As part of being more accountable to myself and keeping focused on the goals I’ve set for the year I’m aiming to check in monthly. This post is mainly for my own benefit…and unbelievably we’re already half-way through the year!
My professional goals and progress toward them:
- Letting Go – no update from last month really. This has become a habit and I’m no longer saying yes to everything but being more selective about opportunities I pitch for or move forward on. Progress: GREEN
- financial – would have to say this is green at the moment due to current projects, but am mindful of what happens in the last quarter of the year. I’m planning on starting to get things lined up for then over the next couple of months but in the meantime am grateful for being in a strong position now. Progress: AMBER
- learning – home-school pretty much collapsed and both boys have been fractious about missing their friends, the ongoing lack of normality, and yet also anxious about returning. I’ve called it an early summer holiday and we’re doing what we can, when we can. My own learning has continued to be informal but I’d like to pick this up and get something in for the second half of the year. Progress: AMBER
- writing – it struck me in the last couple of weeks how much writing I’m doing but hadn’t been counting. My current contract is all writing so I’m working with words 5 days a week. My fiction writing has slowed right down again as the muse seems to have left, and while I’ve got a solid and exciting plan for Popoptica and a couple of associated pieces I can’t seem to commit to them at the moment. One for next month. Progress: AMBER
- health – cooking has been a mental salve over the last month, as well as good for my overall health. We’ve taken up a veg box delivery, and I’m being more selective in our shopping. Our veg patch is looking very good and we’ve had a decent harvest of peas. We’ve been fruit picking and stored some away from the winter months as jam. We had a great weekend borrowing a dog and getting exercise we’ve become lazier about otherwise so it’s still about bringing nutrition and movement together. Progress: AMBER
- reading – I can’t settle to read at the moment. I need to work out what’s going on with my concentration and what’s blocking my interest in reading. Progress: RED
- travel and adventures – nothing this month but plans made for the future which I’m really excited about. Progress: AMBER
- volunteer and pro-bono work – nothing really done toward this in June. Progress: RED
Summary
As we’re half way through the year I’m thinking about my personal goals too. I’ve realised I do hold myself back sometimes so am doing better at just getting on with things (as much as the current situation allows). I can see progress being made and feeling positive.
It’s the same with my professional goals. Progress is being made – it isn’t linear to a destination and done, and some months have been more back than forward but overall progress is made.
Time to double-down for the next 6 months and see what can be achieved by year end, and what can be set up for 2021.