Annual Goal Evaluation

The best reason to evaluate goals is to see your progress - or not!  This is simply a guide to help you live your best life :-)  As I look back... I see areas where I have achieved MUCH more than I thought... and areas where I totally BOMBED! 

I see achievements (like my 'mile a day' habit) that had side benefits (my husband now joins me daily so MY goal has helped HIS health)

I see goals (like spiritual reading) that never got off the ground.. and now I need to decide a) if I want to make this a goal for 2013 OR b) choose a method to help me make it happen!

I see goals (like the infamous photo scanning project) that were TOO HUGE to measure well that need to be broken down better

This evaluation is simply a tool.  I encourage you to do your own and see where you are in your happiness - and where you want to be!  How will you get there if you don't know where you are right now?


Evaluation of 2012 Annual Goals

Goals 2012:

1.  HEALTH -
         a) continue on weight loss / exercise balance!
              I recognize that this is not specific enough for a goal. I am still working on action steps that will fit in my life and be sustainable.  I will share that journey with you as I go.
             Weight has remained the same which is also an accomplishment!  Looking back to the beginning of the year, I have made good new habits: I walk a mile outside almost every day and have increased that to 2 miles this December - successfully.  I have doubled or tripled my fruit and veggie intake with salads and green smoothies.  I have also identified supplements that help me physically and mentally and am taking them!

      Still working on consistent all over training - especially strength.

         b)Train for and do my 5th Breast Cancer 3Day Walk in Atlanta Oct 2012..
      Location changed to Philadelphia - but I DID IT!

2.  FINANCIAL -
         a) continue to live on a cash basis and work down debt balances
              Debt balances are reduced a little bit....but we are still living on a cash basis AND have pumped up the savings!  We have made improvements in other areas and have 2 kids in college.... we are doing well!  
Ultimate goal?  No debt except mortgage.... 10% long term savings each year (2.5% this year) and 10% short term savings (3% this year)

         b) find other sources of income to assist in this process.  It is important for me to feel financially independent.
             Little progress here... my best way of helping financially still is reduction of expenses.  I have been able to sell a little of my Children's Liturgy plans this year so that is a start!

         c) continue working with tithing.
            Our income is so variable that it is difficult to keep this one where it needs to be.  That said, I do monitor it monthly and we are aware and working on it.  
Our goal - 5% to our home church and 5% to the world's requests. 

Our achievement - 4% to our home church and 3% to the world....  we might be able to up that a little in the next few days... we'll see.

3. CURRENT HOME project -
        This one scares me but I am ready to take it on!  By the end of 2012, this home will be in a condition to sell.  I am working on a plan of action to deal with each room and all the associated STUFF... I will detail this in weekly action plans as I go.
      Yeah - not so much on my part!....  But we did make some improvements that will aid in the energy efficiency of our home.  The final set of ancient windows have been replaced, window wells have been dug out and re-graveled.... the room with water damage has been repaired and painted and is ready for me to decorate as a guest room... 
I think this goal needs to be re-framed and more specific for 2013
 
          My photo scanning project will continue under this heading.  I will continue to scan and organize photos in folders on my computer in order to share with other family members who are involved in the photos.
        I have made some progress this year but this task is HUGE!  I will need to break this down into more specific and manageable goals in order to feel any sense of accomplishment!
     
There are: 
      the 'tub' of assorted photos (down from a large 18 gallon plastic tote to a small 20 quart plastic tote) **looking at this alone makes me feel I did more than I thought I did :-)
                  the albums - my personal, my mother's, some older historical ones
                  the framed photos
                  the 'official' posed photos

         Also - I love to learn (as you probably know already) so this year, I will learn to refinish furniture and decorate.  Perhaps I can find some inexpensive course in interior design.... or some good DIY projects to attempt.
         Nope - haven't touched it..

4.  Good Maintenance Habits:
         Good maintenance habits means that I don't have to THINK about them - I just do them.  To that end, I will think about them now :-)
    A) health/weight/exercise - I will deal with those under the "health" category
    B) environmental management - (fancy name for housekeeping!)  I will talk about this as I go through the work of re-newing the house.  I will develop some good maintenance habits as I tackle the larger project.
    Other than beginning the year well with great ideas about how to clean and keep up with this house, I haven't accomplished much here.

   C) relationships -
            Family - regular, purposeful dates / activities with husband and family members - separate and together......  Much better with the hubs... okay with the kids

           Friends - make a point of a 'non-business' meeting with as many friends as possible during 2012....  not well at all :-(

           Birthday cards :-)  I like doing them and it felt good to actually get through the year having done them!   Birthday cards to friends and family took a beating this year.  I started a card ministry at church and did great with the church and lousy with my family.... need to fix this

    D) hobbies -
            *Enjoy my crocheting but work down my yarn stash..  Doing this but it is a BIG stash....  I have not bought much yarn this year though - and every bit I DID buy had a designated function and need.  (no yarn for yarn's sake!)
            * Less crochet - more quilting, loom knitting, knitting, and whatever other crafts I can enjoy with my current supplies     I have gotten back to a little bit of quilting and sewing for the girls but very little as yet.  And that mostly because of ongoing shoulder issues that are worse when I crochet!  But, whatever works, right?
 
            * Learning: is learning a hobby?
                  a) Read a minimum of 1 book per week.
                          Start on book lists of classics by Modern Library / continue with favorite authors and Oprah's recommendations     Classic book list was too much work for books I didn't care much for so I quit that pretty quickly.... that said - I still read a LOT.. check out my reading list page..  I set a goal for 100 books and have hit 106 as of this writing!

                  b) Watch more movies - Choose classics from American Film Institute List (as well as fun choices as desired!) The list had a few classics I was interested in but others were just not to my taste and I respect that ability to choose :-)  But I HAVE watched more movies.. mostly current ones I chose to get out of the library instead of purchase.  This will no longer be a goal now that I have the HABIT of ordering and checking out items from my local library.

                   c) will put my spiritual reading here.  I still am not sure about what I want to do here but will make a choice soon (by the 1st :-)     this is another thing that has not exactly gotten off the ground in 2012.....  I HAVE regularly pulled Scripture verses or passages to memorize and ponder but haven't done anything systematic this year.

5.  Writing - Keep on with my daily blogging - Journey & Children's Liturgy
                   Join a writers group to learn more about what I am doing and where I can go with it.
                   Keep up with a written journal

    A BIG fail on the writing!  I have kept up with Children's Liturgy to a point because people are beginning to purchase it  - but other than that, I have not been consistent at all!