2014 Goals: Update!

I have no idea what happened to me this winter- the weather has completely taken every extra ounce of energy out of me! This past week has been a little warmer, bringing weather that's more expected this time of year. Honestly, I'll take the rain and the cloudy days over another snow storm. It means we're one step closer to sunny skies and days at the beach.

All the ice gets pushed up against the rocks.

But enough small talk. At the beginning of the year, I wrote a post that listed some of the goals that I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. Some of them were goals that I wanted to become habits (like getting used to exercising a certain number of minutes each week), and others were fun things that I want to do in my lifetime. My blog brings a certain level of accountability to my life and I wanted to tap into that today and give an update on how those goals are doing!

1. Get at least 60 minutes of physical exercise a week.
I will admit that I let this one go at the beginning of March. I was doing well until a few weeks ago when I got sick and gave up my workout for a few days. I'm telling you, that's all it takes! So, I'm making a point to get back into the swing of things. In fact, after this post is published, I'm going to do some yoga.

2. Learn a new language.
French is the language I had in mind when I started this round of goal-setting. I have been using an eresource through my local library called Mango Languages that allows you to learn a new language with online courses. These include activities, conversational practice, and cultural insight. It's such fun! My next step is to try and find a "pen pal" who would be willing to email me and help me speak that way. Check with your local library to see if this resource is available to you!

3. Pay off one of our bigger student loans.
It's still early in the year so this hasn't happened yet. However, as of a few weeks ago, my husband (who is a budget wizard) and I came up with a financial plan for us that would allow us to pay off all of our combined school debt in 3.5 years based on our current income. I cannot tell you how excited I am that this can happen in less than 5 years.

4. Successfully bake a batch of French macarons. 
Still haven't gotten around to doing this year, but I promise, you'll hear about it when I do!

5. Get better at not comparing my life to the lives of those around me.
This is another one of those goals that I want to become a habit in my life. I've seen some improvement lately and I'm glad about that, but this is something that I will be striving for every single day.

6. Read 100 books.
Currently, I've read 34 out of 100 books. According to Goodreads, I'm 10 books ahead of schedule. Hehe.

7. Complete at least 5 things off of my 25 Before 25 list.
So far, I've completed 3 items off of said list:
Spend the night in Chicago: Luis and I spent the night in Chicago in November and it was such an amazing experience. It felt so good to get away for a few days and see the city just because. It's amazing how refreshing those little experiences can be to your life.

Go to a concert/play: In late February, we went to go see The Phantom of the Opera in the city with some friends. I have been dreaming of doing this since I first heard the music at age 15!

Take a class just for fun: Incidentally, my goal of learning a new language fits perfectly with this goal. 

How have your 2014 goals progressed? Have they? Haven't they? I'd love to hear about it!

2014: Direction

As I sat down to write about my goals and intentions for this upcoming year, the word "direction" popped into my head suddenly. I realized that this word truly encompassed what I need to see in my life in 2014.

Last year, so many great things happened. At the same time, it was a very difficult year for many, many reasons. Looking back, the major thing I lacked was direction. After I graduated college, I jumped at the first job that offered itself to me and it turned out to be a major disaster. I tried a few other things before I finally landed the two jobs I have now (which are amazing and right where I need to be!). Working as a teen librarian has really set me and my husband in a direction that we both need to be heading. I feel really positive about this year because it's already starting out 100% different than the last. We are in a better place in just about every area of our lives and I am so incredibly thankful for that. So, choosing this word will serve as a guide and inspiration to shape my decisions and attitude in the upcoming year; it will help me be mindful of observing and managing my direction.

That being said, I've always stuck to things when I wrote them down somewhere. I always kept a journal growing up, and would flip through the pages often to remind myself of what I had said I was going to do or try to accomplish. While I don't normally set "New Years Resolutions" each year, I felt it was the next logical step if my "word" was direction. Goals often yield direction, so here are a few of my goals for this upcoming year.

Get at least 60 minutes of physical exercise a week. I know this is a cliche of all cliches, but for me, achieving this (tiny) amount of exercise is extremely important. It's not about looking a certain way, or even maintaining a specific body type- it's about prevention and wellness. Exercise keeps me in control of my body and also keeps me accountable for how I am taking care of myself. Physical activity gives me the energy I need to live the life I need to live.

Learn a new language. All throughout high school and college, I took Spanish classes, so I feel like I have a pretty decent grasp on it. I also took a course on French in college and it came so naturally to me. So I've decided that by the end of the year, I want to have a solid grasp on the French language. It's such a musical language, beautiful and expressive, and I feel like I need more of those two things in my life. Allons-y!

Pay off one of our bigger student loans. This is really high on our list of things to accomplish this year and will require a lot of willpower and fortitude to accomplish. Last year, I paid off all of the credit card debt I had (which, admittedly, wasn't much, but it still feels good!). Doing this will, naturally, allow us to achieve other long-term financial goals that we have as a couple.

Successfully bake a batch of French macarons. It will be done this year!

Get better at not comparing my life to the lives of those around me. I know this will add greatly to my happiness.

Read 100 books. I've goaled myself to read 100 books this year. That should be easy seeing as I work as a librarian, but I don't think I've ever counted how many books I read. Reading in college was impossible because I already had to ingest so much other material, so I've really been catching up these days.

Complete at least 5 things off of my 25 Before 25 list. I was happy to see that I've already accomplished 2 items on this list, but seeing as I turn 24 in about two months, I gotta get moving!

I'd love to hear some of your 2014 goals. What are you hoping to accomplish this year?