Cut Yourself Some Slack for Goals not Met

A new year has started. Are you looking back at last year and looking at all the things you didn’t do? All those things you promised yourself, those new years resolutions that fell by the wayside during the mad dash through the mess that was 2020? It’s so easy to limp across the finish line into 2021, look back and blame every missed opportunity, every deed not done on 2020. But lets be truthful, was it 2020 or was it you? In my case it was both.

I don’t make new years resolutions, haven’t in a very long time. Why? They were always the same and always vague. I’m going to lose weight, I’m going to eat healthier, I’m going to exercise more. According to Inc.com, 80% of people have dropped their new years resolution by February 2nd. Isn’t that insane, 80%! I’d like to say when I made them I kept them longer than that, but if I’m honest, I was probably a statistic.

Even though I don’t make new years resolutions, I do make plans/set goals I would like to accomplish for the upcoming year. 2020 was to bring a weekend trip to Banff with the girlfriends, Family Thanksgiving in Hawaii, walk 3 5k’s,blog at least 3 times a week, lose 50 lbs, exercise 30 min a day/5 days a week, clean and purge the house, read 52 books, and probably some other things I have forgotten. A couple weeks ago I was thinking about all this and got a little depressed because I hadn’t accomplished any of those items. I was beating myself up, as most people tend to do, when I slapped myself on the forehead and told myself to get a damn grip, cut yourself some slack and put a positive spin on it for once!

I looked back, really looked back and ticked through my list one by one.

• No, I didn’t go to Banff because Canada closed it’s borders. BUT, we were able to meet up in Leavenworth, WA for a weekend and we had a great time.
• No, we didn’t go to Hawaii for Thanksgiving because we didn’t really know how Covid Hawaii would be. A mask tan line just wasn’t what I needed as a souvenir. Honestly, I’ve never had a driving need to go to Hawaii, so that wasn’t a huge upset for me. Missing out on the family time much worse then missing out on the beaches. However, I was able to go to Colorado for a week in June and spend time with my sons. Also, my youngest and his now-wife came to visit and we spent a weekend at Glacier National Park.
• No, I didn’t walk 3 5k’s. BUT, I did two! Two more than I did in 2019, and one less than I will do in 2021.
• Obviously I didn’t blog 3 times a week, still working on that one.
• I didn’t lose 50 pounds. I had joined weight watchers and was doing well. Then they closed down the in-person meetings and went virtual. I tried it, but virtual didn’t have the same accountability as standing on that scale in front of everyone. I did manage to keep off 10 lbs so I’ll count that a win. And, I just had my first meeting with a dietitian yesterday. My accountability is back (every two weeks) and I’ll be losing weight under medical supervision so 2021 is looking up in that department.
• I was cooking along on the 30 minute exercise. Meeting a coworker every morning and walking before work. A win! Something I felt good about! Then we started working from home in November and it stopped. That part I can blame on Covid. But not walking at all after that is all on me. I could have gone on my own. We are back to working from the office now and weather permitting, I’m walking at lunch. Still too dark to walk before work. The dietitian (Jen) says I need at least 10,000 steps a day, tells me do laps in the kitchen if I have to, I like this lady 🙂
• Cleaning and purging the house is a work in progress….it takes a while to fight the genetic impact of generations of women who didn’t put housecleaning at the top of their list of priorities and saved everything “just in case”.
• The books….I was right on track to reach 52, then somewhere in October I pretty much quit reading. I work in my county elections office and that’s when the craziness started with the Presidential election. By the time I came up for air it was December, and despite a valiant push, I only made it to 43. I read some great books though. The Island by Victoria Hislop, The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn, The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare, Chasing Cupcakes by Elizabeth Benton, The Wild Side by Christine Cabo, Five French Hens by Judy Leigh, Columbine by Dave Cullen. I was reviewing all the books I read, but it got to be too much. Thinking maybe I’ll save them up for the month and do a monthly blog on what I read. 52 is my goal again for 2021 and I’m right on track.
• Not on my list, but something I also enjoy….I went out with friends and hubby, shopping, eating, laughing, drinking coffee, taking pictures, enjoying nature. Things that I will continue through every year.

So now that I have truly looked back, I feel better about myself. No I didn’t accomplish everything I wanted to, but I accomplished part of everything I had planned. Since I’m a glass half full kinda gal, I think I did pretty well.

As far as looking forward goes, I’m not making any travel plans. Those are going to have to more on the fly. I am still shooting for 3 5k’s, real or virtual. I am working on my eating and healthy mindset so those remaining 40 lbs will be gone. Hmmm, maybe I’ll write about that which will help me attain my blogging goal 😉 I also started painting last year, which I am really enjoying. Am I any good? Eh, let’s just say I’m getting better. Creating makes me relax and feel good, that’s really what matters.

2021 started with a wedding so it’s going to be a great year, I can feel it! Of course I always think that, and in one way or another I’m always right. Find something that makes you happy, and develop that. We are really on this earth for such a very short time, we need to stay up even in the hard times. Think positive people, don’t let others steal your shine.