Another year has come and gone, and another deadline for yearly goals has passed. I always enjoy writing about my goals, because I am able to have something to look back and reflect upon at the new year. Without rehashing my whole previous blog, here were the main objectives along with my current reflections on how the year played out.
- Journal every day- Write down 4 achievable goals based around adulting “must dos” and nice-to-haves for my well being
- Even though there were some days that I forgot to write down my thoughts, creating a daily list of goals and documenting important events and feelings has become a part of my lifestyle. Getting a planner with templates instead of using blank pages greatly streamlined my journaling process. Now I tend to write down a few words rather than a full paragraph to capture my feelings and to spark my memory, but that’s what works for me. Using different colored pens and making it attractive keeps me accountable.
- Document any learning experiences that stand out to me, movies/ tv shows I’ve watched, and books I’ve read to be able to have something fun to look back on.
- Over the course of the year, I kept a log of all the books that I read (see the list in a previous post here). I will definitely bring this into 2022 as well. As for movies and TV shows, I didn’t dedicate much time to them and don’t have much to look back on. Other than football and the Great British Baking Show, I am pretty behind.
- Breastfeed December until he is 1 year old
- My son is almost 17 months old now, and he is still very happily breastfeeding. Unfortunately, I’ve had more experience than I’d hoped for with mastitis, but overall my son and I make a killer and efficient breastfeeding team. My supply has certainly gone down with the introduction of more solids into his diet (as it should), and I’m ready to wean whenever my son is. While I’ve loved breastfeeding and feel passionately about it, the fear of clogged ducts has a special place in my mind. Plus, he somehow turned into a toddler right in front of my eyes.
- Bake or cook something new at least once a week
- I didn’t track this at all, but I can say with certainty that this goal was achieved. I spent many hours in the kitchen and fell in love with finding creative ways to prepare dinner early on in the day.
- Be the best mom I can possibly be to December
- I started this year working part-time in a corporate job that I loved. I had great co-workers and opportunities that I couldn’t have dreamed of. That said, I also felt stretched thin and like I couldn’t connect fully with both my job and my son. After about 7 months back in the office, I made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom, and I’ve never regretted it once. I’ve gotten to bond with my son in a way that I never knew possible, and I can feel the love and trust between us. When he learns a new skill, I feel such joy in knowing that I’m the one that taught it to him. Yes, some days have been long and hard; however, I hope he knows that I gave this goal all that I had.
2021 will go down as the year that I discovered sourdough. My aunt gave my mom a starter when she was visiting town, and then my mom created a starter for me from hers. At the time, I didn’t know anything about sourdough, and I had no idea just how much I would enjoy making my own bread and playing around with the discard. There is a strong learning curve, and I have so much room to grow. I honestly have not bought bread since, and I’ve never enjoyed bread more. Highly recommend!
Arguably, the biggest change in my life this year was making the decision to be a stay-at-home mom. Getting to be with my son for most all of his waking (and close by for sleeping) moments has transformed me probably as much as it has transformed him. Instead of dreading alone time, I’ve learned to both need and appreciate it. I value time to myself and have learned more about who I am as a person and a mother. I’ve developed a love of reading, and I feel like a dreamer again after having lost my spark amid my darkest times in college. I’m excited to keep pursuing myself while also caring for and raising my family.
My mission word for 2022 is going to be intentional, and I think all of the goals below come back to that: intentional with my time, my family, and my environment. You could say that my current passion is to cultivate passion in my life, and I think that’s an awkward yet exciting place to be. Even though I’m 25, married, and a mother, I still feel like I am on a journey of self-discovery.
Intentional with my time:
- Learn more about plants and gardening.
- Spider plants and I are friends. All other house plants…not so much. I would love to not only keep my house plants alive, but to also get new ones and have them thrive. The goal is for the pictured plants below to be less… bendy. Historically, I’ve done well with my outdoor gardening, and both my husband and I want to expand upon our gardening knowledge and dabble in homesteading. We are manifesting our version of a farm and homestead for the future and want to start building knowledge now.
- Read at least one book a month and review each one.
- Send suggestions my way!
- Create at least one original recipe
- I love hunting for and gathering recipes, but sometimes you just want to have something to call your own you know?
Intentional with my family:
- Wean my son
- Like I said above, it’s time. It’s been a wonderful journey, but I’m anxious for this new phase. I’m nervous about having to come up with healthy meals that won’t end up tossed on the floor (the little man is very particular), so if you have any tips for picky eaters, please let me know.
- Be the best mom that I can be
- For me, this looks like developing patience, creativity with playtime, connecting with him, and teaching him about himself and the world.
Intentional with my environment:
- Simplify my belongings
- My goal isn’t to be a full-on minimalist, as I can’t see myself sticking to something that rigid; however, the amount of clutter in my house is starting to get to me. When I look at my belongings and spaces, I want to see purpose, quality, and personality. I want to be able to see something and be able to use it, find comfort in having it, or feel more like myself for having it.
- Finish remodeling the bathrooms in our house
- Between the pandemic and having a baby, our bathroom remodel is stuck about halfway done. I’ve gotten used to the chaos, but really I’m just procrastinating at this point.
I intend to keep writing about my life journey, and I’m thankful for all who have chosen to follow along thus far. Every time I take a break from blogging, I always find myself missing it and getting reeled back in. In a way, it’s been a constant for me throughout my different phases of life. I know this blog is a mixed bag, but I think that is natural for a person who is still in a chapter of self-discovery. Maybe this will be the year that I find a topic to hone in on? Maybe I’m meant to have an online “journal” that’s as scattered as my mind can be? I guess you’ll have to stay tuned and see just like me.
Here’s to a year focused on personal growth, health, relationships, and love.
A year focused on joy and not self-doubt.
A year where you think about you and care less about what you see in the mirror and more about how you feel.
A year to dream.
Here’s to 2022.
