2019 Goals: January Update

Can you believe January is already almost over?! Man, 2019 is already flying by but I desperately want it to slooooow down considering there is a ton I have to do over the next few months. As a way of keeping myself accountable, I will be posting a update at the end of each month on the goals I set for myself this year. By doing this, I am hoping it helps me remember the goals I have and the baby steps I can take to reach them.

Running in the cold and still smiling!

Goal 1: Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

I have been keeping up with a good running schedule. I don't always hit the distances I want but I can't complain. As of now, my longest run post-marathon is 8 miles. My plan is to keep anywhere from 6-10 miles as my long run for the next couples weeks as I'm not training for any races right now. I haven't been the best with adding strength in but I'm getting better now that my brother taught me a few new kettle bell exercises. Meal prepping and tracking have been on point so fingers crossed it is becoming a good habit for me! Eating breakfast has become part of my routine but I definitely want to think of some new, easy ideas because overnight oats can get boring. I {partially} took part in Gazelle Sports #31HealthyHabits challenge which I think was a great kick in the butt I needed to start 2019 off strong!

Such a small purchase can go a long way!

Goal 2: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

In the beginning of the month I purchased produce bags that will be a big help with reaching this goal as they are so easy to use. I have gotten better at remembering to bring my reusable bags each time I go to the store. I need to remember to stash a couple in my car so it's not something I need to think of before I leave the house. My students can be pretty wasteful when it comes to paper, and my school is not the best with recycling, so I took matters into my own hands. Whenever my students clean out their binders (which should happen more often than it actually does...), I have been taking any papers with blank sides and cutting them up to use as note paper. It comes in handy when I just have quick lists or notes to jot down. I also take the stack of extra fliers in my homeroom and cut them up as note paper. I've been doing a lot of brainstorming this month as to how I can re-purpose items. 

Goal 3: Reduce Phone Usage

I wouldn't say I've completely reduced my phone usage to the best of my ability, but I'm pretty dang proud at how many times I chose to pick up a book instead of my phone. I've been working on deleting apps I no longer need and turning off notifications to keep my phone from being so tempting.

Air fried chicken tenders = delish!

Goal 4: Try New Recipes

John and I tried a few new recipes this month in our air fryer. I have been collecting recipes online and also bookmarking them in my cookbooks to try in the near future. On a recent grocery trip, I stocked up on a couple McCormick spices to start adding into my more basic dishes, such as grilled chicken or quinoa bowls.

One box down, many to go!

Goal 5: Give Back

On one of my lazy Saturday's a few weeks back, I decided to go through a box of clothes that I'm embarrassed to admit has been sitting in my room since the move. The box was primarily old t-shirts that was moved from my college dorm, to home, to my new house, never being opened which clearly means they weren't important. I went through all the t-shirts (who knew someone could accumulate SO. MANY. T-SHIRTS!) and filled a box with a bunch to donate. Man, did it feel good to not only declutter, but also give to those who will actually wear them.

Goal 6: Save Money

Without even being too active on Poshmark lately, I was still able to make 3 sales. It's better than nothing! I have started being pickier with my shopping list after clearing out a bunch of expired items from my fridge and pantry. I am trying to buy only items we will use within the next week or two, unless it has a longer shelf life or can be frozen. I have also been focusing on buying things able to be frozen in bulk since it is much cheaper. John and I have collected a good amount of gift cards for restaurants so we are making a point to only go out to eat to places we have gift cards for.

Question of the Day: How are you doing with your 2019 goals or resolutions so far?