40 Day Goal Challenge – A Review

A few days late (or maybe a week), but that is what happens when you are busy living life. My last goal challenge wrapped up on July 27th.

So how did I do? To be honest, I wasn’t sure until I reviewed my goals. I haven’t lived by my goals this cycle. I put them on paper, I embraced them, and then I set out to live my life for 40 days keeping them in mind. It wouldn’t have hurt to go back to the piece of paper a few times to review, but so is life.

My objective for this set of goals:

This set of goals is following my theme of “Letting Go” this year. Letting go of external baggage, emotional baggage, preconceived ideas, and long lists of how-tos (and must dos) that I impose on myself. I’m trying to live each day as it is presented to me. I’m trying to live my life according to my life mission. I’m trying to be the parent my children need me to be and the wife Christian deserves. This set of goals is designed to help me stay present.

Even if everything isn’t check off the list below, I can proudly say that this is how I’m living my life. It’s becoming natural. It’s becoming instinctual. I feel like this weekend was my final exam for this goal cycle. With the objective in mind, I give myself a big fat A+. When faced with both physical and emotional challenges, I didn’t resort back to old behaviors. I didn’t shy away from the world. I didn’t push away the people who love me. I didn’t run away from the things I love. THAT IS HUGE for me. Job well done Kristy!

1. Embrace a hands free lifestyle – play with my children when we are playing. Engage with my husband when we find a few precious moments together. Ditch the cell phone. Forget about the laptop. I want to just be with my family. If you call or text after 5pm, I might not respond until the boys are in bed. Sorry in advance. – BIG HUGE CHECK!

2. Cancel Cable – Who needs it? I’m sick of the background noise. I’m tired of it being an empty filler. There are games to play, puzzles to conquer, books to be read, and lots of miles to run. Because I don’t have enough time in my day, I’m choosing to not have time for television. – Almost. We have reduced our cable as much as possible. We held on to it for a few reasons – 1. The tour de France. I love watching it. 2. The Olympics. I wasn’t going to miss it. 3. It is cheaper to keep some cable than it is to get rid of it all together since we have internet service. I think we have done a good job of achieving the purpose of this goal (quit watching random television) without actually cutting it out of our life completely.

3. Get creative in the kitchen – Don’t waste our CSA box. – YES! and it’s been so much fun! I need to blog about everything we are cooking.

4. Take the time to sit down and write all the cards I’ve been meaning to mail – I need to share my appreciation of people with the people I appreciate instead of carrying it around inside of me. – I need to do better. I mailed ONE card. I have so much more inside me to share. I’m carrying this goal over to the next cycle.

5. CLOTH DIAPER! I’m done talking about it. I’m doing it! A diaper can sit in a land fill for 500 years before it decomposes – reason enough! – DONE! and I can’t believe I waited so long to get started.

6. Gently hold onto my training plan – stick to the plan but be flexible. – After a few mini-meltdowns, I’m learning to stay flexible.  I just maxed out my long run trainings at 12 miles this weekend!

7. Create a summer contract for when Cole returns from his dad’s house. – Done. (but I forgot to share it with Cole. OOPS!) Good thing he got himself grounded. It’s really created a fun environment in our house.

8. Live Hands Free Mama’s challenge to be alive each week: YES! YES! YES! Every day I can feel the shift inside of me. I’m living my life. My emotions feel real. I’m dreaming big and going for it.

• Say the things you’ve been wanting to say—even if it is only a whisper
• Do the things you want to do—even if it is in your own backyard
• Take one step toward your dream—even if it noticeable to no one but you
• Hug the people that mean the most—even if your children give you weird looks
• Let go of that which has been holding you back—even if it might seem scary
• Disconnect from that which keeps you from truly connecting—even if you think can’t live without it

9. Plan a trip to the mountains – In Process. Looking at a house in Smith Mountain Lake for a long weekend. Also have planned a picnic weekend in the hills of Williamsburg with Heidi and her family.

10. Ride my bicycle – it has been over a year! Geesh! – Nope. But the bike is coming along on that family picnic weekend.

11. Learn to “blow bubbles” – step one to conquering my fear of swimming laps in a pool. I’m going to learn how to breathe appropriately while swimming. Baby Steps! – Nope. No excuses. Just didn’t happen.

Reward: A trip to the bookstore to wander around and buy a few I can’t put down

I cheated and got a head start on my book reward.

On to the next set of goals…..They are posted here!