19 for 2019

Oh, Happy Day and a Mid-Year Review

Links to Literacy 19 for 2019, One Little Word, Reflections in Life, Setting Goals , ,

Yesterday, Harell and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary.  19 years.  We have accomplished a lot in those 19 years.  We built a family, he built an IT company, and I built my career in education.  We both celebrated our birthdays last week as well.  We began dating when I was 22.  We have now officially been together for half of my life.  And yesterday/today is the official mid-year mark of 2019. Day 182/183 of 365.  So I thought it appropriate to take some time to reflect on the goals I set for myself at the beginning of this year.

Too many times, we set goals, or make resolutions, only to not return to them.  I want to be a little more purposeful this year. These were my 19 for 2019 in January.  As of July 1, 2019, I have crossed out the goals I have attained.

  • Minimize sugar intake
  • Increase weight when strength training
  • At least 2 weekend trips with Meg (my college BFF)
  • Plan family trip to Philly
  • Journal daily (both personally and professionally)
  • Organize home library
  • Submit proposals for 5 or more conferences (I always submit to ILA and SoMLA annually, I’d like to add a few more)
  • Write EVERY day
  • Plan a weekend at Hershey Park with my nieces and nephew (it was part of their Christmas present)
  • Connect with family and friends
  • Complete several MasterClass classes
  • Begin a daily visual gratitude journal
  • Plan family weekend trips
  • Read 119 books (my 2017 AND 2018 reading seasons weren’t pretty!)
  • Plan a weekend at the Spa at Hershey with my mom and Chloe
  • Clean out my email inbox (EEEK!!)
  • Plan monthly adult evenings out (either date nights or with other couples)
  • Lose 23 pounds (I’m putting a specific number out there, because I need to hold myself accountable!)
  • Plan family trip to Niagara Falls

You can see I have about 3/4 of my goals to work on still.  Some of them, I won’t be able to assess until the end of the year.  A few of them (specifically the health related items) I will put a laser focus on beginning this month. And a few of them, I started out strong and fizzled early in the year (journal daily, write every day, daily visual gratitude journal).  This is the time to renew my commitment to my goals and to finish this year off on a strong note!

Coincidentally, I noted in my January 2, 2019 post, that I read Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis over winter break.  I connected (my “One Little Word” for 2019) with many of the lies women tell themselves.  Interestingly enough, I am reading her follow up, Girl, Stop Apologizing while on vacation this week, mid-way through the year.  In her latest book, she challenges women to stop defining themselves in light of other people and to stop talking themselves out of their dreams.  I’ve spent a lot of time this week reflecting on the excuses I need to let go of and the behaviors I need to adopt on my path for growth.  I’m thinking about how I can finish the last half of 2019 strong and go into 2020 dreaming big!

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One Little Word for 2019

Links to Literacy 19 for 2019, Building Relationships, One Little Word, Reflections in Life , ,

Happy New Year!

I truly can’t believe that it is 2019.  As the saying goes, “The days are long, but the years are short” and nothing screams that louder to me than the fact that it is 2019.  It feels like just yesterday that I graduated high school, yet, I attended my 25th reunion in 2018.  It feels like just yesterday that I began teaching, yet I am closing out my 20th year in education in 2019. It feels like just yesterday that we were blessed with our first-born, yet he turns 16 in February and will graduate high school in two short years.  So, yes, the saying is true, “The days are long, but the years are short!”

I reflected on all of this as I began to think about my “one little word” for 2019.  I want to be sure to continue to build long-lasting relationships with people in my life, both personally and professionally.  I want to make time for the things and the people that are important to me.  I want to cherish these long days and short years with my children as much as possible. So for these reasons, the word I chose going in to 2019 is CONNECT.

This year I chose a personal symbol as well.  Chloe gave me a beautiful necklace for Christmas this year of two links hooked together.  She told me it was symbolic of our love for each other, that even when we fight, we will always be connected!  I have taken the two links hooked together as my personal symbol for this year.  I want to make connections in every facet of my life.

Yesterday, I shared my 19 for 2019 visual.  I tried to tie some of my goals for 2019 into my “one little word”.  See, making connections already!

 

Looking Back to Move Forward in the New Year: 19 for 2019

Links to Literacy 18 for 2018, 19 for 2019, Reflections in Life, Setting Goals , ,

I’m a goal setter and last year, after learning about 18 for 2018, I set 18 goals for 2018.  Now, while I pride myself on setting goals, I’m not the best at reaching all of my goals. . . yet! Today, I reflect on the goals I met, the goals I haven’t met. . .yet, and the goals I’m setting for myself for 2019.

18 for 2018

  • monitor sugar intake – During a challenge at the gym in September, I was able to successfully monitor my sugar intake for about 3 weeks.  Within those 3 weeks, I lost about 8 pounds, but more importantly, I was able to quit soda! I have not had a soda since September 18, 2018! 
  • get back in touch with creative side (craft, paint, re-purpose, etc.) I enjoyed many crafty activities in 2018, including beginning Pinterest Parties in which the participants create a craft based on a theme.    
  • weekend at Hotel Hershey (particularly the spa!) I was not able to schedule this in for 2018, so it’s on my list for 2019. 
  • create accent wall in basement We did create an accent wall out of reclaimed wood in the basement.  
  • say “yes” to my kids more I tried this, but I’m not sure I was incredibly successful! 
  • Family Fun Friday Night once a month This, unfortunately, fizzled out pretty quickly in early 2018. 
  • finish 3 puzzles and frame them Never even took the puzzles out of their boxes. 
  • bi-monthly adult evenings out We were fairly successful at this.  I forgot to keep count, but there were several times that we went out with other couples in 2018
  • plan family weekend trip to Philadelphia I wasn’t able to schedule this for 2018, so it’s on my list for 2019.
  • date night once a month We were able to get several date nights in during 2018, but I don’t think they were monthly.  
  • clean out email in-box (this is a doozy!!) I did not get to this, so it is on my 2019 list. 
  • be in touch with long-time friends I did an OK job with this, but I want to do an even better job in 2019
  • read every day (2017 was not my best reading season) I did not read every day and 2018 wasn’t my best reading season either.  I’ve set a new reading goal for 2019.
  • increase weight when strength training I started increasing the weight, but I stopped weight training regularly.  I hope to get back to it in 2019.
  • watch Big, Little Lies I binge watched the first season and hope to be able to binge watch the 2nd season when it comes out in 2019.
  • write EVERY day I was unsuccessful at this, but hope to find, no make, more time for writing in 2019.
  • create family photo albums I created one family photo album.  ONE!  
  • organize home library I was unsuccessful at this in 2018, so have added it to my 2019 goals.  

 

And here are my 19 for 2019

I hope that you are able to take some time to reflect on your 2018 and project what you would like to see in 2019.  As the ball drops tonight on another year lived, I am hopeful that you find exactly what you are looking for in the new year!