Setting Goals

Since I was in elementary school I have set goals. The first goal I can remember setting was to earn straight A's on my 4th quarter report card in 4th grade. Mrs. Lynn was my most feared elementary school teacher, but I still worked hard to earn straight A's. I must clarify that this was my goal and my goal alone. My parents encouraged me to try my hardest, not dictating that I had to get straight A's. On the last day of school I anxiously waited as report cards were handed out and excitedly opened it only to discover that I did not reach my goal. Yes, I was disappointed, but that disappointment did not last long. I had done my best, tried my hardest. I may not have reached my goal, but that didn't stop me from setting new goals that I strived to reach and surpass. Eight and a half years later, I set the same goal for my first semester of college. This time I reached it.

Some people enjoy having a New Year's Resolution, not me, I enjoy setting goals. I have short term goals (weekly or monthly) and long term goals (yearly or even more long term). I will be honest, I don't always reach my goals. That's ok. How can I measure the successes (and failures) if I don't have something to measure against? Here are some of my current goals:

Long Term Goals

- Lose the baby weight (still have 20 pounds to go, plus about an additional 5)

- Pay off our car early and start saving for a down payment on the next house ($100,000)

Short Term Goals (working towards the Long Term Goals)

- Join Weight Watchers

- Stick to my daily points on Weight Watchers, 7 days a week

- Work out for at least 30 minutes, 5xs a week

- Stick to our monthly budget and save as much as possible

My goals are flexible and can and will change over time in order to meet my long term goals. One of my greatest motivators in attaining goals is accountability. I look at a week as being M-Sun, so every Monday I will document if I reached my weekly goals. Do you need any accountability, someone to encourage you, help you to start over again on the occasion that you may fall short? Let me know, I would love to encourage you, and hope that you will be there to applaud my accomplishments and push and encourage me during the times of failure.

First Post Jitters

Six months ago, I agonized over the name of my blog. I searched creative names that I liked or thought were catchy, only to find that they were already taken. Like salt in my wound, the blogs had not been lovingly kept up to date and had been neglected for years (literally). In some cases, they never had an entry past one titled "Test." Here I am six months later, finally getting over my perfection issues (the need to have my blog looking pretty and completely set-up) and posting an entry. I apologize to anyone wanting to have the everyday wife life blog name, I feel your frustration. I am finally moving forward....