S7: E135 Yearly Goals: Reviewing 2020 and Setting 2021

Season 7 Episode 135 Yearly Goals: Reviewing 2020 and Setting 2021

We have finally left 2020 behind us and it’s the first day of 2021. We can truly say that hindsight is 20/20. Hallelujah! It was a doozy for sure. This past year I set 20 goals for 2020. If you want a full rundown of how each goal was met or not met I’ll have that info on the blog soon. I’m going to share how a few of my goals went during this unexpected year and a few goals I’m working towards for the 2021 year. I always take the month of January to ‘test out’ my goals for the new year and solidify exactly what I want to continue working on for the remainder of the 11 months. The first month is like a trial period that gives me the chance to see what I’ve over-estimated to be able to occur each day or week and a chance to see what other goals might be fun to try. 

 To hear my goals and more info about how I set them, check out the bonus episode on January 1, 2019 and episode 74, which came out on January 1, 2020. I’ll share the goals in three categories: the one I didn’t achieve to any capacity, the ones I worked on, but didn’t complete, and the goals I completed. One of my goals was to create a new website and this never went anywhere last year. I spent January and early February looking at different plans and trying to figure out exactly what we wanted to spend financially on a site. I needed a better idea of my text scheme and font scheme. I needed a better idea of the brand I wanted to create. And the direction I wanted to go with everything. It was too much at the time so I just gave up. I’ve added this goal to 2021 and am returning to it with a better idea of where I want to head with my ideas. 

 A few goals I worked on, but didn’t get far with: Going ‘live’ on Instagram every Monday. Maybe I did this twice? It lacked definition and purpose. Going ‘live’ to do what? Leading three workshops - did two. Could have pushed myself to do a third, but didn’t. I wanted to read 52 books this year - one each week. I did read 41 books. A win for sure, but not a win because I didn’t read as many as I wanted to. For 2021 I’m specifying books by genres and lowering the number of books, but upping the quality. Choosing to aim for 25 books. And trying something I heard on The Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft. They have done a season focused on an author’s writings so I’m going to try that! I love classic books so I’m going to do Winter with L.M. Montgomery reading the Anne of Green Gables books, Spring with Jane Austen, Summer with the Brontes - Emily and , and figuring out which classic author’s works to read in the Fall. If you have an idea for it, share! 

 Other goals that didn’t have staying power included only eating chocolate for special occasions - I still get at least one piece a day during the week - and waking up at 5:15 to do a favorite morning routine. When COVID came around I found myself waking up later and later instead of maintaining a consistent early morning routine. In 2021 I want to find a morning routine that provides time to stretch, read my Bible, and eat breakfast.

So in total I didn’t start on one goal and didn’t complete five goals. BUT - and note that I am an Enneagram 3 when I say this and that I’ve been making systems for years and years to make goals achievable and desirable for myself - things that I want to do because I’m happy about them and they are things that bring joy to my life - even with the year we had I still was able to fulfill 14 of the goals I set out to do. These goals included mixing up my breakfast meals, cooking a dinner for our family once a week using the Magnolia Table cookbook, working out 4x a week and running a total of over 500 miles over the year, continuing to create podcast episodes consistently, completing my Kodaly certification, doing a bible study - ended up online instead of in-person at church, buying significantly less clothing because let’s be honest - I lived in my favorite grey hoodie and jeans at least 80% of the year...

The biggest goal I set this past year was to write a book. I shared in January last year that this was the goal I was putting out there for accountability and I am so so excited to share that I did it. My final day of writing was on New Year’s Eve - yesterday. There’s plenty of editing and formatting and finishing up ahead of me, BUT the words on the page and it’s well on its way to finality. So I’m moving this goal along and with the help of Sarah Gulish and her company F-Flat Books I can’t wait to publish with them in February. I’ll be sharing more as things move along. So this goal is continuing into the new year to become the goal of publishing the book! A few other goals I’m working on this year include: Running 500 miles over the year - reach goal of 600 miles for the year (roughly 50 miles each month) Traveling to see my brother Jon and his family since my trip to see them last year was cancelled Presenting 10 times this year - virtual or in-person Continuing to spend time doing things I enjoy without feeling guilty about it - Netflix shows crosswords, and puzzles.   

I absolutely love hearing your goals so please share them with me on Instagram @highafternoonti. I love cheering you on! Happy New Year everyone - it’s going to be amazing!