It’s a different list this year. It’s shorter. I hope it’s more doable if I only focus on three things. I didn’t do so well last year. How did you do? I hope you are better than me. Here is my September monthly update.
Walk 1000 miles. Progress: I made reasonable progress. I’ve walked 652.2 miles for the year. That leaves only 347.8 for the next 3 months. I think I can meet this goal as long as I keep up my walking routine and average over 120 miles a month, which obviously I am not doing.
Read the Bible in a year. Progress: I’m up to date. My church started this January 1. I have to admit; it has been very interesting. Even though I’ve read the whole Bible several times in my life, I always seem to discover something new.
Lose five pounds. Progress: Starting over. In July and August, I was shocked to be gaining weight practically every three days. I thought I had stabilized and hoping to lose weight again soon. At the end of September, I was up 5 pounds from what I weighed at the beginning of the year. One pound over August. Wrong way! I’m trying once again to lose weight.
So if you have a list, share it with me in the comments below. We can do this together, and hopefully, we all succeed this year. So, really, how did you do last year? And did that change your list for this year–either longer or shorter? Three months to go in the year. Yikes.
December closes out 2020. But despite it all, I did make a little progress.
COMPLETED: We did it! We made it back from our trip on October 6. So I can now mark off Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri off my map. Visit 3 states I haven’t been to before. I desire to visit every state in the United States in my lifetime.
COMPLETED: I have completed 43 books toward the 30 I plan to read this year. I finally finished the long one I was reading, but that is it. This goal will have to increase next year, or I will have to read longer books. Read 30 books.
COMPLETED: I am continuing physical therapy. However, my physical therapist gave me permission to attempt driving. So on February 19 my husband road along as I drove. We went on the freeway very briefly, mainly driving in town. Since then I have driven several times by myself. This was probably my most important goal since it has given me the freedom that has brightened up my days. Drive by myself.
COMPLETED: I had my BAHA (bone attached hearing aid) surgery on July 22. On August 20 I received the outside portion of my implant. It was with great joy that I realized I could hear my husband speaking to me on the way home from that appointment. I’m still getting used to this, but as time goes on I think I will adapt to it a bit better. I didn’t regain any hearing in my ear, but I have the ability to feel like I am hearing in my left ear. All options have been pursued. To have the hearing in my left ear improved to 30% or all options pursued. Another result of my brain tumor surgery.
FAILED: We got it quite close, but not complete. I could blame this on my mom dying and me losing a lot of my free time, but I had a whole year and I have to accept that we didn’t complete it. We put the grass in the front yard. Sprinklers are in. Some of the plants are in. Have our front and back yard landscaping completed so we can enjoy them.
COMPLETED: Unfortunately, this has been completed. Since my mom died, I ended up with her car, a newer version of mine. My husband organized things so that I can park it in the garage. Clean up/organize our garage so I can park in the garage.
FAILED: The weight roller coaster continues. Honestly, if it were a roller coaster it would be bigger changes. Sadly I have been eating too much. Stress never helps. I am now up 3.5 pounds for the year. Honestly, I was not determined enough to succeed. Lose 10 lbs.
COMPLETED: It feels great to no longer have any house or car payments. Pay off all debt. This was on my list for last year and I came close, but not quite.
COMPLETED/SORT OF: I have finished one baby quilt completely. I have two others at the quilters to have them quilted. I will receive them back in late January. At that time I will need to trim them and add the binding. So honestly, they are not complete. However, I did make two baby blankets that were super simple to make. So overall I think I’ve done enough work, but I should have started this earlier. Begin and finish three baby quilts.
FAILED: I was not very committed to this. In emptying out my mom’s house I found a Bible that my mother’s parents and siblings gave to my great grandmother and a bound book of the family ancestor on mom’s mom’s side. She had told me she had it, but she was unable to find it. I am now in contact with another cousin. We are trying to figure out her upline of relatives. She is adopted and knows her birth father’s name and thanks to 23andMe her great great grandfather, who was my great-grandfather’s brother. I love trying to solve a mystery. This can be so exciting. I have been in contact with a second cousin. This is one of my last things on my mind, hence it is not going quickly. I have started typing up my history on one side. Ancestry: Tie at least 10 more people that are my second or third cousins to my family tree.
December was somewhat productive, but I am ending up with 3 fails. I don’t think I was really committed to the goals that I failed this year. If you have goals set, don’t give up on yourself either. We have the time to do it if we put in the effort. Commitment is so important when you are trying to accomplish anything.
So let me know how 2020 went as far as accomplishing your goals. Have you set up goals for 2021? You can do it! Please comment below on how your 2020 went.
PROGRESS: This is subject to the Coronavirus. I have visited AAA, of which I am a member, to pick up maps to assist me in making my plans. At this time the states I hope to be visiting are Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Plans are finalized, except for making hotel reservations. The flight is booked. The nights we are staying in our timeshare are booked. Visit 3 states I haven’t been to before. I desire to visit every state in the United States in my lifetime.
COMPLETED: I have completed 31 books toward the 30 I plan to read this year.
COMPLETED: I am continuing physical therapy. However, my physical therapist had given me permission to attempt driving. So on February 19 my husband road along as I drove. We went on the freeway very briefly, mainly driving in town. Since then I have driven several times by myself. This was probably my most important goal since it has given me the freedom that has really brightened up my days. Drive by myself.
PROGRESS: I was scheduled to have my surgery on July 22. It was so much nicer than the first surgery. Easy recovery. I still have my glued stitches that itch, but I’m supposed to leave them alone. On August 20 I will receive the outside portion of my implant. Then I will learn how to use it and see how successful it was. To have the hearing in my left ear improved to 30% or all options pursued. Another result of my brain tumor surgery.
PROGRESS: We put the grass in the front yard. Sprinklers are in. The planters are in process, but not quite done. We have harvested a lot of things and even have hope we might get a few watermelons out there. We ate our first watermelon. It was ok, not spectacular – 27 lbs. Have our front and back yard landscaping completed so we can enjoy them.
PROGRESS: My husband had made a little progress on this. None since then. Clean up/organize our garage so I can park in the garage.
PROGRESS: I have lost four pounds in May. This would be exciting, but I haven’t been feeling 100%, eating less, so I hope that I can maintain it. As suspected, I didn’t maintain that in June. Only down two pounds. Maintained that two pounds in July. Lose 10 lbs.
COMPLETED: It feels great to no longer have any house or car payments. Pay off all debt. This was on my list for last year and I came close, but not quite.
PROGRESS: I have finished one baby quilt. I went fabric shopping before our governor wanted us to always wear masks, so oops, that was more enjoyable than it could have been. Begin and finish three baby quilts.
PROGRESS: I have been in contact with a second cousin. This is really one of my last things on my mind, hence it is not going quickly. I have started typing up my history on one side. Ancestry: Tie at least 10 more people that are my second or third cousins to my family tree.
July was productive. Finishing the one quilt has gotten me more excited about the others. I have exceeded my goal of reading books. Maintained my weight, but didn’t lose anything. I’m not giving up yet. If you have goals set, don’t give up on yourself either. We have the time to do it if we put in the effort.
