January Goals

Well, I made a list of goals a month ago.  Let's see how I did:

• Paleo diet for 2 to 3 weeks.  Well, I've been on the Paleo diet.  I've been pretty good about it up until Monday.  Strep throat > Paleo; I needed some ice cream.  So sue me.
• Pampered Chef party.  It happened!  People came!  I made pretty appetizers, I showed off my apartment, and I had so much fun having people over.  I should do it more often.  Hmmm, Superbowl?
• Not spend money.  I did pretty good here.  I'll admit, I went out to eat a few times...but each time there was a really good reason, not just a "I don't feel like cooking tonight."  I went out for three birthdays this month, including my own.  Also, the money I spent on pampered chef stuff was extraneous.  But other than that, it was just grocery, gas, and regular bills like rent, phone, and utilities.
• Budget.  Ugh.  I had the best of intentions, I promise.  I was planning on sitting down and getting it done on Sunday.  But then strep smacked me in the face and I spent all day on the couch.  Most of Monday, too.
• Garden!  Seeds have been ordered and arrived!  So now it's time to start planning/planting.

So all in all, not too bad.

And that brings us to February.  Hmm, what should I aim for next month?

• Kick this strep.  #1 on my list.  This just sucks.
• Budget.  Since I didn't get it done last month, it still needs to be done.
• Plant things.  I guess I'm not going to require that I plan, because I don't know the dimensions of my new garden.
• Transplant things.  Some of the houseplants are getting out of control.
• Reintroduce carbs into my diet.  I've been doing Paleo, but I haven't been enjoying it.  And since I intended it as a detox, I think I'm ready to start eating starches and carbohydrates again.  Especially since Rachel tells me I NEED to try these scones.
• Read a book.  When we lived on the boat, I read ALL the time.  Since getting a steady job, I hardly read at all, and when I do, I can't really handle anything deeper than a cheap thrill novel.  I want to read a real book, and I want to read it start to finish in the same month.
• Plan a trip.  Everyone around me is traveling to lower latitudes and the internet just can't get enough of showing me tropical beach scenes.  Enough is enough.  
• Side projects.  I need to finish my paint chip clock, hem some jeans for Kyle, and make some magnets for my fridge. 
• Whittle my middle!  This seems like a good lunch time activity.

Whew!  That's a tall order!  And February is a short month ;)

Well, Rach, here's what I've learned.  The majority of my goals are things that I was going to do anyway, so declaring them "goals" hasn't really benefited me so far.  I want meaningful goals!  I want goals that will edify me as a person, or make me more desirable as an employee, or push me out of my comfort zone.  Maybe I need a bunch of small, easy goals, and One Big Goal that will actually be a stretch to accomplish.