In my first post for the year, I outlined why I don’t really get into “resolutions” so much as goal setting, and outlined my top goals for 2019. So, to help keep myself accountable, I will recap how each one is going, along with any tweaks or changes, each month.
I’d love to hear about your goals for this year and your progress in the comments below!
Thus, my goals for 2019 include:
Call one family member per week
I have been nailing this one for sure. The commute time home is the perfect time to catch up with far-flung family and friends. The caveat is that they need to be on roughly the same schedule, and in the same or very close time zone!
For example we have family and friends in Arizona, Texas, Colorado, California, and Seattle. If I call at 5pm my time, it is 4pm or 3pm there, and they will likely still be at work.
But I have definitely touched base with someone at least once a week, more often than not 3 -4 different people each week. It’s been awesome. I learned about an old friends’ baby’s progress and daycare, her new job, and the house search. I chatted for over an hour with a grandmother whom I rarely talk to, and heard all kinds of stories of her life and youth.
This is a good one.
A+
Date night at least once per month
My relationship with my boy is the most important one in my life. Luckily, I think he’s pretty cool, and he thinks I’m pretty cool too.
Most nights when I get home, he is already working on his business (spoilers!) or playing games online with friends. Since that is basically his only way to stay in touch with them and his main social interaction I encourage it. Usually I spend the evening doing yoga, writing, reading, cooking, or watching my shows (Grace & Frankie and Fuller House right now, in case you wondered).
We have not been doing great at this, mostly because we hate going out after dark and I hate paying for food… gotta find some “at home date night ideas” and put those into play.
C
Savings rate of 50% or better every month
This will be complicated since we both have a work mandated 401k, as well as an HSA and Roths to factor in, before any contributions to our mortgage, taxable investment accounts, and money market.
The market is crazy and net worth is not a thing I can control. But savings rate, we can control, and improve.
We just barely squeaked by here, at about 55% for Jan! But with the travel churn spending that is going down/about to go down, I don’t have high hopes for the next few months…
Oh, and if you haven’t heard of Personal Capital yet, it is a pretty cool software tool that collects all your accounts in one place. Bank, investments, mortgage, loans. And then you can see how your net worth changes over time, based on your debt paydown and market conditions. They give you suggestions too.
If you want to sign up & use my link HERE (and link at least 1 qualifying account) I get $20 and you also get $20 to start with.
So, that’d be nice.
A
Max out both Roth IRAs by end of February
Well, we haven’t done this yet… but we have a few more weeks!
C
Veganuary (ish) – one month of 99% vegan eating
My lifelong intended way of eating is 80/20 plant-based.
With a few exceptions (animal products I raised or of very high quality, and when at another person’s house) I have been nailing the Veganuary, and feeling pretty great.
I had been craving salad so hard, and finally gave in and bought a cartload of greens. Only to be struck immediately by single use plastic guilt.
Why is it that the only way to get lettuce or arugula is to buy a plastic bag or a giant plastic clamshell? It hurts my heart that this is what I have to do to help my heart!
Anyways, I was probably about 90% vegan if you go by strict rules, but I had my exceptions in place, so it was perfect from my standpoint. Depends who you ask.
B-
The Daily Dozen – I will do my best all year to stick to this
I finally downloaded the app onto my phone, so now I can better track what I’ve already eaten and what I still need!
The greens were the area when I fell short most often, hence the above guilt laden foray to the grocery store. Part of it is also that we are in winter, and fresh greens are hard to come by without a greenhouse.
The two best ways I’ve found of checking multiple boxes are: fruit nice cream or smoothies, and oatmeal. Both are really easy to sneak loads of ground flaxseed into without noticing, as well as fruit (both), whole grains (oats), or greens (spinach in smoothies).
The smoothies have been the bomb, and I’ve checked all the boxes most days, but there were definitely multiple days where I fall short on beans especially, or cruciferous veggies.
B
Do more of what is good or good for me
Defined as things that are mentally, physically, emotionally, or financially beneficial.
I did move some savings into a brokerage account to go for some stocks we’ve been discussing. It is a thing that just seems overwhelming for no reason, I just had to rip off the band aid and DO IT. And do it we did, and it feels great to just have it done.
I’ve also jumped on board thesmartfi’s plank challenge for February, and the boy got into it too. So we help keep each other accountable to plank at least 1 minute every day. We’ve also been really loving the nicer weather and going for walks nearly every day.
I want to start a 30 day yoga challenge again too… but I just cannot wake up earlier than I already am, and there isn’t much space in my morning routine. I could do it after work, but I’ve been really really bad about just plopping down with a book or Netflix after dinner. So I need to re-do my evening routine somehow.
B
Make someone smile every day
Maybe I should actually track this somehow, but I am certain that I make at least my husband or myself smile every day. I also try to give genuine compliments at work, and to random strangers at the grocery store, gas station, etc.
A
Overall Goals: B+ so far!