Goal Check-In

Ok, it's goal check-in time. We're halfway through 2017 (what?!) so I thought now would be a good time to check-in on my new year goals and see how things are going. Because, what good does it do to set goals if you never check in on them?

I've posted the goals I wrote out for the new year below (see original post here) with the updates on how I'm doing with them in purple. I know you're on the edge of your seat, so here we go:

- Journal - Whether it be ideas, thoughts, prayers, whatever! Write it down. Not going to lie. I've been horrible at this. I need to pull out one of my journals and make a better effort to do this.

- Read more - Overall, I probably failed at this one last year. So, here's to new beginnings! And, I'm starting strong with a good stack of books to dig into. This one I've been doing OK with. I will say that I do have a nice little pile of books to work my way through (not to mention a never ending wish list of the books I want to get/read). So let's just say, I'm doing better than I did last year.

- Continue w/meal planning - This past year I got so.much.better at this! It was a goal I set last year, and while I did fall off the wagon a few times, I think I did quite well overall. This year I'm aiming to get even better at it because, let's face it, meal time prep etc. when you have kids can be cray-zy. Plus, it can be so much easier to tackle the grocery store & better for the budget. Overall I've been doing great with meal planning. For a little while before we moved & then right after it wasn't going so well. But now I seem to be back on track! Let's hope I get this thing to be automatic routine before baby #2 comes this fall!

- Essential oils - This past year I started learning about & using essential oils. This coming year I'd like to continue learning about them & using them to best benefit our family, home & health. I'm working on a post about essential oils and how I'm using them. We've been using them quite a bit and I'm a fan, but definitely feel like I have lots left to learn.

- Simple living - Again, a goal I set last year. This involves purging & organizing (especially with a move coming in the very near future). Our move came quickly and with not feeling 100%, due to my pregnancy, I didn't really get to purge and go through things like I wanted to when we packed up our apartment. So I've slowly been going through things as we've been unpacking here at our new place. When it comes to "simple living" I think editing will always exist.  On a motivating note, I'm actually hoping to have a yard sale at the end of the summer. Fingers crossed I can get it organized!

- Keep carving out time to exercise my creativity + do the things I like - Blogging, crafting, DIY projects, furniture makeovers, whatever. Keep at it. I haven't been doing these things as much as I had hoped. Life happens and I need to diligently carve out time to do these things. So this is definitely a work in progress.

- Get outside & be active - Especially this winter! It's so easy to stay inside when there's snow & it gets cold. Plus the thought of getting a toddler all bundled up is exhausting. But seriously, I need to get some exercise. This one is going pretty good. We definitely could get outside more, but overall we've been doing great. It helps that the weather is finally nice & that E LOVES being outside! We try and get out everyday, even if it's just out to the back deck. Fresh air always does something for the soul. 

- Date night - We can't be the only ones that find this hard when kids come along, can we? Whether it's a date night in, or out, set one. Make plans. We still need to get better at this. Again, this is another work in progress. And I'm sure it's not about to get any easier once this baby arrives.

- Just chill - This one. I need to chill. Chill if the clean laundry is sitting piled on the chair in the living room for a whole entire day (or more). Chill if the dishes aren't done immediately. Chill if the house looks completely wrote off. In general, just stop thinking everything needs to be put together all the time & right this second. If the night before was a late one because of the toddler that resides in this house, and I just need to sit with a coffee while she naps, do it. I need to give myself permission to let everything just "be" sometimes. It doesn't mean I won't/don't care about those things and that I'll let things pile up for days (although confession, sometimes, that does happen ... #reallife), but it does mean that it's OK to give yourself a break. Husband gave me this book for Christmas, and it sounds like I need to read it. Plus, how pretty is that cover!?! - I have the mentioned book, Grace not Perfection, and it's currently on my nightstand next on the list to read (once I finish up some others). I've been trying to be a little more chill. I will say though, since moving it's been hard to not want everything to happen immediately. Hello, there's painting to do, projects I want to tackle, things to finish unpacking & organize, the list goes on. So I'm definitely reminding myself that things take time and not everything can happen at once. Plus, with a baby on the way I'm definitely feeling the need to have everything just "so"... and we all know that's not going to happen Ha! So this for sure another work in progress.

- Lastly, my puzzle! I didn't get to do one last year. Here's hoping for this year ;) - This has not happened yet. I'm keeping an eye out this summer for one that I can pick up to do this fall/winter. 

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And that's it!

Have you checked in on your new year goals lately? How are you making out? It's a good time of year to look back and see how things are going/the progress you've made. Don't beat yourself up if you've gotten off track and need some realignment. I think it's safe to say we all do/have. Just see where you're at and start working away again. Or, if you need to, revaluate and make new ones!