New Year New Goals!

Okay, here we go! Time for goal setting.

It's going to be a challenging year. I understand that. Lots of uncertainty and a lot of chances to sit around in despair and wallow in the unknown. So because of that this year is going to be filled with goals for me. Lots of things to do. Lots of changes to make. Lots of busy brain activities so I don't run in circles chasing the what ifs of the world with the how could you people be so stupids.

SO!

Let's start with the standards shall we?

Reading. I set my book goal at 55 this year. It's actually lower than the past few years but I've got some other things I want to make sure I leave time for in my schedule so I thought a book a week plus a few extras for flights would be a good goal. That and the fact that I am pretty sure I will be reading George RR Martin this summer and those books are fairly long so I need to leave some squish room. So 55 books it is.

Writing. One of those things that is going to take more time this year. I'm going to be doing more writing. Period. Full stop. Or not full stop, full keep going, as the case may be. Some of it will show up here. But there will be writing done most days of the week. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry (sorry, Skip) it all counts, but it all needs to get on the page, or screen. Starting with today. I will refine this goal over the next few weeks, I think. Trying to decide if there should be a minimum word count I am aiming for each day or week or month of if I just aim for writing ANYTHING most every day. But more writing. Concrete counts to follow. (edit added 4/1 aiming for 115 blogs this year)

Health. Gym or home workout 5 days a week (home workouts for days that I have to be tied to the house, I need to make that allowance at least for January). Something casually physical the other two. With bonus points for extra bits on gym days. I'm aiming to be less of an active couch potato this year. I will continue to build my muscles because it makes me happy to have biceps but I am looking at adding, or I guess subtracting, sitting time. This is part of why the reading number count is lower this year. I want to move more as a day to day thing. I might go back to tracking my dots. Something to get me up more. I also really do want to lose weight. My hope right now is that starting in February when the house remodel is done and I start cooking at home more the weight will sort itself out a bit, but if not I will be looking at an actual diet plan and make changes accordingly. As you all know this is the hardest part for me, my relationship with food is tricky. But I am ever hopeful.

Gratitude. I have decided to up my normal November gratitude/thankful post a day to all of 2017. Much like I felt that last November I was REALLY going to need it (and boy was I right!) I feel like 2017 is going to be a major challenge at times to keep the right mind set and focus so this is part of what I am doing to get me there. I preach about happiness being a choice all the damn time and this year will be a practice what I preach year in spades.

Picture of the Day. Yep, doing it again. Even without the major interaction that I used to get from friends on my feed, I still like doing it. When a picture does spark a discussion it makes me happy. And if I don't post a picture I don't get any of those interactions and fewer is better than none. So back at it again this year. I'm going back to the Fat Mum Slim prompted shots. Last year was free form and I do love that to a point, but I also like the added challenge that a prompted shot can bring. Sometimes I really have to think creatively to find something that fits. So prompted shots.

Year long list. Over the next week I am going to create a year long to do list. I have a lot of projects that need done. Some that are new to this year, some that have lingered for years. Literally years. I am going to make a massive to do list and just start ticking them off. Sort of a goals within the goals thing. I expect it to be freaky and daunting next week and deeply satisfying by the end of the year.

Goof off time. I know, this is a weird thing to put on the list, right? But I think it's important to remember that goof off time is important time. Working on a puzzle. Coloring. Meditating. Playing cards. Grabbing coffee with a friend. All of those things count. And there needs to be that in life as well. And since I tend toward the obsessive and I have a lot of really focused work toward it goals in my head I need to add some hey, relax goals as well. So it goes on the list.

A lot of stuff working this year. A lot of moving pieces. I bought a little calendar and set of colored stars to give myself for checking things off. Yep, just like a little kid. I love a shiny star and if I need to give them to myself to keep me moving I will. My problem is I have 7 things and 5 stars so I have to figure that one out.  Most likely the POD and Gratitude post will be starless since there is a Facebook record of those happening. BOOM! Check a problem off the list!

Happy New Year to you all. No matter how challenging 2017 looks from here we've got this because we've got each other.

I mean that.

Now go say something about my POD will you?