April goals – 2018

It is now April, which means that I am four months into having smaller goals to get me to an overall larger target of self improvement by the end of the year. I hope that these posts may be stirring up some thoughts and motivation for you too. Having a monthly list of goals is allowing me to keep track and reflect on where I am heading, which I am finding really useful.

I am both a visual and a list person, so one thing that has been helping me to keep to my health goals is
using stickers that I made; I have put them in my diary each week to record my sugar intake and step count. This gives me a clear account of how I am going. I think this month I will try to do this with my reading and writing goals too and see if I am more successful in those areas.

protein intake, and also just found the first gluten free and vegan protein powder that I have come across that actually tastes half decent, so being able to drink a protein shake each morning will definitely help boost things in that department.

My goal of being in bed by 10pm has not been so successful so far, and days that I am in bed by that time, I have read or concentrated on uni work until late. I do work better at night, but it’s a fine line between being productive at night and making yourself exhausted the next day!

As for my goal to age gracefully in March, I think I didn’t do too badly (though there is a definite wrinkle deepening itself under my eye!!!)! My family and friends showered me with love, treats, laughs and even a surprise picnic, so it was a lovely birthday month. The feelings of not knowing what I am doing with my life and floundering a bit are still there, but I am working on them (and these goals are helping!)

 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx. I am more than happy with this. Although reading this amount has made keeping up with uni work a little difficult, and I know I will not be able to sustain this reading amount when I have finished the books required for classes, it has shown me that I am not a slow reader as I always tell myself and that when I let myself, I can actually read a fair amount. I am looking forward to an upcoming week at the beach, which, although it will involve assessment work, will hopefully include a book of my own choice! I just need to read Roxanna by Daniel Defoe before then…(can she do it?!). I need to get back on track with my goal of reading more short stories and poetry, both of which I enjoy, I just haven’t had the time! I have a couple of non fiction books on the go at the moment, so that goal is going strong!

Sadly, I have not done personal writing at all this month. My brain hasn’t even had time to really ponder the ongoing concept that is brewing for a book because of assessments, required book reading, health issues and the occasional and much needed socialising! This is one goal I really need to push myself on to improve.

I hope you can see that having clear goals can be really helpful to get yourself to a bigger target. Instead of saying “I want to be healthier and be closer to doing what I want with my life by the end of the year”, breaking this up into realistic parts has made it so much more manageable.

What did you achieve in March? I’d love to know! And what is on the agenda for this month?

Happy planning!