things I’m doing this year - Q1 updates
Aka: oof Q1
For a year all about steadiness, the first three months were full of bumps (COVID, injuries, caretaking, post-COVID exhaustion, so much grey weather)… but, onwards and upwards?
1 find some hobbies. I’ve lost track of all my interests after a few years of constant caretaking. Here’s to books and biking and baking and other things that aren’t as alliterative! Well, not a total wash. I’ve been reading and writing on the regular, made a new pie, started planning my garden and next bread adventure, and found some ways to get back out in the world that I’ll be going for.
2 hang stuff in the house. My guy loves minimalist bare walls; I love pictures and art and memories. This is the year we find a middle ground. Not YET, but still moving forward on the decluttering to make this an exclamation point on a big project
3 cut my phone screen time by 50%. I distract myself and waste so much time doomscrolling. I need to get a handle on it. This one feels the most aspirational, tbh, but it’s time to try. Yeah, not so much. My screentime is shameful. But, working on some new daily routines to start breaking bad habits.
4 buy clothes I can wear outside of the house. I have one pair of jeans right now. I wear sneakers everywhere. I have 2 work outfits I wear into the building the two days I go in. I need to get my gumption up and start shopping. As a baby step towards this, I am actively trying on clothes to figure out what my style is. However, I will need to buy clothes as the weather warms up after spending last summer in leggings and t-shirts I cut/hacked into scoop necks and tank tops.
5 complete a 5k happy. I’ve stress sprinted a big crowd one before. I’ve walked a 5k before. However, I’ve never ran / jogged / slogged one and felt good at the end. Mind you, I’ve also never consistently ramped up to do something like this. If it happens, long time win won. My plantar issues and post-COVID heart drama put this on pause – but, I’m back building a base and hope to build to this for late-summer/fall
6 listen to music at least once a week. I listen to podcasts in the car or I drive in silence to clear my mind. Same when I walk. But I miss music!! Intentional listening time each week will hopefully make it a habit. I’ve been listening to music for one of my commutes each week! I even have a playlist called “2023 songs for me” that brings me so much joy!
7 get Lil’ Momma a real bookcase in her room. Stacks of books everywhere (like her momma) could be organized by moving one of the many bookcases we have throughout our house. We have started cleaning out and reorganizing her room – but, it’s going bit by bit as we need to find a new dresser before we can get the bookcase in there
8 ride a bike each week. Riding a bicycle was my pandemic saving grace and it brings me such joy (as do classes on the Peloton). Here’s to doing more of that regularly. So, this obviously didn’t happen. Amending this to “52 (or more) bike rides in 2023”
9 monthly dates. Even if it’s as simple as dinner on the deck and a board game. I want to get back to connecting now that life is less reactive. I am shocked, but we’ve done this. It will only get harder, tho, as our babysitter leaves for the summer in early June. However, we will be creative and make it happen!
10 find a dentist. ugh, just need to get it done. Found one; just need to CALL them (yikes)
11 decorate my office. I’m 90% through cleaning out the pandemic-forced work from home space that was our extra bedroom and toy jail; but, once it’s clean, I need to make it “me” and a space I can have ideas in. If anything, it’s gotten MORE chaotic, sigh.
12 send a real card each month. Totally skipped my mind. Amending to “reach out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while each month” which I’ve done
13 go on 3 family vacations. They don’t have to be big or even out of state - but we need to go see the world and spend time in different spaces. Trip #1 is coming up…
14 find a photo storage solution. I live in fear of my iPhone / iCloud going belly up and losing all my pictures of Lil’ Momma and her life. There are so many solutions out there; I just need to pick one and go from there. SO overwhelming (hides head in sand)
15 blog (and comment) weekly. I miss writing and I’m such a lurker on so many interesting and awesome sites. I hope to continue on this little adventure I’ve started! Yay! I’m doing this!
16 get deck furniture. We redid our deck last year, but putting more money into furniture felt like too much after the cost of materials. But I want a table we can eat at and an umbrella, so fingers crossed for off season sales. We have been looking for deals and hope to wrap this up in May.
17 I’m working with a nutritionist / mindset coach. I’d like to see this through and be more comfortable with what and how I eat, and feel confident in myself again. Doing great work here and feeling amazing about my next steps/challenges
18 read 42 books. I spent the first half of my life spending more time with books than people. I don’t want to go back to that, haha, but I’d like to get back to reading and plan to put my library card to good use. I am a little behind (COVID and my procrastination around books I’m not enjoying slowed me), but loving the book I am on right now and hope to ride that energy for a bit!
19 take my girl on surprise adventures. On my birthday, Lil’ Momma was sad because she went to school while her dad took me out for the day. After dinner, I stood up and said “let’s go!”; she and I took off and went shopping and she was just so excited and shocked we were doing that at 6 PM on a Tuesday. I want to do more of that, spend more time with her, and make her days. LM and I have been doing random snack, library, and dinner dates and it’s just filling this momma’s heart.
20 walk (outside as much as possible). My anxiety and capacity and procrastination keep me from walking in the woods. So, if it’s 40* and dry, I’m going to walk outside as much as I can (and when that feels too much, my treadmill is there waiting for me). See above about the stupid foot and COVID nonsense; however, back at it since I’m training for this 8-mile hike later this year.
21 (new as of April 2023) Find joy in the trying. When testing out new habits or routines or activities, I only see where I’ve messed up or didn’t get the results I’d hoped vs. being able to celebrate the attempt. Not as much through the lens of accountability, but to celebrate the trying and work I put in even if it’s not perfect.
22 coming July 2023*
23 coming October 2023*
Wow, not as bad as I thought (which might mean #21 might be working for me HAHA)! How was the first part of your year? Any redirections you’re thinking of making?
Oh my goodness Lindsay, I LOVE this post. I love the things you've chosen for the year, I love reading about your progress. All of it. Just such a great read and you're doing amazing!
ReplyDeleteI had to smile at this: Complete a 5k happy. I’ve stress sprinted...
Totally get this. I've finished a few 5Ks happy, and even finished a 10K happy...but I stopped running all winter and now it's time to ramp up again. I WANT to do it, but I'm also dreading getting over the initial hump of soreness and sweating and ugh. But I do like to run and one of my goals is to run 10K. It would be a happy bonus if I end with a smile on my face, not a grimace.
Love the spontaneous dates. Definitely a fav for me as a mom, but something I often forget about.
I have so many other thoughts, my head is spinning. Music is one of my BEST mood boosters and I go out of my way to listen to music I love daily. It really makes such a difference for me.
I hear you on the screen time, too. Such a hard balance because I do need to use it for work, I also WANT to use it for fun things like photos and podcasts and music and Wordle...but it's so easy to get sucked in...
And finally (though I feel like I could write more), kudos on the blogging. I love coming here to read about your life <3
You so made my day with this comment <3 and, truly a challenge as I try to navigate my mom's taxes haha sigh! Your blog was such an inspiration for me to get back to writing and it truly reminds me to take those moments for me with this (the blog and the list). Such a gift!!
DeleteI always admire people so much with their absolute brutal honesty in evaluating their progress. The "totally skipped my mind" made me laugh because that happened to me with some of my quarterly goals and as I was writing up the recap I just wondered what I was even thinking when I set it! Oh, well, we prioritize what we prioritize, right?
ReplyDeleteI need to listen to music more, too. I tend to just put on podcasts when I'm working out or walking the dog, but music does more to put a pep in my step, so I'm going to emulate you and try to listen to music at least once a week when I'm walking the dog!
I became so obsessed with podcasts that it's like I forgot about music! But, it's for sure a different type of walk or drive when I have songs vs. someone else's conversation in my ears.
DeleteOh my gosh, I love that you are having so much fun doing little surprise visits with your kiddo! What a wonderful goal.
ReplyDeleteNumber 14 is something I really need to think about and do something about. I am SO AFRAID of losing all my photos. But the very idea of organizing them is SO DAUNTING.
I'm really sorry that the health stuff has led to setbacks. It's so frustrating. I hope you find relief soon.
Thank you for the kind words! And the reminder to keep looking into photo solutions. It's so overwhelming and I just keep TAKING MORE and I don't want to stop, but I need to figure something out....
DeleteYes, I would say you're doing well! Most of these things you've accomplished or at least started, and the ones you haven't made progress on, you at least seem optimistic of progress in the future. #15 is going especially well- you've been commenting and posting regularly. Starting and maintaining a blog can be a lot of work, and you're nailing it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the boost, Jenny! I’m further than I usually am in the year, so I’m cautiously hopeful!
DeleteI am a relatively new reader (followed you over here from Elisabeth's blog) but I love how honest you are in your assessment of how you're doing in reaching your goals. I also appreciate the shifts that you made for goals that were not working for you. I worry about photos too... including whether/how to ensure that family members' photos are shared among us, so that we don't lose access. Looking forward to learning what you choose to do.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment, Anne! And, apologies for the late response - I’m a mess this week! I really am trying to be both more honest and accountable - I love a good goal and something to work towards, but it’s so easy to get distracted with how busy everything is. An example is how that photo item has been haunting me for years, sigh.
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