Setting some S.M.A.R.T Goals for 2019

In 2018, I didn’t sit down and come up with specific goals for the year. So, it should come as no surprise that I feel like I didn’t really move forward in most areas of my life last year. I’m not disappointed about that as I spent most of the year trying to find a new balance between being a mom, working more, and still finding time to train. As we roll into 2019, I feel like I made some good progress on life management, so now I’d like to start moving forward again. To that end, I’m returning to the style of goal planning I used for several years before 2018.

Running

1. Run 5-10 “local” races. I know that in the spring I would like to run my favorite four mile race again, I’m going to try to get into the MCM 17.75K, I’ve already signed up for the National Women’s Half again, and I plan to find at least one other spring half marathon. In the fall, I’ll have Ragnar Sunset and probably the Marine Corps Marathon. (I keep trying to quit it, but…)
2. Rebuild my base. I am finally running pain free, but I’ve lost my run mojo. I need to start building back up to distances that will sustain a half marathon on a whim. To that end, I’m adding mileage to both my long run and my overall miles each week.
3. Add at least one state to my 50 states quest. I thought I was going to be able to manage more, but so far have not found a multi-state option for the spring. Fall doesn’t work since I will be traveling for four ZOOMA races and that’s about all the “away” weekends I can handle.
4. Run my first Ultra. This was supposed to happen in 2018, but it just wasn’t in the cards. So now it’s time to find the right race and get crackin’ on the training. I’m hoping to find the perfect race for late spring, as I know my fall will be crazy. But if that doesn’t happen, I may look for something after the ZOOMA race season ends.

Fitness/Physical Health

1. Get consistent with Faster Way to Fat Loss again.  I followed this plan for most of 2018, but after the Marine Corps Marathon, I pretty much fell apart. I stopped paying attention to what I was eating and pretty much only lifted weights once a week. And I’m feeling the difference in my running, in my core, and in how my clothes fit.
2. Start using my Instant Pot at least once a month. I’ve only used it a handful of times since I got it, and mostly as a slow cooker. I need to get it out again and try the recipes that all of my friends are swearing by. I’m bored with our current recipe rotation – time to add some new stuff!
3. Continue to replace the products we use on a daily basis with healthier choices. I’ve already replaced many of my skin care products with Beautycounter with great results. I’m slowly replacing my frying pans with safer options now that I have the new stove. I’d like to find safer options (that still work well) for cleaning, dishwashing, and laundry. I’ll be the first to admit, though, that this is a long game, not a bunch of immediate changes.
4. Get back on track with my sleep. I did well for a while at going to sleep at 11pm, regardless of whether the work was done or not. I’ve totally fallen off that wagon again and I can tell by how tired I am all the time that I need to get back to that. Of course, I say that as I type this AFTER 11pm…

Work

1. Blog 1 time per week. I’ve stopped having any goals of growing the blog, but I’d at least like to continue blogging until I finish all 50 states and/or 100 half marathons. Even if no one els is reading, I want the record of the journey to exist.
2. Continue to work for ZOOMA and my other job and in the library world. I’ve got a better idea of the ebb and flow of ZOOMA work and how that relates to my other work. Thankfully (except for this week), I don’t usually have pressing work with both jobs at the same time. Generally, I’m working between 20-25 hours each week, but how those hours fall varies greatly from week to week. I’ve learned that’s ok and to just roll with it.
3. Create more of a routine. I will never have a “normal” day. But I can have a pattern to my day. I’ve found that I can usually get my workout in right after the kids leave and before my first meetings. I need to consistently stick to that as my workouts tend to be the first thing to fall off my plate.

Personal

1. Continue cleaning and decluttering. I accomplished nothing in 2018. Nothing. Already in 2019, I’ve decluttered more than I did last year. In fact, just today, I gave away glasses we’d had since our wedding that we NEVER used. We’ve been married almost 24 years – what are the odds I was ever going to use them????
2. Take a trip with Beer Geek.  This will always be on my list. We need this time each year to reconnect and reevaluate where things are going in our lives. At this point, unfortunately, I have no idea when or where.
   
3. Keep using my bullet journal to keep me on track. My bullet journal is not pretty. It’s really just a 3 subject notebook where I write everything down. But it keeps everything in one place and I have neatly written to do lists that I create nearly every morning. There’s something about a to do list that just makes me feel like I can take on the day LOL.

I don’t know if I will reach all of my 2019 goals, but I definitely found that when I don’t have goals, I don’t push myself or try to stay on track. I don’t need a “new me”, just a slightly more refined version. This is my last full calendar year before I turn 50. It’s time to start reaching for the stars again.