Goal update (seeing that's what this blog is supposed to be all about)

Health & Fitness

Lose 20kg
Not there yet by any means. In fact, it's safe to say I haven't lost any weight (or what I had lost I have put back on). I have started a new healthy eating regime today though and I am writing down what I eat...long may it continue.

Aim for 3 Curves workouts every week
I haven't been to Curves regularly for about 2 and a half months which is shocking...I am determined to get back into it though and will be aiming for 2 workouts this coming week.

Do at least 1 other type of exercise each week (swimming, long walk, badminton etc)
To some extent I have been managing this although it's only ever been taking the dog for a walk. I got on the treadmill this morning for 15 minutes and hope to do that 3 times this week (plus 2 curves workouts will mean 5 lots of exercise).

Stop taking the pill and monitor effects to see if my health improves
I've done this! (Yay, something I can say I have completed!) Am feeling much better having come off the pill - things still aren't quite back to normal hormone wise but I'm pretty certain they are gradually coming right. I'm so glad I did this.

Attend meditation or yoga class for relaxation (and if I like it - continue to attend)
Something else I've done! I did go to a meditation class but I'm not convinced it was for me so haven't pursued that any further. I am trying to find other ways of relaxing (which don't involve emptying my mind...too difficult!)

Cut MSG out of diet completely
I've not done too badly with this. I had a relapse a couple of weeks ago where I was craving salt and vinegar crisps and all other things MSG. I'm trying to get back on the wagon now though and have discovered Salt and Vinegar Pringles don't contain MSG which is a big help!

Writing
Edit novel completed during NaNo 2007 and submit to at least one contest
Haven't got very far with this although I did start looking at the novel a couple of months back but haven't done anything further on it since.

Write at least one 50,000 word novel
I am planning to do NaNoWriMo again this year which is when I will write this year's novel.

Research and submit query for 2 magazine/newspaper articles
Nothing here yet but there is still time.

Wedding
Get a date confirmed for the wedding
It feels like we have gone backwards rather then forwards on this. There is definetly nothing confirmed and we have really had to go back to square 1 in terms of location as well.

Work out a wedding budget
We have done this to some extent which is how we ended up at Square 1. The plan to get married in Italy just isn't going to be feasible due to budget restraints.

Work out a plan of what needs to be done when and put into action
Need to work on this some more once we have decided if we are going to get married in NZ next year...which is the current plan.

Try wedding dresses on once lost 15kg
Not yet - see Health and Fitness!

Relationships
Update K and G NZ blog regularly (at least once a month) so family and friends can see what we are up to
I'm managing this and trying to update weekly or fortnightly which is pretty good going. Whether or not anyone is reading it is another matter...but I feel good knowing the updates are there if people want to read them!

Commit to one evening (or weekend afternoon) per week of quality time with Graeme, by ourselves (ie, go out for dinner, watch a movie together, play a game etc)
Well, we haven't set a certain day each week for this but I think we are doing okay here. Mostly spending time together at home, for example - curling up on the sofa and watching Ice Age last night or playing Singstar.

Email, text or phone one of my close friends/family members at least once a week to keep in touch
I've been trying with this one...there's definetly more room for improvement but I'm not doing too badly. Have been texting and speaking to family and trying to email and Facebook message friends.

Creativity/Personal Development
Make time at least once per month for scrap-booking or other crafts
Am definetly achieving this goal. I am so pleased with the amount of creativity I have achieved so far this year! Lots of scrapbooking pages and other projects. I am currently taking an online scrapbooking class which is proving lots of fun, I am taking part in the monthly scrap your day challenge and I have been attending classes locally too! I am having lots of fun being creative.

Attend a class/workshop to learn a new skill (Italian for beginners, drawing, painting, ceramics)
Well - I am counting the Herbs course as this goal so another thing ticked off! I may go and do something else like ceramics later on and I am really keen to do a photgraphy course but not sure I will get that done this year.

Update this blog regularly (aim for once a week) to keep tabs on where I am at with achieving my goals and what obstacles are in my way
Well I certainly haven't been updating and monitoring my goals weekly which is probably why the health and fitness goals have gone out the window. Today is a new day though and I will be trying hard to keep on top of my goals.

Overall

I'm fairly pleased with how I have done so far. I could do with a little bit more balance in the areas...it seems I am overdoing it in some areas which is affecting my success in others...but that has always been my problem.

I feel that if I can get the health and fitness routine back up and running and make some decisions about the wedding that it will all be coming together.

Yeuch...

Feeling yucky at the moment...have been sick over the weekend and then had to go to the dentist this morning for 2 fillings. I came home and crawled into bed feeling like a hamster with over-stuffed cheeks. Not a good look. Slept a couple of hours then finished reading a really cool book (if you like that sort of thing). Then I came down to the lounge and watched a bit of Ellen and now there is nothing on the telly and I am considering watching a good ole Rom Com Chick Flick to lift my spirits again.

I really need to have a look at my goals again soon but I don't feel like I have the energy today. Can you believe it's June already...that's just down-right crazy...we're almost half way through the year and I'm fairly certain I am not half way through my goals.

I am off to use up all my remaining energy on picking a movie. Might be back later this week in higher spirits (I hope).

Where I'm at

Nearly 2 weeks since I last posted - oops! I have thought about doing it a few times but then haven't got around to it. Nevermind - I am updating now! And just in time too. I think by updating this it will help me see where my goals are coming along nicely and where they need some more work!

Health and Fitness update

• Weight lost so far - I seem to be losing and putting back on the same couple of 100g these last few weeks so need to do better at watching what I am eating and getting my exercise levels up.


• I only managed 1 curves workout last week and I haven't been to curves yet this week. I am planning to go tonight and then Saturday plus either Thursday or Friday.


• I did the 7km walk last week but this week I missed it (was feeling really lethargic and had some other stuff that was more important - my job application!)


• Also, on the other exercise front - we are looking at buying a Treadmill (from TradeMe) as we can both use it and I can build up my running without feeling like a red faced bad runner on the streets! It will be good for the winter too when I don't want to go out walking or to the gym when it's dark and cold.


• My hormones have been all over the place with coming off the pill. I am taking Evening Primrose and Bio-zinc to try and balance myself out and just need to see what happens. I've heard it can take anywhere between a month and 18 months to get back to normal after coming off the pill having been on it for a long time. The average seems to be about 6 months so I just need to wait and see.


• I have found details of a Learn to Meditate class that is taking place locally on Sunday 9th March so have called to book in for that and managed to rope in a friend to come along as well I hope. It's a 3 hour class and costing $30Nz which I thought was quite reasonable. I'm hoping it's enough of a taster to see if it works for me and if it's something I should pursue further.


• As for MSG - I have virtually cut it out. The 2 times I have eaten it in the last few weeks I have really felt the consequences afterwards - my allergy symptoms go crazy, my nose runs constantly and I feel really tired. Must remember to check all labels before I eat anything!


• No chocolate - that's going well although I haven;t been a complete angel! From 6th February to today (27th) I have had 4 days where I have had chocolate. So it's not completely out but I am pleased I have had so many days without it!

Writing Update

• I am working on editing my NaNo novel. I'm currently trying to story board my plot so I can work out where there are holes that I need to fill and also to see if there are any scenes that don't move the story on. Unfortunately it's not going to be edited in time to submit to the end of February NZ Romance Writers contest but hopefully I will find another contest later on in the year I can submit it to.


• I have had a few ideas for a 2nd story so need to start noting these down so I have something to work on when I'm ready to start.

Wedding Update

• The only thing we've been able to work on so far has been the budget. We have had some disappointing news that we aren't going to get some money through that we were hoping for and that we had planned to use on the wedding. So it's a case of trying to work out what we can afford, how we can get the money together and then getting something booked.


• Obviously with the money not coming through it's put a huge strain on the idea of getting married in a Italian castle. We talked about it though and we want to get married there - even if we have to have fewer guests and pizzas for dinner rather then a la carte food at the reception! So we need to do some serious maths equations and work out how the hell we're gonna make it happen!

Relationships Update

• I put a post on the K & G NZ blog last week and will aim to do another over the next 7 days so I'm happy people are getting a glance at what we've been up to. I think maybe I need to email round to remind people the blog is still there and I am finally posting to it again though!


• We had a lovely Valentines Day together with a meal out. We have also spent some time with friends out together which has been good. I need to try and plan something for this weekend which is cheap (to save for the wedding!) and fun that we can do together. We did play Singstar last weekend by ourselves which was heaps of fun and may be considered 'quality time'!


• I managed to catch up with 2 NZ friends that are not in Palmy anymore over the weekend which was great. Now I need to make sure I'm replying to friends and family back in the UK that have sent emails. I'm not doing too badly at this!

Creativity/Personal Development

• I've been in touch with my scrapbooking buddy (!) and we've agreed to meet up in April to get going on the scrapbooking again which is good. I've spent a small amount of time looking over pages I'd planned etc over the last couple of weeks and hope to spend some time scrapbooking over the next few weekends (if the weather turns bad - if it's good, I will make the most of it and save the crafty stuff for when it's cold and dark!).


• I've had 2 out of 4 of my All About Herbs class so far which has been interesting. I also learnt about Herbal Crafts this week so that appeased my crafty side! Next week we look at Herbs used in Medicine and the final lesson is about Herbs in cooking.


• I've not updated this blog regularly over the last 2 weeks but I'm updating it today. Will try and do little posts in between these big full update posts just to keep my goals fresh in my mind.

Phew - so that's the update on my goals!

I'm also in the process of applying for a promotion at work and have spent quite a few hours trying to decide if it's the right thing to do. I am hoping to finish my application tonight and submit it tomorrow (it closes on Friday) and then it's all up to fate. At least this way I won't look back and wished I'd done more. I can only apply and see what happens.

And maybe one of these days I'll get around to telling some of my friends that this blog is here ;-)

My focus for this week

I am back in Palmy after a long weekend away in Auckland for work. I didn't get much down-time at all so unfortunately got no further with the editing of my novel. I did manage to do some planning for this week though.

I am going to try and review my goals each week and decide which ones I need to focus on and how I am going to do this. I plan to do this each Sunday.

So for this week I will be focusing on WRITING and HEALTH & FITNESS.

For the WRITING side of things I want to try and manage 6 hours of editing on my novel this week. Wednesday is a public holiday so I will spend a couple of hours then and also Saturday and Sunday.

As for HEALTH & FITNESS I need to catch up on some sleep and rest after a busy weekend so plan to be in bed by 10.30pm each work night this week. I also want to eat 3 portions of veggies every day, do 3 curves workouts this week (hopefully today or tomorrow, Friday and Saturday) and go for 1 long walk (possibly the 7km Manawatu Striders walk on Tuesday, if not - a big walk with the dog on Wednesday).

I'm going to try and keep Wednesday free from any arrangments with other people. It will be nice to have a quiet day with Graeme, get some things done I want and then relax without any time constraints.

While I was away, Graeme got me the 'Eat that Frog!' anti-procrastination book from the library so I will also be taking some time to read that this week.

And it's my Mum's birthday today so I will be speaking her tonight and telling her how great she is!

And maybe...just maybe, I might go public with this blog this week and email a link to my closest friends so I can get a little support along the way...

My Goals for 2008

Hot on the foot of my first welcome post, here are my goals for 2008 along with a brief introduction:

The main priority for me this year is going to be my health and fitness. I have spent too many years wanting to lose weight and get fitter without enough results. I am planning to get married in May 2009 so I hope this will work as a deadline for me to get to a weight and shape I am happy with.

I feel I had a successful 2007 in terms of writing because it was the first year I wrote a 50k novel and I want to carry on this year by editing the first novel and working on a second.

Planning the wedding may take up a lot of my time later in the year so I am going to include reference to this in my goals.

Health & Fitness

• Lose 20kg
• Aim for 3 Curves workouts every week
• Do at least 1 other type of exercise each week (swimming, long walk, badminton etc)
• Stop taking the pill and monitor effects to see if my health improves
• Attend meditation or yoga class for relaxation (and if I like it - continue to attend)
• Cut MSG out of diet completely
  

Writing

• Edit novel completed during NaNo 2007 and submit to at least one contest
• Write at least one 50,000 word novel
• Research and submit query for 2 magazine/newspaper articles

Wedding

• Get a date confirmed for the wedding
• Work out a wedding budget
• Work out a plan of what needs to be done when and put into action
• Try wedding dresses on once lost 15kg

Relationships

• Update K and G NZ blog regularly (at least once a month) so family and friends can see what we are up to
• Commit to one evening (or weekend afternoon) per week of quality time with Graeme, by ourselves (ie, go out for dinner, watch a movie together, play a game etc)
• Email, text or phone one of my close friends/family members at least once a week to keep in touch

Creativity/Personal Development

• Make time at least once per month for scrap-booking or other crafts
• Attend a class/workshop to learn a new skill (Italian for beginners, drawing, painting, ceramics)
• Update this blog regularly (aim for once a week) to keep tabs on where I am at with achieving my goals and what obstacles are in my way

Queen of procrastination

Being the queen of procrastination I have always had a difficult time sticking to new years resolutions and achieving my goals.

After some success last year...by achieving one of my long time ambitions - writing a novel - I decided if I can do that I should be able to achieve other goals as well.

Part of my novelling success was, in part, due to my broadcasting of what I was trying to achieve to as many people as possible. This was at the advice of Chris Baty who wrote 'No Plot, No Problem' and who is the creator of NaNoWriMo (National Novel writing Month). Being accountable for what I was setting out to achieve seemed to help me focus and carry on, even when the going got tough.

So I have decided to set up this blog to make myself accountable for my other goals in the hope and belief that I will achieve what I want to this year.

So that is why this blog is here. It will either become a tool of procrastination for avoiding other tasks or will become something I procrastinate about!

And yes, you could say I have procrastinated already this year as I am only just publishing my goals but I like to think I have been mulling them over to make them more meaningful and achievable ;-)