I can’t believe it’s already time for the second update on my goals for the new year. I posted our goals for 2017 in the beginning of January. As promised, I will be posting quarterly progress updates to hold myself accountable.

Overall, quarter one went pretty well. I think quarter two went even better. Progress is being made in all areas, even though there is less progress in some areas than I’d like!

I ironed out a few of the issues I had with my health and blogging goals, but it was far from perfect. Weight loss is still something I’m really struggling with and have made virtually no progress on at all! There is still a long way to go for sure and I’m hoping to make up some of it in the second half of the year.

So let’s get into it. We’ll take a look at where I’ve nailed it, and where I’ve failed it. Then I’ll go over why I might have failed and how I can do better next quarter!

Goals and Progress so far

Family & Financial

• Finish fixing garage door (by summer)-not done yet, but it’s on the agenda!
• Schedule monthly date nights (scheduled by end of January)–Nailed it! Still making sure to go out once a month for some quality one-on-one time.
• Clear out all eBay stuff (by end of summer)–Nailed it! Rummage sale set for July. Everything that doesn’t get sold gets donated!
• Complete office make-over (by end of summer)–Nailed it! Done, just need to move the grandfather clock.
• Pay off more than 12 months of our loan (by December 31)- Failed it. We had to cut back a month since my change in jobs, so we’re not ahead anymore. 
• Save 70% needed for next year’s family cruise-about $1750 (by November)– Cruises are the BEST family vacations! Nailed it! We’ve saved all of it!

Business

• Reach $2,000 per month from this blog.
  Action steps
  • • Complete EBA Course (by September)- I’ve heard amazing things so I’m giving it a try! –Still on Unit 2. Hoping to start Unit 3 in a few weeks. I’m still considering this on track.
    • Dedicate 10 hours per week minimum to blog (make a plan by February)-Using Rosemarie Groner’s 10 Hour Time Block Strategy-Failed it. I am sticking close to it though and I’m doing way better than last quarter, but I’m not 100% on target so I’m considering this a fail.
    • Come up with a product idea (by December 31)-Waiting until I get further along in EBA.

Health & Fitness

• Lose 45.2 lbs by December 31-less than 1 lb a week-Failed it. I’ve only lost about 2 lbs, which isn’t nearly enough to get me to my goal!
  Action steps
  • • Reduce soda consumption-allowed when eating at a restaurant or during a movie-Failed it.
    • Drastically reduce added sugar-Nailed it. I’m keeping the sweets out of the house for the most part. Now to just get more strict about it.
    • Eat out no more than once per month-Failed it.
    • Be active 30 minutes five times per week.-Failed it. BUT I did start working out at my work gym for 30 minutes 3 time a week. I am up to working out 4 times a week, just need to start adding that 5th!
    • Plan quarterly checkpoints (March 31, June 30, September 30)–Nailed it! I planned out the checkpoint requirements. Which is how I know I’m not where I’m supposed to be by March 31st! 
• Get tooth taken care of-I need to have one pulled!-Failed it.
• See allergist (by end of summer)–Nailed it. I’ve decided to stop going as it’s been at least 4 years and I’ve seen no improvement. It’s getting too expensive and time-consuming for no benefit. 
• Eye exams for Kira and Andy (by spring)–Nailed it. New glasses and even new prescription sunglasses.

Improvements going into Quarter 3

I’m still having issues with my health. I’ve definitely seen improvements since starting my new job, but it hasn’t been enough to really have an effect yet on my weight goal. Hopefully, time will help with that as long as I keep up with my routine and step it up a notch.

Here are some of the things I’ve identified from quarter one that went wrong and how I intend to correct them in the coming quarter.

• We’re recommitting to laying off the eating out. Should be easier now that we have less in the way of excess spending money!
• Since starting my new job, I’ve lost my weekend time to work on the blog. However, I created a plan for my 10 hours a week. Since starting the plan, however, I’m realizing that it needs to be tweaked. It’s too hard to wake up early on Sundays. Zachary too infrequently wakes up early and then I lose the time I had allotted for blogging. So I’m reworking where I have some of those hours scheduled that I seem to be struggling with and hopefully, it’ll be easier to stick to the new plan going forward.
• I think we both forgot about the garage door. It gets nice out and your mind instantly starts to wander to other more fun things! And we’ve both been trying to settle into a new schedule and routine with my new job this month. I think we’re getting things figured out now though and everything should start running smoother. This will be a priority during this quarter as we really need a place to park the van out of the elements during the winter since we won’t be using it as much this year.

I wasn’t able to catch up on my weight goal, but I’m going to leave it where it is. Will I reach it? Probably not. That’s a lot of weight to lose in 6 months. But I don’t want to reduce it and alleviate the pressure on myself. I think it’s important that I keep the tension there. If I feel like I’m only a few pounds behind, it’s too easy to allow myself to make mistakes because I can “catch up” later. If I feel like I’m way behind, I’ll be more likely to force myself to do what I know I should do.

I’ve got half of the year to complete the rest of my goals and overall, I’d say I’m right about on target for having completed about 50% of the goals. I just need to make sure going forward that I am really sticking to plan or the other 50% will be failed!

How are your new year goals progressing?

-To your Better Life-

Kira