Update 02.2023: Winter Goals, Bucket List & WOTY

Hello dollies!! Wanted to share how I have fared on my winter goals, winter bucket list and my WOTY so far.  Our temps indicate that spring is right around the corner.  Highs this week in the upper 70s…after a surprise snow 6 days ago!!  Have been working on this update for days and now that we are well into March, it probably would be more appropriately titled update 03.2023 but I will save that title for later in the month when I do my final update.

Here’s how I’m coming so far…

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WINTER 2023 GOALS

 

Making seasonal goals works better for me than New Year’s resolutions that I lose track of before the second week of the year.  If I get my goals scribbled onto my goal blackboard in some sort of shorthand, it puts them out where I see them as I begin my day.  Trouble is, I wrote them in such small hand that I can hardly read them!!

You might remember that I divided my goals into 2 categories.  Things that are external I categorized under House.  Goals specifically affecting me, my body, my personality I categorized under Home.

Key to My Progress:

• ⏱️ = work on goal underway
• ✔️ = goal met
• ❌ = goal not met

HOUSE

• organize loft after flooring project is finished, purge books – oh, how I love our new flooring.  I purged probably 20 books, taking them to our neighborhood Little Free Library. – ✔️

• purge and organize scrapbooking supplies – bought this new cabinet from Michael’s for paper.  Organized my paper by theme and pattern.  Purged paper I won’t be needing.  Organized embellishments. – ✔️

• clean garage, go through seasonal bins and purge – we have been slowly going through the garage; I am purging holiday decor as I prepare to put away it away for the next year. -⏱️underway
• clean kitchen, toss expired food, unused gadgets, drinking glasses I am coming for you – cleaned pantry and cabinets; have ordered several items to organize with; need to purge small, unused appliances, pots and pans, dishes. -⏱️underway
• purge clothes – seriously, using Alison’s guidelines:  I need to take a picture of my empty hangers.  Took 2 laundry baskets full of clothes to Uptown Cheapskate Consignment.  What they didn’t take, I have begun adding to my Poshmark closet.  – ✔️

 Have I worn it in the past year?
 Is it a classic piece that will stay in style?
 Is it still in good condition?
 Do I feel good when I wear this?
 Does it fit?
 Would I buy this again?

• gather things for yard sale, add to my Poshmark closet – added to my Poshmark closet made a sale last week; have begun gathering things for the yard sale. -⏱️work in progress

HOME

• get up early for quiet time 3X a week, finish reading Faith that Moves Mountains by Harris Faulkner; continue using my Prayer Journal for Women: 52 Week Scripture, Devotional & Guided Prayer Journal each week –  have been doing better at this again, funny (sad) how a health scare will do that. – ⏱️ongoing
• meet my Supernatural goal of 4X a week, 140 calories, 25 minutes – on a roll!!  Check me out. – ✔️

• find time for sit-ups, leg lifts, weights 2X a week – have only done sit-ups and leg lifts once and an arm workout 3 times. – ❌ not enough to qualify for being ongoing or underway yet
• jog on the treadmill 2X a week, 15 minutes a time; try to get back to running 1.5 miles in 15 minutes – running twice a week for 15 minutes/1.5 miles; ran in the “Run for the Fallen” 5K at Ft. Bliss.  – ⏱️ongoing

• work my way through at least 25% of Creative Live “Writing Your Story” with Joyce Maynard – very much enjoying the writing tips Maynard has shared. – ✔️

• listen to The Power of Writing It Down by Allison Fallon on Chirp and work through exercises – working through something Fallon calls the ‘infinity question’ exercise in writing about an experience this past fall…stay tuned, I might share it here. – ✔️

• join church writing group, “Let’s Write” and attend at least 3 meetings – we have attended exactly 3 meetings so far and really look forward to the next one.  The people are very uplifting and encouraging about writing and life. – ✔️

Will share more about the writing goals I have realized in my next post.  Have been writing more than I have in a long time.  And enjoying it.  Looking forward to writing these days.  To journaling.  Onto my bucket list activities.

WINTER 2023 BUCKET LIST

 

• “Alice in Wonderland” at El Paso Playhouse – we met Lauren, Lucia and Cami for the play and it was so well done.  This theater does so much on such a meager budget – always impressive. – ✔️

 

• “Cinderella” ballet at Plaza Theater – I don’t want to completely give up on this one yet but we probably need to see how PC is feeling. – ❌

• celebrate PC’s birthday on 02.28.2023 and Lucia’s birthday on 03.18.2023 – we have celebrated PC but Lucia’s birthday is still 2 weeks away.  The girls helped me decorate Campa’s cake.  They were tickled that we used a number 2 candle – the only birthday candle I had.  – ⏱️ongoing

• McKelligon walk or similar hike – we haven’t hiked or walked our familiar McKelligon Canyon yet this season.  Still hopeful for this activity, too.  – ❌
• winter 2023 photo challenge; share some of the photographs of Tyre Nichols  – this is a work in progress. Please find some of my photos, here.  And stay tuned for some more to come.  Tyre Nichols is a young man who was killed by Memphis (Tennessee) police after a traffic stop early this year.  I was moved by some of his lovely photos and will share a few with you next update.  – ⏱️ongoing

Then There’s…

• reading challenge on Goodreads – staying caught up; are we friends on Goodreads? – doing well on this challenge and staying ahead of the game so far.  Of course, I count picture books toward my goals so there’s that!!  – ⏱️ongoing

• scrap Santa Fe, Declan’s birth – finishing up a 2021 trip to South Padre Island and then I will get started on these milestones.  ❌
• attend Kiwi Lane online new release and scrapbooking party –  oh, girls…the folks at Kiwi Lane introduced the cutest kit, Nature Walk.  I am hoping it will go on sale soon so I can afford it!!  – ✔️

• “Come Read With Me” book club Zoom in honor of 125 members – we are up to 127 members now!!  Just amazing.  Have to think of something to do with the gang on Zoom – ❌

• pub crawl or sample and compare Margaritas at several places – nothing yet but looking forward to this.  Maybe for St. Patrick’s Day? – ❌
• try 3-4 different restaurants for dessert and/or breakfast – we have tried 1 new breakfast restaurant, Weck’s, so far and liked it so well that we have been back 2 more times.  Now to branch out. – ⏱️ongoing

• sample several crockpot meal prep packages from Crockstar Dinner Club – we have enjoyed the chicken pot pie twice and the sausage and tortellini once.  I have a baked potato soup package and their Carribean Jerk chicken to try this coming week. – ⏱️work in progress

So, that’s my progress on my bucket list items.  Now let’s have a quick look at my 2023 WOTY.

 

2023 WOTY:  CONSISTENT

 

I tried to find a prettier synonym for consistent but none of the words that I liked really meant what I am looking for in my 2023 word of the year.

What I hope to accomplish by selecting this word is more consistency in all areas of my life.  To continue to work on going with the flow so that I can consistently write, craft, exercise, eat well = Enjoy Life.  Bought fluorite beads last year to remind me to go with the flow, my WOTY for 2022.  Wonder if there are beads I can buy to help me with consistency??

I looked up tips for being more consistent and found this infographic.

As indicated in #2, I need to give myself some grace when LIFE keeps me from achieving my goals.  Or postpones my success a bit.  And there’s #6…I do well when I set a timer and ‘work’ on something for a bit – ironing, folding clothes, cleaning the kitchen and then set a timer to ‘play’ for a bit – scrapbook, write, read, exercise.

Wednesdays are fast becoming my favorite days because I try to enjoy some of my hobbies mid-week.  Today has been no exception.  Have run on the treadmill, walked in the sunshine, and am about to go up and write.  Then ‘meeting’ my sister for a Facetime scrapbook session this afternoon.  Trying to consistently make Wednesdays my fun days.

Your Turn

 

Did you set goals for winter, create a winter bucket list or put together some new year resolutions?  If so, how are you coming on yours?  Is there anything in particular you are most proud of accomplishing in 2023 so far?  I am really patting myself on the back for running the Run for the Fallen 5K.  Won’t you share your proud moments in a comment below?

Off to fold laundry and write.  Enjoy the remainder of your week, sweet friends.  Hope to get by to say ‘hi’ to everyone in the next few days.

Hugs and kisses,