30 Day Review

It's been a month since I started (or re-started) this blog thing.  Thirty days since I posted my goals for this year.  Thirty days. . .

Let's review how I'm doing.

Home Projects: Kitchen update - While we haven't started any demo or actually purchased any materials yet, I have made some decisions on design elements.  The next step is to schedule a couple of contractors to come in and give us estimates.  I'm trying to learn not to rush things.  GRADE - B-

Fitness:  I cancelled my gym membership.  It's a good thing, cause I really needed to save that $40 a month especially since my paycheck is about $40 lighter now thanks to government tax reform.  But I have started attending a Pilates class two days a week.  So far, I'm actually enjoying it.  Well, for someone who HATES to exercise, I'm getting close to actually enjoying it.  The first 20 minutes of cardio is not too bad.  I can do most of the moves without looking like a total uncoordinated freak.  And the last 20 minutes of stretching really is enjoyable to me; even if I'm not as limber as I would like to be.  I'll get there!  It's the middle 20 minutes that is really kicking my butt!  Our teacher switches up the routines and I can tell this is the part that makes me use muscles that thought they were on permanent vacation.  They are trying to revolt.  No pain, no gain. Right?  GRADE - B

The lady who teaches the class is a personal trainer/nutritionist whom I am helping with organizational goals.  We're trading services for now.  And she has already referred my services to another of her clients, so that's helping out with my financial goals as well. 

Financial: So far, I've only started putting $50 a month into my 401K.  I need to meet with the manager of the brokerage firm to discuss changing up some things before I bump up my bank draft another $50.  Again, I know this doesn't sound like a lot, but it's an attainable goal for now. GRADE - B-

Also, I have been putting a lot of time and effort into the side business my mom and I got involved with last November.  We started a booth at our local antiques/re-sale mall.  It has been a wonderful way of letting go of  items that I no longer use to decorate my home, while recouping some cash.  I've up-cycled some of our flea market finds, as I posted about in "New Projects" and this has given me a great creative outlet as well as money making opportunities.    

Personal:  I have concentrated on making date nights with the Hubs more of a priority and trying to change things up from our usual routine.  We had an amazing time attending a local basketball tournament which I wrote about under the post "Date Night Success".  And while we have had more "regular" dates, I think we have upped our communication level another notch.  However, we have kinda slacked on pulling sticks from the date jar.   Sometimes life just happens, and you take what you can get.  GRADE - B-

Educational:  Currently, I have not taken any steps to increase my photographic skills.  I got a new i-phone a couple of weeks ago, and well, it's just so easy to take pictures with my phone and post them to Facebook, that I haven't even taken my Cannon out of it's case.  GRADE - D (for Distracted)

Dreams:  As for my blogging efforts, I'm happy to say that I'm on-track!  I have published one post for every week since January 10, the day I posted "New Year - New Goals".  Currently, I have five followers of my blog, and many of my friends and family have linked up through Facebook and given me feedback and encouragement.  It's all very exciting!   GRADE - A

But really, the most exciting thing to me is that for the first time in a long time I feel like I am being the person God has created me to be.  For the past couple of years, I have dealt with a lot of grief and anger.  So much so that I didn't feel like myself.  I felt lost.  And as such, I was paralyzed to move forward with projects or plans or dreams.  I felt like I was just existing.  I lost much of my faith and hope.  But God never let me go.  He has plans for me.  Plans for my future.  Plans that give me hope.  And though this blog, maybe I can share some of that hope.

Thanks for reading and God bless!