Progress with Goals in August

I almost didn’t write this post because there has been so little progress…I felt a post that consisted of one word ‘zero’ would be wildly boring, not to mention a little short. Then I realised that I hadn’t set any goals this month. Ha, clever ol’ me! If you don’t set any then you can’t answer ‘zero’ to a post written about them.

However, this skewed logic means I also can’t write about any possible progress. Therefore, this post was always going to be short.

Or was it?

I’ve been round the block a few (million) times regarding setting goals. To be honest, I’m not sure if it’s a helpful thing or not. I knew this month was going to be tricky because…wait for it…some big news to come…

…sorry…

…I don’t have permission to share for at least another week!

In many ways, I wish I had written off August before it begun regarding any personal goals. It may have stopped me feeling like I am a complete failure (again), especially regarding my health.

So, have I lost weight? No, in fact I have gained a few pounds. That is likely on account of me losing my morning routines, evening routines, food routines, gym routines…you get the picture. It feels like one step forward and two steps back.

I do however weigh less than I have for over a decade, and I can still say I have lost 28Ibs but no more.

There has obviously been more than ‘that which can’t be mentioned’ to contend with. Because I have had cancer before my doctor referred me under the two week rule to see an ENT regarding my gruff voice and accompanying exhaustion. One endoscope and MRI scan later and I was told I did not have cancer.

This is, unsurprisingly, very good news. Not having cancer is very good. But my voice is still gruff. And I still feel exhausted all of the time. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I think both are down to perimenopause. Anyway, the thing is I am useless at holding more than one important thing in my head at the same time. I always have been. I’m great at hyper focusing but far less great at multitasking.

I actually think that this is why routines and habits are particularly important for me to achieve anything. Unfortunately, I stop doing one routine and suddenly I find myself not doing any routine.

August has been a tricky month for me, health wise, worry wise and emotion wise. Many good things have fallen by the way side: I have not been to the gym more than three times; I have not broken my fast with a lovely healthful bowl of porridge; I have begun snacking with Gary at night again and I chose to change my morning routine to a later time…bit by bit all the good habits I have spent months cultivating have begun to unravel.

So, what have I done well this month?

It hasn’t all been bad. I continue to take Harvey out for a walk each morning, which does my head the world of good. I’m going out about 730am which is a bit later than I’d like but…well exhaustion.

I have written in my blog everyday. This is incredibly important to me. Even if no-one were to read it, it would still of the greatest importance. However, I love that you guys read and comment 💕

My evening routine has remained the same and I enjoy the regularity and familiarity that brings.

I am well on track regarding my goal of reading 100 books in a year. I’ve read 64, which is little less than the 68 I should be at, but I’m happy enough. The reading/listening of books is so very healthy for me and I definitely don’t want to stop or slow down.

Something which has improved this month is that I have been cooking more food from scratch. I used to use the lovely but expensive meal kits (curries, pad Thai etc etc). Since food has gone up, I’ve been priced out of the market. So, I have learnt how to make a spaghetti bolognaise without Dolmio (which I knew how to do but had got lazy over the years), a chilli con carne (which my children LOVE) and a chicken tikka. My chicken tikka has so many spices in it (like over ten I think) yet is not quite as tasty as the meal kit version. It is made dairy free and gluten free so that may have something to do with it, although I don’t think that affects the spice. Anyway, made-from-scratch food is always better than shop bought or ready prepared in a kit. So this is a win.

I have planned school for next year for each of the girls, and begun preparation for my master’s degree. And then there is my small business. I have opened my Etsy shop, although I haven’t told anyone yet where to find it! I want to add a few more products before publicising it. The sticker sheets are ready to go to the printers. Oh, and I have painted a turtle scene and an elephant scene which will get turned into cards and stickers. I have also earned over £100 for my business so far this month, which is more than I have earned in the last twenty years!

So, it’s not all bad…but it’s not all good either.

Tomorrow, I am going to write out some of my goals which I can then use as judgement in the coming months!! I’m not convinced of the usefulness of writing down goals for me, but I think it probably can’t do any harm and it might get me back to where I want to be.

How are you all doing with your goals? Let’s support each other over the next few months!