Goals for 2012

Howdy Friends! Happy New Year! 


I am sorry for my absence. The past two months have been hectic to say the least. I did two 10ks, went to New York, went to Maui, and had house guests. I also have been sick three times (!!!!) once with a cold, once with a weird food poisoning that lasted for over a week, and now, since Thursday, sick with a combo virus / bacterial issue that is basically like a bad cold and flu combined! Not too mention, holiday parties, friends, and work has been super busy too. So between all of that activity...I didn't really have time to blog. Over the first few months of the New Year I plan to blog about all of the vacations I took this year as well as all of the races that I did. 


As we march into the New Year I have reflected on my goals for the year, and truly could not be more proud of myself. I don't set resolutions because they sound so contrived. Goals are much more fitting for me, and the beginning of the year is a good time for me to set them. There were some things last year (mainly money focused) that were beyond my control that I didn't complete, but for the most part, I surpassed my goals! What a feeling! 


There were lots of personal relationship changes in my life in 2011, all of which were really painful. Some of those changes were for the better and made me learn and grow, some of those changes just plain hurt and I am still bewildered by. Changes are a part of life, and as I have said before, without change, we never grow.


Let's reflect:


Here is my post from that time: http://platosplate.blogspot.com/2011/01/farewell-2010.html (Lots of this had to do with Aaron who we all know is not in my life anymore, but lots of these things apply to me and me only. Strangely enough, I always write my goals on a pretty piece of paper to put on my medicine cabinet and look at every morning. When I transcribed the goals from this blog to the paper, I took out anything to do with Aaron and made them all about me....just as personal goals should be.)


Here were my goals for 2011 and my results below each one. 
#1 Get out of debt, save a certain amount, and make a certain amount. (Those amounts are private...ahem).
I did not meet my financial goals this year. The economy sucks. But, for having a new business in a general recession, I did not do too shabby. I pay my mortgage and bills and can afford vacations and shopping, etc.
#2 Visit my sister in NYC, and take a trip to Seattle or Portland and perhaps Texas to visit my step dad.
Well, I visited my sister in  NYC twice. I did not make it to the Northwest or Texas, but I went to Maui twice, took a weekend trip to Julian, and went to San Francisco 2 times. Although I didn't get to some of the destinations I wanted to, I would say I traveled QUITE a bit. 
#3 Blog once a week.
Well, I didn't quite meet this one either. But I didn't do too bad. I think I blogged about 35 times, which is almost every week. I just don't think it's realistic for me to blog once a week. 
#4 Eat a wholesome, healthy, vegan diet 80% of the time, and it's ok if 20% of the time I eat fish or dairy products.
I definitely stuck to this one. It might have been more like 75/25% but I did great in my book.
#5 Read 25 books.
I read 26! Take that! I am REALLY proud of this one. Reading enriches my life in so many ways, and I just couldn't be prouder that I backed away from the TV and read, a lot.
#6 Run a 10k! (Ahh! Did I really just put that out into the world?)
Not only did I do a 10k, I did 2 10ks! And I did a 5k....and I did THREE SPRINT TRIATHLONS!!! This is the one I am most proud of. I am actually getting a bit teary eyed thinking about it. There is nothing you can't do when you put your mind to it. 
#7 STOP INTERRUPTING PEOPLE. It's super annoying. 
Well, I think I made some headway (I guess I need to ask other people about their opinion on this) but it will continue to be a goal of mine moving into the New Year.
#8 Make my focus on being active: Do yoga, run, bike, walk, just be more fit overall.
Umm...see #6. Not only did I run, bike and yoga'd my brains out...I also swam...and sometimes did all 4 on one day! WHO AM I???? Not only did I complete all those races, I made some great friends in the process, joined the San Diego Triathlon Club...and lost over 20 pounds. I also hiked quite a bit which is fabulous. I still can't tell ya'll how great it feels.
#9 Simplify. Get rid of more stuff. No one needs 80 pairs of shoes.
This is another goal I KILLED. My closet looks like a photograph. Every drawer is organized. I took about 10 car loads of stuff to the Goodwill to donate. BOO-YA. The only problem is I replaced lots of clothes...see #8...I lost over 20 pounds! I had to buy a new wardrobe. But, I might have gone a bit overboard...and this did not help with goal #1. 
#10 Continue to grow artistically. More photography and other art forms.
This is one that I did not touch. I lost interest in photography because my camera sucked, and with all the training I did, I really didn't have much time to do art work. Back on the list it goes!


All in all, a great year. Moving on to 2012:
#1 Get out of debt, save money, make a certain (private) amount of money.
#2 Blog when you are inspired to. Blog when you have a trip to talk about, a recipe to share, an inspiring story to pass  on. Don't feel guilty when you don't blog. You have a busy life!
#3 Eat a vegan diet 80% of the time. Drink more green juice and more green smoothies.
#4 Read 25 books. (I am keeping it the same as last year because there are a couple of really long books I want to read this year...like Anna Karina and a few other behemoths)
#5 Do a half marathon! 
#6 Do an Olympic distance triathlon!
#7 Learn to listen better. If you do that, you won't interrupt people so much.
#8 Find time to meditate and self reflect. A calm mind=a calm body and soul.
#9 Travel to a place new that you have never been to before.
#10 Learn to stop judging yourself. Others see you as you see yourself.
#11 Find your way back to photography...you have a nice new camera! Thanks Dad!


Lots of my goals this year are more philosophical. One thing I did not do well in 2011 was "stop to smell the roses". I was running from here to there (figuratively and literally) and rarely found time to sit down. I need to take time for self reflection. That might help prevent me from getting sick! I was sick more times than I could count this past year, way more than ever before. Not ok. Being healthy is much more fun! 


Happy New Year. I hope you meet all of your goals this year!