January Goals Review

Happy Friday and Happy February!!

World Wide Web Accountability, Month One.  :)  This was in my email this morning from Laura Vanderkam and I thought it was appropriate:

There were several weeks when, if I hadn’t had to check in with my accountability partner, I would have skipped it. But the idea of sending an email saying “I failed” really bugged me. That, indeed, is the point of an accountability partner. No one wants to look like a failure in front of people whose opinions they value. So I wrote my words. Eventually the miracle of progress takes over, when motion begets more motion, and it’s easier to keep going.

So true, isn't is?  So often the first step is the hardest.  The motion of actually pulling out of a nice warm bed while the rest of the house still sleeps.  Picking up that first piece of paper that will begin the clearing off process.  Motion truly begets more motion.

And now onto a recap of my goals and a summary of how I did with each one.  Feel vulnerable?  Nah...not at all!  :)

*Read Through the Bible in a Year.  I've kept up with this and am actually REALLY enjoying it.  I first pictured myself doing it with notebook and pen in hand, but I've instead taken it "on the go" and am mainly just reading it for pleasure.  M-F I read on my phone while I throw the tennis ball to the dog after dropping the girls off at school and on the weekends its while I'm waiting at basketball, etc.

I found a great reading plan that is chronological.  Gotta admit, Job was a little rough to get through...42 chapters seemed just a little excessive to me for what it is....hope that's not too sacrilegious to say.

It is incredible how many times I've "bumped into" references to the passages and stories I've read this month.  Helps the message I'm seeing, hearing, reading to be more personal, almost like God is speaking to me.  Hmmm.
*Memorize 24 scriptures this year, broken down to 2/month.  I memorized 2 Corinthians 10:5 & John 15:8...love having scripture swirling around in my head!

Still need to pick a February 1 verse, ah...soon!

*Declutter one room each month.  The kitchen was my first victim.  The oven mitts I've held onto for years because I'm "supposed" to have them are gone, tupperware tamed, pans with broken handles...adios!  I tried to cleanse with the thought, is this important/special/useful enough for me to pack it and unpack it?

*Answer my family with a smile.  Again, this is hard to measure, but I felt like I was at least aware of it the entire month.  If I had some guts, I'd just ask my kids how they think I've been responding.  Ha!

*Read Two Books Each Month.  I read How Huge the Night, by Heather Munn and Whispers on Shadow Bay, by Raquel Byrnes and Undaunted by Christine Caine.  It surprised me that I got through two fiction novels, but its amazing how much you can read when you're on the treadmill or elliptical for an hour or two at a time!

I'd say all three are worth reading.  I hesitate to do book reviews because I tend to read the reviews on Amazon and the negative gets ingrained in my head and I don't approach the book in the same way.

Both fictions are "Christian" but not in the annoying kind of way.  Shadow Bay was a mystery and I burned through that one quickly.

Undaunted was inspiring and challenging and much of my (hard) copy is underlined...I may share some in a separate post.

I've been using the Kindle app on my iPad (perfect for the gym!) and have been using THIS new site to alert me to FREE ebooks.  I subscribed to it, so once a day I get an email with a list of free and very cheap books.  You just have to jump on them quickly because they don't last much more than a day.

*Run a Half-Marathon and a Full-Marathon.  I am registered for the Ocean's Run Half Marathon (doesn't that have a nice ring to it?) in RI in March.  I debated about doing training during tax season, cause, to a large degree, I'm a one-woman show.

But, I tweaked my training schedule to make my long runs happen on Monday instead of the weekend. And so far, its been ok.  When I did my 11-mile long run this past Monday, I got up before 4 AM to make it happen.

Honestly, its been great training in January.  Its typically a month that I slack off a little because its COLD and DARK.  But having a training schedule to adhere to has been great motivation!

I've been battling an achilles tendon injury, so I've also added in yoga and  extra stretching to my routine.  I've also had to rest or do the elliptical or, horrors, the bike, more than I wanted.  Trying to learn to embrace yoga and giving myself grace.  :)


At Shaun's urging, I also went to a running store and got fitted for shoes.  I didn't shop based on brand, color or price....imagine that!

I also did a free session with their resident sports medicine person, which was very helpful.  And, I just finished up a two-day workshop on the body.  I continue to read and research and do the right things.



Total miles run in January: 72


*Write 52 notes of encouragement, thanks, thinking of you.  Five notes written this month.

*Clear off my desk each evening.  20 evenings I did this and 31 evenings I was aware that I should. Progress!

*Spend 15 minutes a day working on a project.  Honestly?  I knew this would be challenging for me.  Why?  No idea....I just need to make the habit.  I firmly believe in the power of a 15-minute time slot.  Its SO much time if you are being deliberate and focused. 

This month, I did it 10 different days.  LAME!  Embarrassing!  On more than one day I did more than one 15-minute session, but my point is to do a little EACH day, not cram it all into one big project.

*At least two date nights/month.  We had one date night and one date morning.