Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Mid-year Goals Review: I'm my own worst enemy

A few other (horsey) bloggers have done a review of their goals around this time and it makes sense since I'm also doing my performance review at work. You'll recall that the goals I set out for 2015 were listed in this post. There was a combination of personal, kitty, riding and reading. For a bit, I wasn't confident that I'd make what I wanted to accomplish. I was having challenges at work and I was starting to feel really overwhelmed with all the things that I had to do, outside of the goals I set for myself here just to maintain some sort of order in my personal life. I'm fortunate that +ADW (and my parents to a degree, since I try not to worry them and keep most to myself) is supportive and (mostly) patient of my frustrations and personal tribulations and I have amazing friends who commiserate with me when I need a moment (or two).

Let's get right into it, shall we?

PERSONAL

  • Finish all my "stuff" half an hour before I intend for bed--10:30pm bed time! (hopefully my caffeine habit will reduce too!)
    This hasn't REALLY happened b/c I am a night owl. But, I have been trying to just go to bed the minute I'm tired. I mitigate things by getting prepared by 10pm and then seeing when I wanna keel over for the evening.
  • Getting active daily (by week), minimum: yoga twice, cycling once, cardio once, get off 1 stop earlier to walk home
    I have not tried hard enough. At the risk of making excuses, I have been struggling with work so I've been distracted; but, it's June now (not cool). I will start getting off a stop earlier twice a week this week and do my yoga stretches (maybe not the full session?) twice as well.
  • Complete a preliminary project management course
    So this is on like right now... but I might need to postpone with all the other things that have taken priority.
  • Complete my Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
    In process. I am going to make it my goal to have the exam successfully completed by July 20th.
  • Study and successfully pass the MCAT
    This doesn't seem necessary any more... but I have to double check to be certain.
  • Be on time for stuff
    I'm doing pretty well for this one!
  • Make more of an effort to get out with friends
    This one is one of the easier ones... and I've done some "clean up" too.
  • Limit Facebook time to once a day, 20 minutes (this one is tough b/c I love procrastinating!)
    I think I average 20 minutes daily. I'm going to continue to be more direct and specific here so I can bring it to 10 minutes.
  • Maintain a regular blogging schedule so I can aim to have a minimum of 10 posts per month
    I'm all over the place with this one. I have had good months and not so good months. That said though, sometimes it's simply a lack of subjects to post about. I'd say I'm doing well so far.
  • Decorate my new home by finding spots for all photos or other images
    I have started. I suspect this will be a long-term work in progress.
  • For my piano, improve enough to get to grade 4 by end of year and perfect the Christmas tunes I've been practising for the last 2 years (only around the holidays!)
    I am not being realistic, based on the current trend. My teacher is treating me like I am doing this for the first time (that's not bad, but not moving fast enough since it's not enough of a challenge sometimes). That said, I'm an adult student so I can do whatever I want. I'm going to see to make some amendments to this and see if I can at least be plowing through grade 3 by year end.
  • Complete 2 more speeches in my Toastmasters ACB set
    This has taken a major stall. My office location has really limited me to be able to complete this. I have looked up after work sessions near home (to no avail) and nothing is nearby (no open clubs anyway). I will be looking for alternative ways to continue to practice my speaking and communication skills (see practice for job interviews ;) )

BUCKINGHAM/STANLEY C. PANTHER

  • Clicker train Stanley in the basics and ensure he comes when called
    For the most part, he comes when I call him. But without consistency. Good start so far. We'll be working on refinement.
  • Set-up the ultimate cat-terrium indoors
    This project has sort of exploded... I will be pushing updates into our sun room to accommodate this so that the boys can go into the room on their own and stare outside. Windows have been opened so that has been a good start. We also are dealing with a community cat issue so I don't know how far along this will get. Getting things done in the house is correlated with the decorating so I feel this will take time. In the meantime, they are all over and have 2 trees, allowed on all tables and counter-tops and Bucky's bed is by a window.
  • Get Stanley to wear a collar without ripping it off
    Success!

RIDING

  • Ride every moment of a lesson with intention--don't waste time
    I'm doing pretty well here. Even on days I'm kind of tired, I push myself to get through the burn and keep going.
  • Communicate with half halts for transitions consistently to reduce that ear pinning and tail swishing
    Good progress here too--especially at gait transitions. Need to translate to other tasks/asks.
  • Participate at one adult show at Touch N Go Farms - Adult Schooling Series (not aiming to place--just get over nerves and gain ability)
    My first goal to getting there was to successfully ride courses of 2'3" before I even attempted anything further. With the way things have been going on in other aspects of my life, this goal might need to be postponed to next year. But I will continue to push forward.
  • Improve my hip/seat flexibility and overall fitness so I reduce/eliminate my physical short comings
    Related to my fitness goals... not really improving at this time.

READING

  • Finish the reading list proposed from 2014 within 12 months
    To be determined but things aren't looking great right now :|
  • Read as many of those books as possible, through paper based books as opposed to electronic
    No problems here!
  • Pick up a few "non typical" Deb books and incorporate into 2015 or 2016
    I have met a major bookworm so I assume this will be no problem!

Overall, this has been a struggle for me on the personal side of things. To be fair to myself though, a lot has been happening that I have been working through that I won't get into here b/c you never know who reads these things. But those who know, know it's a real pain in the arse and it's just on me to change things. I have to want it though... you know? I gotta be hungry for the change and act on it every.single.moment.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this image of my beloved baby Stanley doing what he does best: looking oh so cute.

He's seriously THIS CUTE all the time. It's hard to say no...

4 comments:

  1. sorry things in your personal life haven't exactly been going to plan - just from the surface tho it certainly seems like you've accomplished a lot!

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    1. thanks! it's one thing that i can say is on track is that i'm at least making progress with the aspects i can control. that miserable component will change... it's just creating a plan, timeline and goal. i refuse to let it get the better of me!

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  2. I love the idea of setting intentions and goals, but I do find it difficult to keep them going as priorities and circumstances change. As for me, I am glad I did not really set any firm goals for the year because I would not have achieved any of them -- I guess on some level I knew that everything was going to get shaken up like a snowglobe this year!! Anyway, I think it sounds like you are doing great all things considered (new marriage, new home, etc). Lots going on!!

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    1. thanks!! things have changed some more and i'll be blogging about things soon enough :) just taking time to pull myself together.

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