And now that it’s 2018, here’s my new list of goals for the year! Like last year, I’m writing these down to keep myself on track and remember them throughout the year. If I don’t complete something, oh well. I won’t beat myself up over it. They’re more like guidelines than resolutions, but they give me things to work toward.
Health
- Lose weight. I have slowly gained some excess weight over the last couple of years, and I’m committed to getting rid of it! I’m doing this to feel more energetic, become a more effective rider and (being honest) to feel a little more confident in how I look both in general and for my wedding. I have a goal weight, but I don’t think I’m going to share it here. If you are thinking of losing weight this year and want to chat more about it or have an accountability partner, just shoot me a private message!
- Meal planning. This goes hand-in-hand with my first goal. Mindfully planning meals will make it easier to eat healthy, not eat out after a late night at the barn, and also save me money. All great things!
- Do upper body/core strength training twice per week, for a total of 100 workouts in 2018. We have a chalkboard hanging in our kitchen, where I’m going to keep a running tally of my strength workouts.
Horsemanship
- This winter, practice standing wraps until I can consistently do it well and efficiently.
- Read the USEA rule book!
- Learn the 2018 USEA dressage tests.
- Ride 3x per week including 1 weekly lesson.
- Complete at least one horse trials. I enjoyed having this goal last year and it helped take all the pressure off to “do well” since the goal was simply to finish.
Happiness
- Get married! Have fun with the rest of the planning process and enjoy the Big Day. As much as possible, don’t let stress overtake the fun.
- Actively do things that contribute to my happiness/mental health. Declutter. Clean out closets. Don’t let jobs build up until they feel overwhelming. Practice the “one minute rule” – if a task will take one minute or less, just do it without putting it off.
- Watch less TV. In conjunction with my fiance, we’re planning to watch less Netflix after work. Instead, we’ll do things like strength training (woo, accountability partner for a health goal!), play cards or read. Not that there’s anything wrong with Netflix, we just tend to come home, make dinner and camp out in front of the TV a little too often.
- Write what’s fun. I like blogging, but a number of posts per week requirement makes it less fun and more stressful. I also have considered writing a book. Maybe this is the year to do it.
What are your goals for 2018? It’s going to be a great year!
My goals are a lot simpler than yours. I will continue to go to the gym 3-4 times a week, rider five days a week with 3-5 lessons per week. That is my normal so not something new. I have to do the gym because I am 68 and that is the only way I can be fit enough and limber enough to ride. My new goal is to ride the Intermediare 1 dressage test in shows in Florida this winter. My other new goal is to find a better way to keep up with my blogging not the writing but the following the followers part. Anyway have fun with your wedding. My daughter is getting married this summer ( this is her second marriage and this man is the right one I think!!)
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Those are great goals! I have enjoyed having a lot of them – some small and easy to accomplish, and some bigger that require more work. Congratulations to you and your daughter! It is an exciting time 🙂
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These are some great goals! Fingers crossed for stress-free wedding planning for both of us!
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Thanks! Congrats on your wedding planning too! Hopefully it will be fun and stress-free for us both!
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It sounds like you are working toward some really great goals. Just a thought of the weight loss though, have you ever considered that you could work towards being fitter and more energetic and more confident without needing to loose weight?
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Yes! In fact, I spent much of last year thinking just that with running and weight training. I have found that while I’m not unconfident where I’m at now (and fiancé loves me as I am), I do just feel better and more comfortable physically when I weigh a bit less. It’s not going to be a dramatic weight loss, just a change to get me back to the sweet spot where I feel my best!
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I love these goals! Strength, happiness, and saddle time, it all sounds perfect to me 🙂
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I mean, what more do you need in life? 😁
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Great goals! I like the idea of the goal being to complete something, rather than to do well at it. Really takes the pressure off while still ensuring that you’re moving forward.
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It really does take the pressure off while still setting an achievable benchmark!
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So many wonderful and well-rounded goals. I love the focus on health and wellness. I need to adopt that Netflix goal for myself! We so often do the same thing, though I am making an effort to do some yoga flowing while we’re watching things. But still! It’s all to easy to come home and do nothing.
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That’s a great idea! Maybe we can do our strength training with some Netflix on 🙂 Or incorporate stretching or other movement.
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Standing wraps are definitely one of those things that get a little bit harder when you get out of practice, even if you know how to do them!
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For sure! I realized that was a major hole in my horsemanship knowledge over the summer. Now I’m determined to make it a skill!
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