Once upon a time, I set monthly goals and shared them here online. I haven’t done that since 2016.
On Monday, I found myself thinking about the start of the new month and all the many things I’ve been working on lately. I decided to write down a few goals for this new month and then thought I’d share them here, for old time’s sake. And maybe for accountability.
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It’s October! And thankfully it feels a little like October here in Louisiana. With each passing day, we settle back into routines and life feels a bit more settled and normal. For us, September was about trying to get to a stable place and now, I want October to be about getting comfortable, settling in, and resting a bit from the chaos of the last several months. If I had to set an intention for this month, I’d say – I intend for this month to be about fun, friends/family, and celebrating where we are today. I intend to take the month off from hard work on the house.
So far, I’m drinking all the pumpkin spice things, wearing socks with boots, and squeezing in a bit of flannel any time I can. Here’s a few other things I hope to do this month:
Clearly, I’m stacking the cards a little lightly for the month of October. And that’s fantastic. Remember, setting goals doesn’t always have to mean conquering new heights or accomplishing all the things. It’s perfectly acceptable to set goals that are simple, easy, and even fun! That’s what I’m doing this month, and you should never feel like all goals must be hard or monumental.
Since last month was my first time setting monthly goals in a bit, here’s a look back at how I did.
There you have it. I got some things done and didn’t quite get to others. And that’s ok! Life feels good right now…slower and less stressful that where we’ve been. The weather is cooling off and I’m feeling more like myself again. Cheers to all of the above!
What are your plans for October??
It feels like an eternity since I’ve written one of these post. It feels like an eternity since I’ve even thought about goals, much less worked towards something. (Work goals excluded. #girlboss) I decided on Sunday that I would attempt to get back to my blogging schedule. I would do this in secret, of course, so that if I failed or decided I wasn’t ready, I could abort the mission without anyone knowing. With my silent goal in mind, I began thinking about what I’d like to share here in September. I had several things in mind, some already written, so I began jotting down a plan for the month. If I were to stick with my previous Monday/Thursday schedule, then I’d have a post going up today, September 1.
When I realized it was the first, I decided that I needed to share something special. I needed to share something about new beginnings or seasons changing, even though our actual season won’t be changing for quite some time here in Louisiana. Not only was I awestruck that September was here (Are we sure it’s not still March??), I couldn’t wrap my head around what an appropriate post would be. While for many, this random Thursday is a day like every other, for me, it would be signifying the return of a routine.
As you all know, the last several months have been tough and with the uncertainty surrounding our circumstances, most, if not all of our routines fell to the wayside. Not only were routines and stability a thing of the past, my word bank was dry. I had nothing to say. I could barely form sentences that made sense on a page. Understandably, I let this blog take a back seat and I hoped that when things leveled out, I would find my words again.
So I sat there on Sunday, seeing things come together around me in the house, feelings much more “normal” and at peace than I had in months, and secretly planning to get back to who and what I was before the flood. When I thought of what I could possibly say on September 1 to signify what this new month actually feels like and means to me, I thought of my monthly goals. Once upon a time, I set a few personal goals for each month and shared them here to hold myself accountable and to ensure that I made progress towards the things I wanted to do. Now, as I’m searching anxiously for stability, I thought it would be a perfect time to revive those monthly goal posts and to set some intentions for myself for September. So here they are:
There you have it. I have some monthly goals out there in the world. They probably seem simple and my anxiousness over sharing them undoubtedly seems trivial. I supposed I feel uneasy about making plans at this point. I’ve lived in a state of uncertainty for months and the thought of getting back into a routine not only seems exciting, it also feels very foreign.
For me, September will serve as a time to pick up the pieces, put things back together, and find a new rhythm. And because of that, I’ll look forward to this month with grand excitement. It’s funny to see how much is different and how much has changed since last September. And 2014…
Last month I set out with somewhat of an unusual goal. My intention was to photograph (and share on Instagram) at least 15 of my outfits for the month. I did this for two primary reasons. First, I hoped it would make me focus more intently on wearing things that I actually like, rather than rushing out the door in something mediocre. Secondly, I wanted to practice taking photos and get more comfortable being in front of the camera. I am definitely not a selfie kind of girl. Or a “hey, take my picture kind of girl.” As November comes to an end and I complete this little challenge, I thought it would be fun to look back on how I did.
I ended up photographing 17 outfits, and some were definitely better than others. (That goes for both the outfits and the photos.) Sometimes, I’d find myself throwing an outfit and photo together, just because I knew I needed to meet a quota. I suppose that’s ok, because I might would have worn a sweatshirt and shared a photo of my coffee instead. Here’s what else I learned:
Just like I anticipated, I hated this goal in the beginning. I cringed with every photo and dreaded the process. Eventually though, it became easier. I didn’t dread it quite so much and had to take way less photos before feeling comfortable enough to share one…which was part of the reasoning behind this goal anyway. Will I continue to share my outfits online? I’m not sure. At least I feel more comfortable doing so now than I did before. Plus, I have some great references to look back on when I’m thinking about my capsule wardrobe!
How about the rest of my November goals? Well, there’s just not much to report. I did make some progress in the nooks and crannies of my home and did a bit of this and that. However, I wouldn’t really say that I knocked out a major project. Although, I did purchase chairs for our new table and sold the old ones, so that decluttered our living area. We also installed three new light fixtures, and that should count for something too. As for Christmas decor, I ended up putting if off since I was hosting my family for Thanksgiving. We’ve been traveling the last several days, so I guess it’ll be on my list for this week! What are my goals for December, you ask? Christmas. All of the Christmas things and activities. That’s what I intend to do this month. Anything else will just be icing on the cake…or should I say icing on the Gingerbread House! Happy December, friends. Make it a good one!
If you’d like to see the rest of the outfit photos, check #ppwearsnovember on Instagram.
When I first started to think about November goals, I felt a bit overwhelmed. The past several weeks have felt unmistakably hard, and thinking about growing or making progress of any sort just felt exhausting. Eventually though, the tables turned and I snapped out of it a bit. So finally (on October 31), I felt like setting some goals for November and here they are:
I almost didn’t set or share November goals this month. In addition to feeling a tad crummy, I also started telling myself that it was silly. I almost had myself convinced that no one wants to read about my personal goals and that sharing them here is pretty lame. The fact of the matter is, whether these monthly posts are read by 10 people or 10,000, they help motivate me. Setting these monthly goals (and sharing them here) serve as a motivator for making progress in areas that I may not have otherwise made progress in. As we all know, life tends to speed by rather quickly and one day we look up from our smartphones and realize that months or years have passed. This time passes quickly, and without noticing, we could have made no progress towards our big or small ideas. I don’t want that. Sharing these monthly goals with you hopefully serves as an encouragement for you to set your own monthly goals, and it certainly encourages me to make my own happen.
Setting those October goals, for example, was the precise reason that I sat aside the remote and worked more in my closet on October 31. If I hadn’t set that goal and planned to follow up on it today, I would have likely watched another episode (or four) of The Mindy Project. Setting a goal to read more this month most definitely encouraged me to pick up a book on several occasions that I normally wouldn’t have. Whether you think it’s silly or amazing, setting monthly goals can absolutely help propel you in whatever direction you want to head. And intentionally deciding what my daily life looks like is the name of my game.
I’m starting to rant a bit. My apologies. Speaking of October goals, here’s how I did last month.
Sometimes setting monthly goals can feel a bit cumbersome. However, I can say with certainty that these small and sometimes large goals push me forward. I do things that I would otherwise put off or avoid. I make both minute and life-changing alterations, and I’m thankful for the motivation. What are you working on this month? Something fantastic, I hope!
I feel a tad weird jotting down October goals because isn’t it like July?? October is Halloween and almost Thanksgiving…which leads right to Christmas…and I feel like there’s no possible way that it’s time for all of that. My Google calendar hasn’t let me down yet though, so I suppose it is indeed October 1.
In all honesty, I struggled a bit to set goals for this month. It felt hard to wrap my mind around the time of year and what I’d like to accomplish right now. These are the relatively simple items that I decided on.
Interested in knowing how I did on last months’ goals? Well, wait no longer!
September was a great, relaxing month for me, which I’m very happy about. I’m also looking forward to October because I’m hoping that any day now there will be a cool breeze lingering about. Fingers crossed for a cozy, easy-going, spectacular month for us all!
September’s page in my Get To Work Book sums up my thought process for the month entirely. Since I can remember, I’ve let 1,000 ideas hinder me from accomplishing anything. I have a ton of ideas, get overwhelmed by them, and then do nothing. Last month, I hired a new assistant and with her help, I’m looking forward to finally making some of the ideas a reality. Therefore, on the work front, my main goal for the month is implementation. We’ve made a plan and now we’ll start tackling one project at a time until we reach world domination. Just kidding…sort of.
In addition to this large work goal, I’m hoping to take on a few personal items this month too.
All in all, my goals for September are fairly simple. I think the big idea is to just implement, both at home and at work. I’m working hard to break that habit of sitting on ideas until I have plenty of time, money, and resources…which never exists.
Looking back at August, I was pretty successful!
August was a great month and I’m thinking September will be pretty awesome too. I took a quick look at my goals from this time last year, and it’s amazing how much has changed in a year. That post seems like ages ago and I distinctly remember that feeling of overwhelm as we were drowning in boxes. I’m happy with how far we’ve come in a year, and I’m looking forward to a strong ending for 2015. I hope you are too. Also, I do still think September is my favorite month. How could it not be??
P.S. Those filler flowers from the August post are the same ones in today’s photo! You should buy them for every room in your house because apparently they live forever.
I’ve taken a bit of a break from setting monthly goals lately and it’s been a much needed recess. I think it’s important to notice when you need to hit the pause button and to respect the natural ebb and flow of your priorities. I needed a bit of time to readjust and choose what my focus was going to be. After giving myself a few months to just be, I’m walking away with a bit more clarity on what I’d like to work towards right now.
That being said, I’m setting some goals for August, and I’m happy to be back on the goal-setting wagon. Here’s what I’m hoping to do this month:
It honestly feels quite nice to be back in the goal-setting circuit. I knew that I needed a break, and I’m thankful to have had it. I couldn’t set goals when my mind felt so foggy and full. I’m feeling a bit more clear now though, so I’m charging forward to bigger and better things.
Do you have anything you’d like to work towards this month? Let’s talk about it!
Well, it’s May already. Are you as shocked by that as I am?? I sat down to write my usual monthly goals post and then realized that I just couldn’t do it. I’m not ready to set monthly goals again yet. At first I was all like, “Geez, Pamela. You skipped last month too. You really need to get it together.”
Then I realized something important. I don’t have to set monthly goals. I don’t actually have to set any goals at all. (Although, that would drastically affect my success and productivity.) If you clink on my goal tag you’ll quickly and easily see that setting goals is my jam. It’s likely one of those things that I’ll be known for. It’s how I operate and what I’m good at.
However, sometimes you just gotta take a break from things. Sometimes you have to hit pause on your regular activities and come back to them later when it feels right. That’s what I’m doing here. My work schedule isn’t really conducive to a ton of personal development or house projects right now. Plus, I’m in the middle of BOLD (a very intense real estate class) and working diligently on #the100dayproject. So, rather than feeling guilty for “getting off track,” I’m going to cut myself some slack and not worry too much about ditching the monthly goals for a bit.
Have you ever hit pause on something and came back to it later? If so, I’d love to hear how that worked for you. I’m sure that I’ll pick these monthly goals back up soon. For now, I’ll be selling all of the houses, calling all of the people, and making all of the crafty projects.
Believe it or not, we’re two full months into 2015! I’ll let that sink in for a bit…. If you’re like me, that blows your mind a little. Nonetheless, the show much go on. I didn’t set many goals for February, but I’m happy to report that I accomplished all three of them! *Cue the hallelujah chorus.* Here’s my happy report:
1. I attended Family Reunion and came home with several great ideas! I can’t wait to spend some time developing them and getting them into practice.
2. Matthew and I celebrated Valentine’s Day. Even though I almost backed out at the last minute, I pulled it together and made something happen. (By the way, we watched the full SNL 40th Anniversary together the next night, and I’m sort of counting that as an extension of our Valentine’s Day celebration.)
3. I hung MORE THAN three things on the walls!! I think I’m most excited about this one. We have several new things hanging here and there AND we installed a new gallery wall in our bathroom. I can’t wait to show you!!
I’m pretty pumped at how much I got done in February. I’ve even more impressed by the fact that I got so much done even though we had our fair share of wet, crummy, and cold weather. Isn’t it super easy to stay curled up under a blanket and read the internet when the weather is gross?? I’m giving myself two thumbs up for still being productive, despite the yucky weather.
What’s on the agenda for March, you ask? Quite a bit. Here are my basic goals for the month:
1. Spend lots of time with Matthew. Since he just wrapped up nursing school, I’m hoping that we finally get to spend some quality time together! We have a bit of time before he starts his new job, so I’m going to soak up as much husband/wife time as possible this month.
2. Travel to Dallas for the weekend. Matthew and I are planning a quick trip to Dallas, TX. This is mainly to get some items we need for the house, but it’s also for quality time together and to celebrate his graduation. Plus, we’re meeting some friends there…can’t wait!
3. Square away three areas of my home. Yes, this is a little vague. However, I want to leave some wiggle room. I’m not sure what all we’ll find on our trip to Texas, so I’m just hoping that whatever we come up with will complete at least three parts of our home. (To be clear, “parts” can even mean a corner or vignette…I’m being reasonable here!)
4. Paint three new paintings. Painting is my new thing. I’ve been SO excited about it lately. I’ve painted a few new pieces for the house, and I’m hoping to do three more this month! (More on this later this week!)
So there you have it! For me, March is going to be all about creative endeavors and quality time. What are you looking forward to this month? Whatever it is, do it big!
