Well, as 2016 is well under way, I thought I would take some time to reflect on the goals I set in 2015 and see how well I did with them. I for the last several years, I have attempted (not always in blog format) to take time to reflect on my past year, and set goals in the new year to help me become a better version of myself.
So here are a few of my goals from 2015, and how I fared in them.
Practice Sabbath, Solitude, Silence, and Fasting—This was once a strength for me, but I’ve allowed this discipline to slip in recent years. I slept with my phone in a separate room for most of the year, and managed to carve some time out for each of these disciplines in the midst of a flurry of activity. AND, I was able to take my first seriously legit vacation with Jamie since our honeymoon. It involved a full week of no technology (except for a clock radio that played a few radio stations). It was AWESOME! Looking forward to continuing on that trajectory!
Blog More Consistently—Last year, I had made a commitment to my good friend Thomas Hong to start blogging more , and thanks to his encouragement and accountability, I wrote more than I had since 2012--53 posts in total! I had actually developed a habit of writing more during the beginning of last year, but I never managed to post much of what I had written (so there may be some one year old thoughts (or older) getting posted this year. As 2015 came to an end, I took some time to plot out what I would like to write about, and how to make it more consistent, so I'm hopeful to continue this trend in 2016.
Exercise—Last year, I wanted to at least walk 30 minutes per day for a minimum of 3-5 days per week. I easily maintained this goal, and I was able to insert about 45 minutes of riding bicycle and other types of aerobic and strength training into my weekly routine.
Lose Weight Become More Fit—Last year I started at 195 pounds and I didn't set a goal for ending weight in 2015, but I did want to be more fit. I managed to lose six pounds and as of today weigh 189. Not a massive change, but definitely trending in the right direction, and I would say that I pursued a more consistently healthy lifestyle in 2015.
Marine Corps Marathon—Jamie and I were able to complete our third Marine Corps Marathon for Nuru last year, and we completed it in our best time yet!
Steward Resources More Wisely—Every year, Jamie and I strive to take some steps to lower our footprint (and our utility bills) and hope to continue this trend in 2016. Among our choices were switching to LED bulbs and keeping our heat set low and AC set high). We also tended to walk instead of driving when we traveled in town. And, sometimes (when the grass wasn't too high), we mowed our yard sometimes with a reel mower--now that's a workout!
Get Outdoors—My goal was to get outside for at least 30 minutes a day. Many days I exceeded this goal. I feel like being outside helps me stay grounded and connected to the world around me, and not get caught up in the online world or the world of screens. There's something refreshing about being rooted in the good earth.
Connect With Friends—I wanted to continue the trend of visiting with friends both near and far. These times of connecting are a refreshment to my soul, and last year, I feel like we were able to do this really well, but I always find myself longing for more.
Plant a Garden—Of course this is a goal every year. I’d love for us to grow more of our food this year, and this time with our hands in the soil will also help us spend a little more time outdoors.
What about you? How did you fare in your 2015 goals? What habits would you like to make or break in the coming year?
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