of my life!

4.  Mental health

> Have one "shouldless" day a month and blog about it. Sort of complete. I managed to have 10 shouldless days this year, which is pretty good.  This is a goal I'll be keeping for 2017 as obligation-free days are so good for my soul.

All in all, not my best year in terms of completing all my goals, but I am not going to beat myself up over it.  I accomplished more than I would have if I hadn't made this list of goals.  

I'm definitely taking a different approach to my goals for 2017, which I'll be sharing next week!

Did you set any goals this year?  Did you achieve them?

14 comments:

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

I'm interested to hear your new approach to goals. I'm figuring out how to do mine but will probably stick with monthly.

I had the same feeling about the read harder challenge. Selfishly I'm happy you won't be doing it since I always like your book recommendations haha

Jeanie said...

Good for you. I'd say pretty darned good all the way around.

I'll have to look back at my January blog to see if I made any public goals. I know I did a book one -- 60. I should finish 59 today and will pick a short one! Nothing like working on deadline!

Marlys said...

I am not organized enough to make yearly goals, but have daily goals I try to meet. Life is ever changing and I don't want to feel bad if I don't accomplish all the things I should, but it is always good to have some improvement goals to work on! You are a rock star at that!

Charbelle said...

I think the fact that you had 10 shouldless days is amazing, considering how crazy life is! I also think that due to your surgery the accomplishments that you have achieved are fabulous!!! I love love love to read but I will never read a book because I feel that I "have" to, life is way too short! There are a few necessary exceptions to this but for the most part I just read what I want to.

Abby said...

You always do an amaZing job with your goals! - and the ones you didn't complete were totally out of your control due to health issues.

I didn't even set goals for 2016 because I didn't know where we would be living or what I'd be doing when we rang in 2016. Ha! So i did awesome this year ;) but I have some goals on my plate for 2017!

Linda said...

You did pretty good, friend! Proud of you.

I didn't secure sponsored travel like I dreamed (kinddd of. I had lodging covered for a weekend in a small town in exchange for a review). I did however make Spain and Miami with my parents work! Have one more book to read.

Stephany said...

I think you did a fantastic job with your goals, considering two of your biggest goals had to be put on hold due to your hip surgery. That's something you couldn't have expected to happen!

I didn't do well on my goals, so like you, I'm using a different approach in 2017. I did blow my goal of reading 75 books out of the water, I went on more dates, and I reread all but one book of Harry Potter. MEH.

katielookingforward said...

I need to read through my old posts to see if there were specific goals, but i don't think there were. I don't have big things for 2017, other than adding joy, and training (really truly training) for grandma's half marathon. I need a redemption. (in the non-biblical sense).

Carolina John said...

Hey, you did a lot of your goals this year! Well done.

Gracie said...

You definitely checked a lot off. I rarely make goals/resolutions (or at least, serious ones), but next year I do want to wrap up my MBA, run a sub-3:10 marathon, and stay injury-free. I think staying injury-free was my only real goal for 2016, but some runner's knee and my hammie shot that one down! But I was comparatively healthy, and only missed about three weeks total all year due to injury.

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

Hello post twin! I think you did a great job on working on your goals. Obviously you had a few that were beyond your control, like the running ones, but in missing out on them you became more healthy and whole and in the long run, it will be a good thing! Other than that, I am impressed that you completed the BRRHC!! I struggled with a few of the categories and really did not like some of the books I did read! Sometimes I just want to read a FUN book and not have to think too much. The same goes for the "read my own library" challenge. I just didn't want to be forced to do it when there were so many fun and new books out there! This year I am going to try this challenge again, but it will probably be more realistic, like a goal of maybe 4 instead of 12.

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

I agree, life is too short to read books you're not interested in. I used to alllllways feel like I had to finish any book I started, even if I was hating it. It was like I thought the book would feel bad, haha! I don't care about that anymore.

I had to abandon a book half way through this summer, and I really don't care how it ended.

A couple of my goals for 2016 were to get back into reading again (I used to be obsessed), and to put extra money on our mortgage. I read more this year than I had in the couple years prior, and I have a couple new books to take on vacation for this first week of January, so I'm looking forward to diving into those. We did put extra money on or mortgage this year, as well as upping the payments, and switching them to bi-weekly, so that's a win!

Amber said...

I think you did a great job on your goals this year! The fitness ones you couldn't have completed because of your hip surgery anyways. You rocked the reading goals. I am doing the Read Harder challenge again this year, didn't end up doing it last year with the craziness of moving, but I am doing it with my brother so that should be fun! I don't really have any other goals for 2017. I'd like to buy a house, save a lot of money, relax more... That's about it really!

San said...

You did a great job on your goals - some of them weren't within reach, but that wasn't your lack of commitment to them.