Goals - August 2017
The light shifts ever so slightly after the summer solstice and I find myself welcoming the darkness inching into our evenings; slowly, slowly. Last weekend we went to Canyon Lake with friends (our first time there) and it felt a bit like a summer send off. We've gone swimming so much this summer!
It will still be hot enough to qualify as summer for several weeks but Chris was back to work this week, Dash's pre-K year is about to start (!!), and all the school districts are back to school. A new academic year feels fresh and energizing and I love it.
In other news, I hit deadlines for two big reports at work and to celebrate ate an entire sleeve of Thin Mints that I had been saving for months for the very occasion. It was glorious. After those deadlines it feels like the beginning of a new work year, too. I'm trying to make time for organizing files and writing up best practices for the projects I manage before work picks up with the school year.
On this week's episode of The Girl Next Door Podcast Erica and I are checking in on our 2017 goals and how we're doing creatively. The last months of the year really make a difference with goals! The year always starts moving so quickly in September as the holidays peek over the horizon. As I shared on the podcast, I'm feeling both creatively energized while also feeling so pressed for time. But I'm not sure where to find more time without taking away time with my family or time I need to myself. There might not be a good solution right now; I'm working on doing what I can and being okay with that.
This month is going to be about settling into our school-year routine and enjoying the last month of summer. When the calendar flips to September I am declaring it fall, even if it's 100 degrees (which it will be).
Big things happening in August:
+ Chris is back to work and has taken on a new administrative director role for the year. It will likely mean more meetings and slightly less flexibility. But we are ready to roll with it!
+ Dash starts pre-K. I can't believe it!
+ Work trip to San Francisco. Super duper excited.
In August I choose to:
+ Order the booth plaque for my book club to commemorate the table at the Irish pub where we always meet.
+ Get my MacBook Air up and running. Groan. I think I just need to buy some external storage but as with cars so many tasks associated with computers feel difficult because I'm not as confident in my knowledge. So I put them off. For months. But there's a store just in my neighborhood where I'm going THIS weekend to assess the problem.
+ Buy a new sports bra. Guys. This is just embarrassing but I'm sharing publicly because I just really need a news sports bra. I can put off purchases forever, even if I really need something. "Hello. My name is Kelsey and I'm an underbuyer."
Recurring monthly goals:
+ Spend 15 minutes each day on creative writing. This is any writing that's just for me. It could be blogging, writing in the boys' memory journal or working on an essay.
Update: Writing consistently in my One Line A Day journal and in my What I Want to Remember journal (a simple journal I had printed by Shutterfly inspired by this). Otherwise not finding the daily writing habit something I can stick to. Bigger chunks seems to work better for me and I think I'll drop this goal off the list for the rest of the year.
+ Make Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings for work and leave Thursday and Friday open.
Update: Somewhat. Although I feel like I always have writing or podcast work that I'd like to be working on.
+ Check Mint at least once each week. To CHOOSE savings I need to be mindful of every transaction and stick to my monthly personal allowance budget.
Update: Yes! I'm doing great on this and really enjoy monitoring my finances.
Happy August, friends!
In August 2013 I was still getting my bearings as a mama and being back at work.