So, January is (FINALLY!) over, which means it's time for the monthly goal setting report, as well as telling you my goals for February!
(You can find my goals for the year here, as well as the steps related to each one!)
So, here are my goals, and the progress I made in January, as well as what I want to do for February!
Goal Number 1:
Work through Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps for Financial Peace to cultivate good stewardship, gratitude, and contentment
If you're not familiar with Dave, there are seven baby steps, with the first three being really key. Those steps are:
1) Save a $1K emergency fund
2) Pay off all debt (besides the mortgage--which I don't have)
3) Complete the emergency fund with 3-6 months' of living expenses
I, obviously, started with number one--the $1K emergency fund.
Progress: I KILLED this goal in January! I'm so happy about this! I have $800 in my emergency fund, which means I will finish it off in February! YAY!!!!!! And the sense of peace is amazing. If I get a flat tire, or my computer dies, or something else goes wrong....I have money to fix it. That's such a relief!
February Goal: Finish Baby Step One! Continue to check in with my budget and reconcile checkbook daily.
Goal Number 2:
Find an agent for my manuscript
This is a big goal with lots of tiny steps and moving parts. One of them is working on my blog and making myself more visible on social media. So, in that realm, I completely re-wrote my about page (using Ashlyn Carter's Copyright for Creatives materials--the course was actually last fall, but I didn't have time to do it then. So I did it now!)
February goal: To draft a new proposal. Yes. This is sort of scary! But I'm going to do it!
Goal Number 3:
To deepen and strengthen my relationship with God, because He is the center and the well-spring.
This goal also has some moving parts--things I want to incorporate, etc. I did make some progress here: I prayed with my Bible (lectio divina!) almost every day in January. That's huge for me. I was also really good about saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I didn't get to Mass during the week, so that's a fail. But I know I will this week--I'm getting back on the First Friday horse, and going to confession then, too.
February Goals: Attend the Columbus Catholic Women's Conference; Mass weekly; confession on First Friday; holy hour; continue daily lectio! (Daily lectio will be easier because Above All starts on February 14!)
Goal Number 4:
Continue to lose weight and treat my body well so I can do everything else I want to do, and honor my body which God made.
So, this was hard. This month was really cold, but then we would have warm spells. But my weight has been stable, which is good. I haven't lost, but I also haven't gained. AND tonight I fit into a smaller jeans size! So I'm making progress here, for sure.
February: Be better about exercising. Something EVERY DAY, even if it's only for five minutes.
Goal Number 5:
Grow Barton Cottage Crafts, to help with baby steps (goal 1), but also to have a creative outlet and for enjoyment.
Progress: I finished scarves and mailed them out last month; I'm currently working on a commission and have three more in the wings! So good progress here!
February goals: Keep working on my commissions!
Goal Number 6:
Have a beautiful, peaceful, welcoming home so I can appreciate what I have, encourage hospitalist, and cultivate peace.
Progress: I am just about done with Emily Ley's Simplifying Challenge--the only thing left are two kitchen cabinets! Yay! I need to be better about "zeroing out"--setting things up for the next morning (making coffee, clearing the table, etc.). I was inconsistent in this last month. I was good about the weekly chores, though. Star for me!
February Goals: Doing Nancy's Contentment Challenge again, February through April! I've made progress here, but I want to make more. It takes a long time to stop comparison and perfection from taking up brain space. Also, be consistent in zeroing out every night.
Goal Number 7:
To nurture my creativity so I can learn new things, inspire myself, stretch my mind, and feed my soul.
Progress: I've started taking a watercolor class, and I LOVE it. It's hard, but it's good hard. I can already see improvement in my technique! I've also been re-reading The Artist's Rule, and it's a great inspiration for me to incorporate creativity into my daily life. Finally, I'm working on a new shawl, which you've seen in the yarn alongs:
Part two! STRIPES!
This is such a great project and thank you, Aunt Sue, for helping me with it at Christmas! :) This is a great way to stretch my knitting skills and create something pretty for myself.
I've also joined a writers' group, and that's going to be really helpful, I think!
February Goals: Continue watercolor class; continue Artist's Rule; work on shawl.
So all in all, not a bad January! I'm pretty pleased.
How about you? Did you make progress on goals/ resolutions in January?