Reviewing my 2014 goals:
Fun – 12 in 2 list
For 2014, I’ll do the following (some of which I did earmark to do in 2013, but it didn’t happen):
- Silent retreat -didn’t happen, but I did research options to do something in San Fran whilst on Holidays
Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb– I got a voucher as a birthday gift in January 2014!!!Go jet skiing (done over the Christmas holidays, thanks to the BF!)- Learn to surf: 2015 thanks to a generous gift from my BF!
Dinner at Aria: planned for early FebruaryRead the new testament bibleDone in SeptemberRun a half marathon–- Plan and prepay my funeral – cough cough, not so fun, didn’t happen, but the cash is there?
Zorbing (a weekend away at the Gold Coast)The place went out of business…
The other 3? Well my friend stopped living in NZ, so that was scraped. One was a dinner at a fancy restaurant, which I did for my birthday in 2013. The third was a knife skills course which I did in 2013
Health – monthly challenges
These were a wash! I started out strong, but then it all went bust!
Jan: Stair challenge start, progress, end
Feb: Drink 3L water per day: start
Mar: Squats and abandoned 🙁
Apr: Push up challenge – increase the number everyday fail
May: Morning stretching/yoga fail – though some attempts made
Jun: Planking challenge fail
Jul: Mental health: daily act of kindness fail
Aug: Mental health: daily gratitude journal fail – though attempts made
Sept: 1 internet free day per week fail
Oct: Ocsober fail
Nov: Coffee free challenge fail
Dec: +1 walking fail
Interestingly, I did have a week or two when I woke to do yoga before work? So that was something. But generally my coffee intake increased.
Financial goals
source: http://www.morenailpolish.com/2013/01/aussie-nails-show-me-money.html
This is one category I always kick a** at! So, for 2014, I will:
1. Save $20,000 in my mortgage offset account (in addition to the starting balance) as of mid Septmber, met this, and by the end of the year exceeded it by $8k!
2. Save $200 a week in for holidays yep, it’s all automated, but now bundled into goal 1 so it’s all in one place
3. Save $10 $20 a week for my ‘one day’ dream of a first class holiday to Paris and NYC (First class flights and accommodation). I plan to spend 20 years saving slowly for this one. $20 per week, cause why not!
4. Save $100 a week for ‘charity’ which I will also withdraw from when I do support fundraising etc. automated too my friend! But kept separate from the pot in goal 1. $20 automatically goes to Church, from this $100.
Social
Plan a dinner party or similar once a quarter. Passed
1. Started with a pizza night for water polo girls in Jan 🙂 Easy and fun.
2. Excess cheese? Informal wine and cheese Sunday arvo.
3. Another polo dinner of Nachoes.
4. Halloween party hosted at a friends home but catered by both of us.
source: www.sheknows.com
Email my brother at least weekly whilst he’s in South America (until Sept 2014) so so – not 100% success rate on the stated frequency, but we stayed in contact.
Career
Ekk, seeing I didn’t submit my 16 x 700 words long episode reports in 2013, this goal will role over.
I will also start to think more (again) about the next step in my career. Whilst I wasn’t thinking about it, someone was, and I’ve been acting in a promotion of a role for a few months. And I’ll apply for the position when it’s advertised
Keeping it Creative
I’ve realised that I like to create things, like my gingerbread house, or the candy cane wreath. I really enjoy mending clothes, or sewing. I even made a map of the world with stamps! So I’m going to try and do more of these sorts of things. One crafty thing per month. Pinterest and blogs will guide me, I hope.
I’ve covered my router with a hard cover book; made earphone holders out of old plastic cards; cross stitched a baby’s blanket. Then for Christmas, I made another gingerbread house (and a trifle, but that’s less crafty!). I also made bunting and decorated jars for my upcoming 30th and did another baby’s blanket!
Overall, I think I did well on most of my goals. I really let myself down in the health department, despite doing a three month healthy eating and exercising plan which I paid for. I lost and gained roughly the same amount of weight, which puts me back where I was. Again, I’m trying to be healthier since Christmas day, and have cut out almost all sugar. That being said, I’ve still had juice and soft drink and the occasional taste of sweet things. But I have tried to eat less than I was in the later months of 2014.
How’d you go with your 2014 goals? Feel free to link to your posts!
Sarah, you did so great: the 12-in-2, financial and social are all excellent, plus you've been in an acting management role for months and are well-poised to stay at that level if you choose. I really like your idea of doing more creative and crafty things. Happy 2015! PS – I had to look up the word arvo 🙂
Ah, I'll slowly teach you 'aussie' – we like arvo!
I am impressed how well I've done in some spheres (especially when the health one has diminished in focus so much of late..!). So it's nice to have different areas, and win in others.
Just wait til I share all the birthday craft – the invites got put in the mail this afternoon, so once I know my friends/readers have them, I will post here too. Hate to ruin their snail mail surprise!
I keep being amazed at your charity donation rate; very generous. Do you have favourite charities you support? Brilliant work on the savings as well as the 12 in 2 list! Unfortunately, I've lost and gained the same amount of weight this year as well. It's hard when the focus gets intense on work.
Most of the money sits in the bank account, and then when someone asks to be sponsored, I draw from there, if my weekly cash flow can't handle it. So a lot of it isn't going anywhere, mainly cause I can't decide 'who'/'which' charity. At least when friends chose, I give in support of the friend and their choice, without assessing the charity.
I was impressed at how well the 12 in 2 went to be honest! I think I'll use that structure again.
You are a whizz at that saving business! Way to go!
As to the health challenges, see them as an ongoing journey rather than a pass or fail. After all, a really fit person may still want to get fitter.
True, health is definitely ongoing and there's always more to do, I am disappointed I was 'doing more' and slipped back and piled on the KGs, but it's to be expected.
I think you've done very well – especially considering all the extra time you've spent working and commuting! And I'm really impressed by your mortgage savings account!
I think good health in general is an ongoing project. Baby steps are better than nothing! Though it'd be easier as a one and done rather than having to resist treats over and over 🙂
Oh resisting treats over and over is SO HARD!
Thanks for your encouragement – the commuting and working has certainly boosted all my savings plans, and whilst I know I can live on a lot less money, I do like seeing such a good savings rate (and the freedom savings give to travel as much as I do)
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