Cheers to the New Year, folks! Can you believe it’s officially 2019? I feel like it was just yesterday that I started blogging way back in 2013. So much has changed since then. There have, of course, been the big life events like getting married, buying a house, having our first son – and then our second, PCSing (twice), a deployment, and so much more. 2019 brings its own new set of challenges, but it’s also another year of exciting potential, and though I’m not a resolutioner, I’m definitely what I like to consider a goal-getter, especially with an impending deployment and so much more on the horizon.
Rather than set an exorbitant number of goals for the new year though, I’ve decided to limit it to five truly attainable goals. These are goals that are not only for myself, but for our family, and our future, as well. With lots of changes on the horizon, including the birth of our baby girl, we’re bound to have our growing pains, but I’m excited to throw these out into the ether and start tackling them head-on.
Train for & Complete My Second Marathon
I ran my first marathon – the Chicago Marathon – during Ryan’s last deployment. It was an incredible experience, and despite my knee-jerk reaction being that I never wanted to run one again, within a day or two, I’d convinced myself I was going to do another one, and I’m excited to start training post-baby. I have my sight set on the Seattle Marathon on December 1, 2019, giving me about 8 months (give or take) to train post-baby. While I’ve yet to register, I think it’s a great way to dive into a new year of fitness potential.
Blog Consistently – Both Good & Bad
I think there’s a dichotomy in the blogosphere between real life and what we want to share as “real life.” I’m sure we’ve all seen it on social media, and especially on instagram. I want to be really intentional about sharing it all…the good, the bad, and the ugly. We’re all going through something, and you never know if what you’re going through could actually help someone else weather a similar challenge. Most of all though, I keep this blog for myself and for my family since Army life likes to keep us far away. It’s a way of staying connected, and I want to be real with all of it.
Commit to Both Physical & Mental Health
2018 came with its share of challenges, and I’d be lying if I said it was a cakewalk. I’ve learned to step back from certain things, rid my life of a lot of negativity, and focus on a foundation of solid mental health and wellness all around. Sometimes we need to take a step back, and sometimes we need to stand up for ourselves. I made a big move from one side of my company to the other this year, and that was one of the best changes I could have made for myself and for my family. I have more clarity, more freedom, more autonomy, and more creative leeway than before, and it’s liberating. I want to focus on whole-body health in the new year to better provide a solid basis for myself and for my family.
Adventure More – Whether Convenient or Not
We’ve gotten so much better at this in the past couple years, and I’m definitely going to work to carry this over into the new year, as well. When I had Spencer, I struggled with postpartum depression, and it was a really difficult time feeling isolated and alone. I learned to get out though, and I learned to challenge myself – whether it was convenient or not. I want to do the same with my boys and soon-to-be-daughter in the new year, as well. I want to be bold and have fun because I know they’ll follow suit. Plus, we have so much to explore in Washington.
So, those are my big goals for 2019. Maybe they’re more vague than real resolutions, but they’re perfect for guiding what I need to do and want to accomplish. Most of all, they’re a bit of a beacon in the hard times, and I can’t wait to check in throughout the year.
Do you set goals or resolutions for the new year?
