2011–The Year in Review
It doesn’t seem like that long since I posted my goals for 2011. I decided to choose 11 goals that would propel me forward. They gave me direction. Although I have to say that most of them evolved, I am further along then I was last year. I will make some new goals for this year. They are already brewing in my mind. If I review this year’s goals, I think it will help me make even better goals for this year.
1. Run a 5K in under 40 minutes – I have continued to work on running. I will not have run a 5K in 40 minutes. What has happened for me this year is that I have done distances a bit further than 5K (three miles.) My longest distance so far is about 4.5 miles. I have found that if I try to push too hard, I end up injuring myself.
2. Spend one afternoon (or evening) per month taking pictures – I think I spent about four afternoons taking pictures. I loved doing it. I find it relaxing. I would like to get this back into my life somehow. I am not sure how to make it work.
3. Reduce my debt load by $8000 – a few trips this year made it difficult but I still reduced my debt load by $3800. I’ll get there.
4. Spend 5 minutes per day in prayer/meditation – this is an area where I can say I honestly fell down. I have a new plan for this year.
5. Have 6 outings per month with friends – I didn’t track this but I feel good about the amount of social activity in my life. To a great extent this year, being able to hang out with friends has sustained me
6. Make my front storage room into a more functional space – I actually did this! It is amazing to be able to walk in and out of there. I still have some work to do but it is much better
7. Spend one hour per week studying scripture – see #4
8. Attend Donald Miller’s Storyline Conference in June – I did this and it still is shaping the way I think. It will also shape my resolutions for this year
9. Eat healthy meals 80% of the time – I tracked until March and I was doing okay. Then things fell down. I had some health challenges that forced me to stop working out and then I gave into some bad eating habits. I started being more active in June again and then I joined Weight Watchers. So if you assume that would cause me to eat 80% healthy, I was on track for about 8 months of the year.
10. Work out 4 times per week 75% of weeks – I think I was about at 65%
11. Post to my blog more often – technically I did post more but not as much as I had intended. I wanted to post an average of once per week. This post will be #17 for the year so I not as much as I wanted
There are many awesome things that happened which I hadn’t planned for. Here are a few that come to mind:
1. Run a 5K in under 40 minutes – I have continued to work on running. I will not have run a 5K in 40 minutes. What has happened for me this year is that I have done distances a bit further than 5K (three miles.) My longest distance so far is about 4.5 miles. I have found that if I try to push too hard, I end up injuring myself.
2. Spend one afternoon (or evening) per month taking pictures – I think I spent about four afternoons taking pictures. I loved doing it. I find it relaxing. I would like to get this back into my life somehow. I am not sure how to make it work.
3. Reduce my debt load by $8000 – a few trips this year made it difficult but I still reduced my debt load by $3800. I’ll get there.
4. Spend 5 minutes per day in prayer/meditation – this is an area where I can say I honestly fell down. I have a new plan for this year.
5. Have 6 outings per month with friends – I didn’t track this but I feel good about the amount of social activity in my life. To a great extent this year, being able to hang out with friends has sustained me
6. Make my front storage room into a more functional space – I actually did this! It is amazing to be able to walk in and out of there. I still have some work to do but it is much better
7. Spend one hour per week studying scripture – see #4
8. Attend Donald Miller’s Storyline Conference in June – I did this and it still is shaping the way I think. It will also shape my resolutions for this year
9. Eat healthy meals 80% of the time – I tracked until March and I was doing okay. Then things fell down. I had some health challenges that forced me to stop working out and then I gave into some bad eating habits. I started being more active in June again and then I joined Weight Watchers. So if you assume that would cause me to eat 80% healthy, I was on track for about 8 months of the year.
10. Work out 4 times per week 75% of weeks – I think I was about at 65%
11. Post to my blog more often – technically I did post more but not as much as I had intended. I wanted to post an average of once per week. This post will be #17 for the year so I not as much as I wanted
There are many awesome things that happened which I hadn’t planned for. Here are a few that come to mind:
- I participated in the Ironman In a Month Challenge and completed it. Thinking about it still makes me grin.During the past month I have been going through a personal crisis. What I have noticed is that, although it is hard, I am walking through it in a much healthier way than I would have before. I asked for and received support from many of my friends. Although I have not been very consistent through the month of December on my fitness goals, I am working to get back on track. I am trying not to be too hard on myself. I am NOT starting over. A month of trial can not undo all of the above.
- I travelled to Minneapolis to the Women of Faith Conference. It was an amazing event which is still inspiring me
- I became a leader of a church small group
- I took the huge step of joining Weight Watchers online. I didn’t think I would follow a eating plan ever again. This plan makes sense and is something I have been able to keep up
- I made some connections with some amazing people on Facebook who have become friends to me and are a source of support and inspiration.
The 'before' picture was taken in 2009 but I am pretty sure I looked pretty much the same in December 2010.
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