December 2017 Look Back and January 2018 Goals

Not to be confused with New Year's resolutions (you can see those here). I like to set myself small, attainable goals each month in addition to big honking resolutions. I feel that this process is far more effective in helping me to get shit done and maximising my year overall.

ALSO! New year, new graphic. Hooray!

A look back at December's goals:

Spend less money

"I've spent a lot of money that I shouldn't have over the past couple of months. Oops. With my Christmas shopping finished (I KNOW! I've never been so organized!), I have every intention of reining in my spending, even though there are SO MANY things that I want to buy for myself. #TreatYoself."

Cross: In hindsight, this probably wasn't the best goal to have over the festive season. This was a fail x1,000.

Get to the gym at least three times a week

"I keep setting fitness goals and I keep falling short. December is always the month that I fall off of the fitness train hard, with all the festivities and all. I want this month to be as healthy as it can be, giving me a head start on the new year. Hitting the gym three times a week isn't as often as the four times that I used to commit to, but I think three is realistic over the holiday season."

Cross: I did so well at the beginning of the month.. then along came the lead up to Christmas and it all fell apart.

Visit the city at night

"Perth city is quite magical on a December night; they've put up big, beautiful Christmas light installations, organize free entertainment and events, and of course, the night markets. It's so easy to get in to the Christmas spirit after a stroll through the city on a warm night."

Cross: We never got around (or could be bothered) to heading in to the city for the festivities. Sigh. Maybe this year.

Decorate!
"I never was one to really get in to the Christmas spirit. I like Christmas and all, but I've never bought in to the pre-Christmas hype. This year, being the first Christmas living out of home, I think that it's time we made out our little traditions. It might be fun to make a night of putting up the tree, decorating the house, wrapping presents and drinking eggnog. Throw a post-decorating Christmas movie (The Grinch, obviously) and you're set."

Tick: We put up a tree, I made eggnog, I wrapped presents, we watched The Grinch. It was the most Christmas-y that I have ever been.

Bake something sweet

"I have been craving baked apple for weeks now and in the name of cozy Christmas spirit, I think I'd like to make a baked apple-something myself. I'm thinking something like this, or this. Or I could get fancy with this one. I love the way the house smells when I bake, and it would be perfect to snack on as we're doing our Christmas decorating!"

Tick: This one was fun! I made an apple pie/tart/thing and Jesse and I gobbled it all up in about 3 minutes flat.

Goals for January:

Book a holiday

One of my New Year's resolutions was to travel so I'd like to get the ball rolling and ensure that it happens by booking flights and accommodation this month. Jesse and I didn't get a holiday last year, or the year before come to think of it, and I've been craving a holiday for so long now. The Plan is to visit The Whitsundays, which is actually an item (as is seeing The Great Barrier Reef) on my lifetime bucket list - ka-ching times three.

Use MyFitnessPal for all food input

Rewind a year-or-so ago, I was using MyFitnessPal religiously and guess what?! I saw results. Shocker. I eventually grew tired of the tedious process of entering every single thing I ate and lapsed in to not using it. Queue the weight gain... Re-gain? I'd definitely like to get back in to the habit of inputting my meals and snacks in to MyFitnessPal. It's annoying, but it works.

Get back to the gym

Another of my resolutions is to lose 10kg before January 2019. It's a slow process so I'm starting as early as possible. Easing back in to the gym after a week or two off is probably the best way to go. Aiming for my regular 4 times a week may be asking too much this month so if I can get there at least twice a week, three times ideally, I'll be happy.

Meet the neighbours

I'm one of those super awkward, super shy neighbours who will pretend that they don't see you until you call out "hi" to me (hello, social anxiety), and apparently, so is the rest of the street. We've been in our house close to 5 months now and I've not communicated with any of the people who live around me other than the nice old man across the road. Rather than keeping my head down and pretending that they don't exist when the neighbours just so happen to be outside when I am, I'm aiming to say hello every time. Shudder.


What are you hoping to achieve this month (or year)?