January Goals

1. Run and/or walk 100 miles.
I successfully reach my goal of walking and/or running 100 miles this month. It definitely helped to have the 26 Angel Run on the 26th and I'll admit I slacked a little on my walking because I knew I'd reach my goal with that mileage. There are a few long runs in February, but I want to work on making my two walks at work a habit next month.

2. Read two books.
Success! I finished The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin and Please Stop Laughing At Me by Jodee Blanco. Both were excellent books and a joy to read. I started reading Apples and Oranges but I just couldn't get into it. I take no shame in not finishing.

3. Blog in my journal every day.
Success!

4. Take a picture and attach to journal every day.
Success!

5. Keep working on paying off debt.
Success! I have paid off $200 in debt for the month of January, which was my goal. I think the amazing thing is that although I don't like paying the bills because of the money being gone, I am excited to be watching my debt go down. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe I was too focused on the negative (spending the money on bills) and I didn't pay enough attention to the positive (being a step closer to being credit card debt free).

I decided that I am going to focus on being credit card debt free in 2013. My debt to Isabel is 1. To large at the moment and is distracting me from reaching my goal and 2. Is interest free and can be paid off over time. I fully intend to pay her back every single penny, however I think breaking my goal down to smaller goals (credit card vs Isabel) is easier to appreciate when I pay off a debt completely. For example, next month I will pay off a credit card and have three left. If I had Isabel's debt staring at me on my debt tracker than I wouldn't celebrate the fact that I've paid off a card, I'd focus on how much more I have left to pay off.

Not sure if that makes sense at all, but this is what's working for me at the moment. It's keeping me excited and I'm going to roll with it. I will adjust as I see fit in the future.

January was a highly successful month and I am really excited about that. As you may recall, last year I had some difficulty completing the goals I set for myself. This was in part due to difficult, unattainable, unrealistic goals I set for myself but mostly it was because of my lack of motivation, extreme skill at making excuses and pure laziness.

Finishing the month with success at all five goals makes me excited to start February off on the right foot. I've been thinking of some goals I'd like to accomplish and making sure they are manageable. Therefore, you will most likely see the same goals for next month with one or two new ones.