I love what this picture says. March is chapter 3 out of 12. In looking back over the 1st two chapters, are you happy with what you have accomplished? Have there been goals that you have met with smashing success or ones that have fallen by the wayside? For me, both have occurred. January was a wildly successful month. February, at first glance, look a bit dismal, but after a deeper dive, I achieved other things not on my list, so all was not lost. However, March is here, and I have lots I need to accomplish. First, let’s see how February played out.
February Goals
- Start weight watchers again. I need help in dropping this weight that I gained while injured and find this program to be the most helpful.- DONE
- Start planning Robbie’s graduation party.- DONE
- 30 mins, three times a week on SEO.- NO
- Make the dermatology appointment.-NO
- Come up with a savings plan with Robbie.-NO
- Schedule posts for when I am on vacation.-NO
- Try three new recipes.- NO
- Read three books.-DONE
Three out of eight goals accomplished. On the face of it, it was a terrible month, but then I looked through my notebook full of 2020 goals and saw progress in other areas.
- Ran a 10k and 1/2 marathon.
- Signed up for a race in a location I have never raced before.
- Increased my numbers on all social media platforms for my blog.
- Renewed the boys’ passports.
- Ran 70 miles this month.
So, what will March look like? A big focus will be my blog. I have been blogging for a year now. I have learned a lot in the past year, but there is still plenty to learn and do. Here are my goals for March.
March Goals
- Blog
- 30 mins, three times a week on SEO.
- Write and post eight new blog posts.
- Grow social media platforms by 10%.
- Finish blog course work.
- Personal
- Lose 10lbs.
- Strength train four times a week.
- Continue with weeks 11-15 of my training plan for running.
- Call a dermatologist!
- Sit Robbie down to discuss a savings plan for college.
- Household
- Organize kitchen cabinets.
- Try two new recipes.
There are so many more things I want to put on the list, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We are not traveling this month, so more time can be spent working toward my goals. Plus, I have a few family adventures I want to try.
What about you? What is on your list for March?
Yesterday I turned 47 years old. 47?!?! My goodness, where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday I was graduating from high school, headed off to start my college years. Now I have a 17-year-old son preparing to do the same. I remember turning 30 and panicking that I was getting old. I was stressed about it. I walked into Origins and spent an obscene amount of money on anti aging products. I thought if I am this panicked over 30, what the hell will I be like at 40? I am happy to report, I survived, and, the older I get, the more I embrace it. I mean, let’s face it, it is better than the alternative.
Since turning 40, my life has become my own. I no longer do things just to please people. I do what I feel is best for my family and me. I don’t let other people’s opinions of me bother me. As Rachel Hollis says, other people’s opinions of you are none of your business. The last 7 seven years has had its highs and lows, each of which has caused to me grow into the woman I am today.
The most significant of these, the death of my Mom 5 years ago. Mom passed much too soon, at the age of 61. Though I would do anything to have her back, there has been some good that has come from her death. My sisters, Dad and I are closer than ever. It drove home the point that life is much too short and we must live it. Don’t let life pass you by, but seize opportunities and run with them.
Speaking of opportunities, I have done just that. I have taken chances professionally and personally, all having paid off. I can’t say I would have done any of these in my younger years. I cared too much of how it would be perceived or that I would fail. Well, as I said above, I no longer let what other people think affect me, and failure, well that is all part of growth.
In the last seven years, I have fallen in love with fitness. I became a marathoner! This is something I NEVER dreamed I would or ever want to do. I have a healthier relationship with my body. I have expanded my social circle, coming out of my shell, and connecting with others with similar interests and goals in life. I guess you can say; I found my tribe. I have raised babies into beautiful, kind teenagers. My husband, I reached 20 years of marriage. Twenty years is a long time! We have traveled to various places around the world as a family and continue to add to this travel list as the years go on.
What is most exciting to me on my birthday, the future ahead. There is still so much to do in this life, and I plan to make the most of it.
Did you know that approximately 60% of Americans get the Sunday blues? Did you also know that Sunday is the least favorite day of the week. I think part of the reason is that we are so overscheduled, we have so much to do Monday-Friday, that it can be overwhelming just thinking about. From personal experience, at around 3-3:30pm, I would start to feel anxious about the week ahead. I hated that feeling. Now for the record, it has nothing to do with my job. I actually like what I do and enjoy (for the most part) going into the office. Though, I fully acknowledge that this is the reason for a lot of people. It was all the other stuff during the week that would cause me anxiety. About a year or so ago, I decided I needed to start my week planned, organized and refreshed! After following through and doing this for awhile, it resulted in a more productive week and less chaos in my life. Below are 6 things to do on Sundays for a productive week ahead.
Meal Prep
- There is nothing worse than coming home and hearing, “What’s for dinner?” and having no idea. This tends to lead to either take out or quick, not so healthy options. Every Sunday, I sit down and plan all my meals for Monday-Thursday. Fridays I work from home and eat what every left overs I have for breakfast and lunch. We also tend to order out on Fridays. In addition to planning my meals, I cook batches of veggies, some sort of protein (usually chicken) and a grain. This serves as my lunch. I also make eggs cups for breakfast or have my Greek yogurt already portioned out.
Laundry
- I make sure all the laundry is done for myself and the children. This way I am not washing something at 10:00pm on a Tuesday night. I can’t say it all gets put away, but it is clean!
Schedule your workouts
- Exercise is non negotiable for me. It is how I deal with the stress of the week. My days are much more productive, I have more energy and feel so much better about myself when I exercise. However, there are times when I have let it slip and let other things get in the way of me getting it done. This is why I look at the week ahead and put it in my planner. It is like any other appointment.
Write your to-do list
- On Sunday evenings, I sit down with my planner and write down my to-do list. This is a general list of everything I need to accomplish that week. It does not mean I am doing everything on Monday. I take the list and assign a day of the week to do each thing.
Self-Care
- Take the time to do something for you. Take a bath, read a book, go for a walk, play outside the kids.
Sleep
- I know it is tempting to stay up late, but go to bed early. Starting the week off with proper sleep is essential.
I hope you find this helpful. Try it for a couple of weeks and let me know how it goes. Have a great week!
Ha, you didn’t know I had a 3rd child did you? He is the perfect kid. He is always glad to see me, never talks back and low maintenance. Well… low maintenance may not be so accurate. In any case, my baby is 6 years old today!
This is Bauer Bruin and he is our six year old English Labrador Retriever. He is simply the best dog in the world. He is named after two of my favorite things. Bauer is after Jack Bauer from the show 24. Do any of you remember that show? I loved it. Then Bruin is for my favorite hockey team, the Boston Bruins. We have had him since he was 8 weeks old and he brings so much love and joy into our home.
Each year , we celebrate by having cake and showering him with gifts. Here are some cute photos from today.
So, what about you? Do you celebrate your pet’s birthday. I would love to hear all about it.
