It is quite amazing what a person can do when they just do a little bit at a time. These small monthly goals have given me direction when I can think of so many ways to try to better my life. They will be incredibly important in this newest transition as Mike and I move back to San Diego.

I’ve been away for long enough that I can start over. Most long-time friends from San Diego hardly know the person I’ve become over the last seven years. I now have a chance to create the best possible image of myself in their eyes. It may sound calculated and a little cold but, in reality, it’s quite the opposite. I value these people and their opinion of me and I’d love to show them the true, kind, loving, health-conscious person I’ve become.

So, in that vain, most of this month’s goals will focus on my first-impression. The nine areas I focus on in setting my goals are: family/relationship, career, finance, spirit, body, intellect, friendship, environment.

Previous Goals That Have Stuck:

• Family: Set up weekly phone dates (or REAL dates now that I live back in SD!) with every immediate family member. (Read about it here)
• Spirit: When I’m sad, stop thinking of the future. Just smile and try to make that moment happier.
• Spirit: Remember to be happy when I succeed. (This is a work in progress but I’m getting there!) 
• Spirit: Keep a treasure box and a travel magnet collection. (It keeps out the crap while allowing for nostalgia)
• Body: Eat at least one raw meal per day. (Usually my smoothie)
• Body: Have at least one entirely vegan day per week. (This is actually becoming multiple days per week)
• Career: Stop being late.
• Finance: Purge the crap.
• Intellect: Create a folder for design inspiration. (I rearranged my Pinterest page and now keep a physical, non-digital folder for magazine articles.)
• Environment: Stop using paper towels.

June Goals:

• Friendship: Stop spewing my life details.
  When I meet new people, I get this overwhelming urge to tell them every detail of my life. For some reason I think they will benefit from knowing all the ways I handle hardship. In my old age I am realizing that most people have been through MANY more hardships than me. Maybe I should just stop to listen. Mike does this very well and it has taught me the value of just shutting my mouth for a bit.
• Friendship: Make friends actively but slowly.
  Another huge problem I have is rushing to make friends in a new place. Now that I’m back home, I have the luxury of already knowing many awesome people. But instead of rushing around like a headless chicken trying to hang out with people, I’m going to take it slowly. Contact people and re-form relationships one by one. Who knows what close ties will come out of the woodwork.
• Finance: Keep down the cost of moving.
  Moving can be SO expensive. With the amount we move, Mike and I need to learn to keep down our costs. We are going to limit our spending to whatever we made in the Craigslist sale of our Peoria apartment furnishings. It’s going to be very tough, especially since we have no idea what we’ll need yet. We’ll see how this one goes.
• Body: Continue to do my 20 minute workouts every morning.
  My commute will soon be starting at 7.15am. This means I will have to wake up around 6 to get in my workout. I can and will continue my workouts by setting up a new routine. Prep the night before and be efficient in the morning.

Anyway, I forgot about Monday mornings. They are pretty tough. Time to head to work! Plaster a big smile on my face and bounce around with energy. Hopefully by the time I arrive at the office, my smile and energy will be real. Haha. Happy Monday everyone!

Love and a big smile – Ash