I’ve stopped making new year resolutions because I know me. They don’t work. There I’ll be, incredibly gung-ho about making new resolutions for the first month of the year and come February, most of them would be forgotten. The resolutions I made for 2014? I achieved none of them. None! It’s terrible and there’s no one to blame but myself for not following through with what I set out to do.
So this year, instead of making new year resolutions, I’ve set some goals for myself that I’m to achieve by the end of 2015. The reason I’m telling you this is that I have to be accountable to someone (goals are just empty promises if they’re not held accountable) and that someone is you. Yep, that’s right, I’m accountable to you. So if I haven’t achieved what I’d set out to do, you are to hold me accountable. I’m going to have to figure something out as to what I have to do for you if I end up not meeting my goals but I’ll come up with something. 🙂
All right, let’s get started with the goals for 2015!
1. Launch 2 eBooks
I’ve been meaning to write at least one more book and I actually started writing it almost 2 years ago but as usual, the procrastinating bug bit me hard on the bottom and I ended up dilly-dallying and came up with half-written and rather half-arsed work. This year, I’m determined to finish up that eBook that I’ve been working on for so long. As for the second book, I’ve actually completed it and will be launching it very soon. I’m very excited about it!
2. Swim at least once a week
Believe it or not, I haven’t swam since I came to Australia in February 2008. I used to swim a lot when I was living in Malaysia and I remembered really enjoying it. I’m no swimming athlete by any means; heck, the most I can do is a simple breaststroke but I’ve missed it tremendously. I hadn’t had the chance to do proper swimming here because 1) Tim isn’t fan and 2) I’d need to drive to the nearest indoor swimming pool. Now that I finally have a car, I’m going to haul myself to that swimming pool and get some swimming done. You know how I’ve made my mind up? I bought swimming goggles. There’s no going back now. 😛
3. Learn something new every day
When I say learn something new, I don’t mean reading a whole new book every single day or studying textbooks. It could be learning something new about myself, learning something new while I’m blogging (e.g. pick up a new skill in Photoshop), learn something new about the world and so on. I noticed that I’ve been terribly behind even on current affairs, which is shocking because I used to be quite up-to-date with them. This has to stop. My brain is surely capable of learning something new every day and that’s what I’ll be doing.
4. Letting go of the bulk of my beading supplies
Long-time readers will know that up to 2012, I ran a small online jewellery website where I sell my very own handmade jewellery and accessories called Sweet Contemplation Accessories. Due to personal reasons, I decided to close it down albeit with a heavy heart. As much as I’d love to keep all of my beading material, I just don’t have the space for keeping things that I’m not using at all. If you’re interested in beading and would like to get some good-quality beading supplies at very reasonable prices, please let me know. I’d love to give you dibs before Gumtree. 🙂
5. Declutter, declutter, declutter!
The reason I’m unable to stay focused a lot of the time is due to the clutter around me. I know, it’s such first world problems to have, and I’m blessed to be able to have such a problem of simply having too much stuff. I’m a highly sentimental person; I keep every card, every letter, every note and even gifts I’ve been given and living in a small space, this poses a problem. As I’m not able to let go of items with sentimental value, this means that my own things will need to go, which really, I don’t have a problem with. A couple of months ago, I donated 90% of my books to my local libary and saved a heck lot of space. I’ll be donating more this year and selling some on eBay as well.
6. Start the 52 Week Money Challenge for 2015
This Sunday will mark the full year of my 2014’s 52 Week Money Challenge. I’ll do a separate blog post on it very soon but just quickly, it’s basically a year-long challenge where you put aside the amount of money that is the number of the week (e.g. 20th week of the year, $20 is saved, 21st week will be $21 and so on). It’s a fantastic challenge to do and I can’t wait to start a fresh one in 2015.
7. Read 50 books
In early 2014, I set myself a small goal of reading 20 books a year. I used to read a whole lot but I’ve slowed way down ever since I came to Australia. Books are a lot more expensive here compared to Malaysia, which made it difficult for me to spend on them. My reading improved when I got my Kindle as I started to read more (books on Kindle are a lot more affordable). I found myself hitting my 20th book before mid 2014 and upped my goal to 30 books. By the 3rd quarter of 2014, I hit my 40th book and thought “okay, let’s see if we can hit 50 books by the end of 2014“. On 31 December, I finished my 58th book. In 2015, I’d like to continue with the 50-book challenge. Who knows, I may be able to surpass that number!
8. Invest in myself
I debated going to the Problogger Event last year for months. First of all, it was a lot of money to spend on two days (if I hadn’t researched my flights and accommodation further, I would have spent well over $1000 to attend the conference) and secondly, I was going there on my own. I’m so glad I decided to bite the bullet, invest in myself and went for it because it was possibly the best thing I’ve done for myself in terms of blogging. Needless to say, unless circumstances change, I shall be attending 2015’s and I also intend to take up several classes in photography and possibly writing to improve myself. If I don’t invest in myself, no one will. I highly recommend you to invest in yourself too.
I’ve got a few more smaller, quicker-to-achieve goals but I’ll leave it here for now. The first one is definitely my priority for the year (enough of that damn procrastination!) and I plan to achieve the rest too. There are also a few changes I’ll be making on Beautyholics Anonymous but I’ll save that post for another day. So, now that you know what my goals are, you have my permission to kick me in the butt if I don’t meet them!
I made no resolutions this year except to just keep looking upwards and to go onwards. 2014 was a sucky year for me and I’m glad to put it behind me. After all, things can only get better right? I look forward to your #1 goal and hopefully this year I make it to Problogger unless the timing sucks. We are supposed to be roomies after all! 😉
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Onward and forward 2015! Now it’s time to let all the bad juju go and look forward to all the new and exciting things ahead. 🙂
I really do hope you can make this year PB event. ROOMIES YES! 😀
You have a few pretty good goals there! Love the one about investing in oneself. Would love to do the 52 week challenge with you! And maybe the declutter challenge. I have clothes from 15 years ago that are tattered but I still keep it because of the memories
I’ll be writing about the 52 Week Money Challenge in detail soon but I definitely recommend it!
I stopped making resolutions more than 10 years ago. I just don’t find myself feeling motivated when it keeps hanging on the back of my head. I make goals for different aspects of life but not “resolutions”, if that makes sense. I look forward to how 2015 will unfold for you (and me) 🙂
lyn recently posted..Aveda Light Elements Defining Whip
I don’t know why I make new year resolutions; most of them don’t work. Like you, I’m not motivated either. 2014 resolutions were entirely unresolved. It’s awful because it makes me feel a bit of a failure because I didn’t achieve anything. This year, I’m setting realistic goals instead with deadlines. Hopefully this will work.
Looking forward to how 2015 will be like for you too. I’m loving your Planner Bug blog; it’s awesome and is totally feeding my planning/organisational kick!
Short term goals are the way to go. You can accomplish them and don’t feel like a failure if you don’t. My fav is #5 de-clutter. Oh, yes .. I need to hit my closet hard and just get rid of stuff I don’t wear.
Monica
MonicaP recently posted..Easy Spirit Pedrina Heeled Booties
Totally agree with you Monica. I didn’t even realise I didn’t do all that I set out to in 2014 until I was planning my 2015 and writing the blog post for this. It did make me feel like a failure for not even achieving a single thing. This year, I’m setting realistic goals with deadlines (most important!); hopefully this will be better.
Do you donate your old clothes? Where would you donate them to? I usually donate to the Salvation Army until I hear bad things about them. Now I’m not so sure.
I donate to our local Goodwill or another organization called Amvets, drops off bags that you can fill and then they come and pick up on a certain day (that’s my fav way to donate).
M.
MonicaP recently posted..Easy Spirit Pedrina Heeled Booties
Sounds good Monica! I’m a bit wary of the ones that come pick up from my home. There was quite a bit of news here in Australia where there were a number of fake charities that ask for donations of clothing, household items and even money but they never went to the people who need them. I might try St Vincent’s this time.
You have a lot of great goals! I am just now beginning to feel my fingers again after losing my mother… and I still don’t feel like making formal resolutions but I do have tasks and goals.
1. Do what needs to be done to take care of my mother’s house and car… the Nashville Public Library will be able to open a wing in her name after I donate all her books… and the Salvation Army will be extremely happy with all the furniture and clothes. Not sure what to do with all her artwork; she has hundreds of photographs that she never framed, and tons of negatives and contact sheets… will have to think on that one. Her darkroom equipment will go to the local technical college.
2. Give myself the space to do what needs to be done. I will keep my schedule open as much as possible to give myself time to process my grief, take care of her ailing cat (who also has cancer). And I will also need to travel back and forth from my home in California to Mom’s house in Tennessee until it is cleaned and sold.
3. Take the classes I have been putting off for years. Chinese brush painting. Art journaling. Digital photography.
4. Take care of my health. Right now, getting enough sleep is a priority since my sleep patterns are still disrupted. But once that’s taken care of, I’ll be back to my daily walks and will actually use that gym membership!
I guess those are goals! I’m starting to get through the fog!
Natasha recently posted..2015 New Year: New Start
Dear Natasha, I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. My deep condolences. 🙁 I cannot imagine how you’d feel but those tasks and goals sound really good. I’m sure people would love your mother’s books and photographs. Hmm just off the top of my head, how about donating those prints to your favourite cafes, museums, etc? I don’t know how that would work but it would be absolutely lovely to have your mother’s work appreciated.
Chinese brush painting sounds good! I’d love to try that out one day. I’ve always only painted with heavy paints but never light Chinese watercolours.
Take good care of yourself, Natasha. Like you mentioned in your blog post, a new year, a new start. I have a good feeling 2015 will be a great one for you. 🙂 x
Aww tine! I finally had a bit of time to comment! I still read your posts on a daily basis as I take a sneak using my smartphone! 🙂 Life is really different with a running toddler! hahaha,
Thanks for these tips! I enjoyed reading this and I had to comment and say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR NIKKI! Oh it’s been ages; how have you been? Haha I’ve been following you on Instagram; oh my how quickly Kyle is growing! Have a great 2015 lovely 🙂 xx
great post, Tine!! loved the 52 week challenge. looking forward to it. i shall also plan to join you!
btw, my goals for mrach 2015, not yet decided for the year, are one weekly chat every week on facebook and i am planning to organize an online event – one month to healthy hair!! have started working on it!! hopefully will be able to pull it off. need all you guys best wishes and support 🙂
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Join me Swati! You’ll love the challenge!
That sounds great; that weekly chat on Facebook and the online event? What clever ideas! I’ll be sending you positive vibes and well wishes from Down Under! 😀
Great goals Tine! I’m sure you’ll be able to achieve them all otherwise we’ll give you a kick in the butt 😛 I have sooooo many goals…and I just need to write them down and blog about them too haha! 🙂
Ling @TheBestBeautyBlog recently posted..Merry Christmas To You & Your Loved Ones!
Thanks Ling! I’m definitely worried for butt-kicking so I’d better get on with my goals! 😀
Blog about yours; I’d love to read ’em!
Lovely goals you have there Tine 🙂 I do not really like setting resolutions too but somehow in early 2014, I decided to set goals for myself. I am happy to say that I have achieved the majority of it. For 2015, I have not set any goals yet although I am meaning to set some. But I guess my main priority for 2015 will be on my son who is due anytime now. My life is going to change 360 degrees with his birth and successfully managing my time will be my main aim. I also hope to change my job this year but that will depend on God’s will for me. Last but not least, I hope to learn how to cook. Becoming a mother will expedite that as I cannot be relying on my mother’s cooking forever.
Congrats on achieving most of your 2014 goals! And all the best with the arrival of your little one. It will be a significant change but I’m sure you’ll be fine. 🙂