Back to School, Back to Rocks

I LOVE this time of year! Even as a kid, I LOVED back to school time.  I have an obsession with school supplies.  I remember when I was going into fourth grade I bought a blue mechanical pencil, replacement lead, and different color eraser tops not just for myself but as a gift for my best friend.  I loved buying new clothes, new shoes, new binders....

I think what I like most about it is the fresh new start.  Think about it.  It's a cleaner slate than New Years.  We don't start off the new year with a new wardrobe, new supplies, a clean work record.  With the beginning of the school year, you can start new habits that will carry you through the rest of the school year.

So with 2013 being the year of My Rocks in a Jar, this is the perfect time for a pick-me-up with goal setting.  ARE THERE GOALS YOU STILL NEED TO WORK ON FOR THIS YEAR? Let's start right now to revaluate how we are doing and make adjustments as necessary.

Here is what I said I wanted to accomplish this year:

God-get closer to God (daily reading and journaling)

Health-eat for health and energy 

neck exercises to prevent migraines

Family-build a stronger marriage (date nights, read books)

save for family camp done and continuing
have a clean home

Kids-spend focused time with each child done and continuing

teach them to be more independent done and continuing

Financial-save up fully funded emergency fund of 3-6 months of expenses DONE!

Career-attend Launch conference (Sept)

take Apple One-on-One classes for new computer

write more done and continuing

Personal fulfillment- Audition for Unbeatable (changed to The Wiz) DONE!

What I need to work on:
Get caught up on Bible reading
Make a plan for health
Make a clean home my project for 2014
Sign up for Apple classes

Just crossing things off that I've had success with helps me feel better and have more focus. WHAT CAN YOU CROSS OFF OF YOU LIST FOR THIS YEAR?

For the Bible reading, I've implemented something I heard from a podcast. It's a strategy used by people with ADHD that uses a timer to have a block of 25 minutes of fully focused work with a 5 minute break.  I was so surprised to see how much reading I got done during that focused time, more than if I just sat down to "read until I'm caught up."  What I have to do now is implement daily until I'm caught up.

The plan for health includes yoga classes that I'm going to start tomorrow and focusing on eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats while cutting back on treats.  I'd love to lose those "last 10 pounds" by Thanksgiving (less than a pound a week) and then maintain the weight through the holidays.

Signing up for the Apple classes will take only a matter of a few minutes.

So there you go.  My goals for the rest of the year.  Planning on finishing 2013 strong!  It's really awesome to see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that I'm still keeping on with what I set out to do at the beginning of the year even with the starts, stops, and do-overs.

Next I'm going to look at accountability and share strategies to use when your accountability person has lost their way as well!

Share in the comments what you want to accomplish by the end of 2013.

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Checking-In: The Good, The Bad, and The Reality

"Whether or not you see the glass as half full or half empty, don't let it change the fact that the glass is half empty."-Drew Bruno

Bwaaa Haaaa!!!  That's a quote from my best friend who totally gets my sense of humor.

So I left off in June with my goals for the half way point of 2013. I kept my goals in the back of my mind as the summer whipped by at warp speed.  As I was going along trying to keep the kids in a healthy balance of busy and bored, do you think I was focused on the things I was accomplishing with my goals or on the things I WASN'T getting done?

I don't think I'm alone in focusing on the bad or what I'm not accomplishing.  For this summer, it was my Bible reading.  It is my goal to read through the Bible in a year and I have been following a great reading plan from A Radical Journey. Getting my reading done isn't like trying to read a novel by the pool or a magazine article in the doctor's waiting room.  I need a chunk of uninterrupted time with peace and quiet.  That doesn't happen with two kids with me all day long.  Could I have made it a higher priority and made it happen? Yes.  Was I working on balancing my life while starting a new medication that makes me simultaneously an insomniac and a completely exhausted person? Yes.  So, that rock slipped and I felt badly about it especially since it's supposed to be my number one priority.

Towards the end of the summer as I was letting the guilt of not keeping up on my reading get to me.  What will I have to say for myself when it's time to blog again? What kind of example am I? But then, I started to take inventory of the rest of my goals:

From the Post Finish the First Half Strong

ROCK CHECK by the end of June:

God-I'll be half way through the Bible reading plan at Bible: 365

Family-We will be back from our week of Family Camp!

The husband and I have had more dates this year than the last few combined

Self-fulfillment-I'll be heading into rehearsals for The Wiz, prepared because I've been taking voice lessons

Kids-One-on-one time with each kid is carefully scheduled during the summer

Career-Public Speaking Conference is booked for September

Financial-Emergency fund will be complete

And you know what? I had accomplished EVERY OTHER GOAL I set for the half way point and then some!!!

Why do we focus on the negative? Who cares why?!?! Let's just stop!

So, for now I'm working on catching up on my reading.  In the past, I may have felt too overwhelmed to move forward but not now.  I look at all that I HAVE accomplished this year and I'm encouraged to keep going.

How about you? What have you done so far in 2013 that you need to stop and acknowledge?

Are you seeing the glass half full or half empty?

Next I'll be sharing what my focus will be for finishing 2013 strong!