Still here. Chugging along after having to cancel our trip to Southeast Asia.
Now may be a good time to check in and see how those goals for 2015 are going. Don’t you hate when you set goals for yourself only to look back and realize – whoops, gotta get that shit done. I made a post at the beginning of the year of things I want to accomplish. Since we’re halfway through 2015 (!!!), I thought it would be good to check in on what I’ve done…and what I still need to work on.
Blog:
Join a blog network and expand readers
I’ve certainly expanded readers. I’m still a bit gun-shy about joining a blog network as I’ve read some things that make me hesitant. Sure, it would be great for increased readership, but often your readers are just in numbers, not necessarily loyalty, if that make sense. I was told once in a blogging seminar, it’s better to have 1000 quality, commenting followers, than 10,000 who don’t actually read your posts. I could also potentially pigeonhole myself into a particular network and I’m about as likely to stay inside the box as Miley Cyrus is at keeping her tongue in her mouth.
Gain more followers on Twitter and Facebook
Choose one medium for all my social networks
I discovered IFTTT and love it. It’s not totally ideal, but it’s a great way of pushing through specifically what I want posted from Instagram to Twitter or FB, as well as links posted on Facebook to Twitter.
Include more videos
I planned on posting videos from our trip, but not all hope is lost. I have some ideas up my sleeve.
Write more about Travel Hacking
Gain more freelance writing work
I can happily say I’ve worked on a couple of cool projects. I even created a Work With Me page so you can easily contact me with any work you’d like handled by someone sassy. (Ahem. that’d be me.)
Feature sponsored post, guest writers and perhaps open up advertisements
Guest writer: Check
Sponsored post: Ready for it!
Advertisements: Still debating.
Life:
Travel somewhere new in July
Ouch. This one hurt a bit. Technically, we should be in Cambodia today. We are taking a long weekend next weekend to somewhere new, which I’ll disclose afterwards. Officially, I will get my hand on a Mai Tai.
Read a damn book
Sorta check? I’m the worst reader. I’m too busy thinking about my To-Do list. I started reading The Happiness of Pursuit again after the hubster and I hit a massive wall of stress that lead to canceling our trip. It’s a really good book, I highly recommend it.
It gave me some ideas for my next “quest” and has my wheels spinning. I even brought my iPad to work so I could take a freakin’ break and read it during lunch. Has it happened yet? Nope. But baby steps, friends. Baby steps.
Give up TV for one month
Learn more Spanish
Haven’t used our Rosetta Stone yet, but my coworkers are really working on getting me hip to the lingo. (Does anyone actually say “hip” anymore?) They give nicknames to other people and they’re hysterical. I wonder what mine is? Probably “Muy Caliente.” For sure.
Actually, one of the benefits of reading The Happiness of Pursuit is giving me tips on learning a language in 6 months. It has reinvigorated me. Plus, I’m not starting from zero, I have basic Spanish skills from school. Bueno?
Health:
Lose 15 pounds
Meh. This is still very doable. I’m sitting pretty much at the same weight as I was at the start of the year, after losing some pounds when I got a reality check in May.
Incorporate lifting into my workouts
Check. I’ve noticed a big difference in my shoulders and thighs. I appreciate my strength so much more as an adult than when I was an awkward teenager grappling with having a very womanly body at a young age. I value my strength and my legs are really powerhouses…even if they aren’t the skinniest things.
Allow myself to buy pre-packaged meals
Check. Has made lunch at work so much easier. Pre-packed brown rice or quinoa that you can heat in the microwave is a time-saver. Uncle Ben’s and Seeds of Change are great brands.
Run 2 half marathons
1 down. 1 to go. It’s way too hot in Florida during this time of year. In fact, I don’t even know of another distance race in our area until October. I’d love to run the Las Vegas Half Marathon, but that may come up fast for me and I’m doing a good job mending my Achilles’ tendon.
Get up each morning at 6
Check-ish. Do I actually get out of bed? Sometimes? Oh well. Baby steps.
Eat less meat
Check. At the very least, our Taco Tuesdays are usually with vegetables or soy/tofu crumbles and they are dee-lish.
Let go of guilt
Check. It’s a work in progress, for sure. Not a day goes by where I don’t have to give myself a pep talk about something, but that’s okay. I can say I’m so much better than I was last year; can you imagine 2 years from now? Boo-yah.
So, I’d say I’ve done pretty darn well, right? What do you guys and gals think? How are you doing on some of your 2015 goals?