I’m not sure where to even start this post, but I feel like there’s no time like the present to dig into my progress with this year’s goals. Of course, the majority of these have changed or are changing given all of the recent things happening but I feel it’s necessary to take some time to analyze what’s going well and what can be updated as we move into the second half of 2013 (seriously, where is this year going?!).

One of the biggest reasons I’m excited to write this post is that even though things are changing drastically and there are plenty more ‘misses’ than there are ‘hits’ with my goals right now, I refuse to make excuses about why things aren’t the way I’d hoped when I wrote this list in December and January. I’m dead set on not falling into any financial or emotional traps that could delay my progress, and I’m staying true to my theory that financial freedom doesn’t just happen; it’s earned.

Luckily, things on the money front have been stable and consistent. Where things took a bit of a nose dive are in the personal and household departments but I’m confident the recent things I’ve added to my life to make it healthier and more balanced are going to pull it all together before the year ends.

Without further adieu, the good, the bad….and the ugly… 

My 2013 Personal, Financial and Household Goals:

Financial Goals:

• Save $1,200/month in long-term savings: CHECK. I’m still making this goal, but I will need to step it up a bit for the remainder of the year. I’ve saved $3,000 in January, $1,310 in February, $2,500 in March, $1,300 in April, $1,490 in May, and $3,025 in June.
• Double miscellaneous monthly income: CHECK. I’m doing alright with this–even with the crazy month that June was, I still am hovering at very respectable numbers for my freelancing income. Considering March’s monster sum of $10,000, I would like to ramp up my efforts in the coming months to see if I can break the $10K mark again. 
• Have at least one month where extra income is $1K+  CHECK. So far, every single month has been well over $1K. Here’s to hoping this continues!
• Fully fund trips to Kauai and Dubai. CHECK. Both of these trips were incredible. You can view my photo recap of Dubai and read about how I ended up spending an additional $3K to stay in Hawaii longer with my BF since we were having an epic vacation. The good news is all of this fit into the budget and it didn’t set back any of my savings goals.

 

Personal Goals

• Run at least 30 miles/week. FAIL. Well, I was on track with this a few months ago, then I had a heart attack last month. Needless to say, this is at a standstill right now, although I was cleared to “jog” last Friday (clearly, my doctor doesn’t know me very well). This is now going to be replaced with the goals listed next and I will continue to run whenever I can, but I’m not going to put so much focus on counting the miles.
• Attend yoga and meditation weekly. NEW GOAL. I’m now attending yoga classes every Friday morning, meditation every Wednesday night, and I’ll be volunteering at a friend’s yoga studio once/month to earn more free classes that will be sprinkled into the mix. These are possibly two of the best things I’ve ever done in my life, and they are already having a hugely positive impact on how I feel, how I manage my stress, and how I grow from the recent challenges I’m facing. I know in my heart that this is a life-long change that couldn’t be more welcome!
• Complete another ultra marathon. AMENDED. Clearly, no ultramarathon is happening this year. But, I am signed up for the Disney Dopey Challenge in January (48.6 miles in 4 days), and I’m signed up for a regular marathon in October. I won’t be “racing” that marathon, but I do hope everything continues to improve with my health so I’m able to finish it.
• Complete Q&A a day project. FAIL. I’m abandoning this goal in lieu of the next one…
• Complete a daily gratitude journal entry. NEW GOAL. Part of what helps me triumph over the struggles and challenges I’m faced with is that I’m a genuinely happy, positive person. I’ve decided to celebrate that which I have instead of dwelling on what I don’t have in order to keep my positive outlook on life intact. This simple exercise will pretty much ensure I’m able to keep trucking along. And when I have a bad day, I’ll certainly be reviewing the past entries!
• Improve blog stats. IN PROGRESS. I still want 2013 to be the year of The Happy Homeowner, but I need to get my groove back with blogging. With that will come an immediate need to work on further developing this blog. I’m looking to increase , , , and link/SEO efforts. 
• Cook my way through The Joy of Cooking. AMENDED. It’s too much to focus on right now–what I need to be putting my effort towards is consistently taking care of my body by eating healthy, whole foods. This goal will be tabled until next year. 
• Write my business plan. AMENDED. Since I kicked the 9-5 to the curb in February, I’ve steadily been growing my freelancing efforts. I’m excited to announce a few new projects I’ve been working on, but I’ll save that for a monster post next week. 

 

Household Goals

• Complete home office renovation. AMENDED. Now that I’m selling my condo, there’s no need to focus my efforts on any DIY projects for the current place. However….
• Move into my new apartment and do a complete cosmetic overhaul. NEW GOAL. I’ll be moving into my new place (complete with garage and driveway!) in August. The place is huge, but it’s very dated. I plan to put my DIY skills to good use to give the entire place a facelift. It will be hard to not have complete freedom since I’m renting for the next year until I figure out my permanent plans, but I’ve already gotten permission to paint and decorate as I see fit.  
• Cook at least 4 dinners/week. CHECK. They might not be from the Joy of Cooking, but I’m still doing a good job of cooking at home more than I’m going out to eat. I have allowed myself a bit more freedom in the past few weeks, but I’ll be right back to cooking 4+ dinners each week once I’m settled in the new place.
• Complete kitchen renovation. AMENDED. See above–I’m selling! P&S was already executed, so it’s just up to the bank now…fingers are crossed!!!

 

How are you doing with your 2013 goals?