20 Goals In 2020 – July Update

In January I set myself 20 goals for 2020. I started out updating them each week in a post as a way of holding myself accountable. After about seven weeks I decided I didn’t want to do that any longer for reasons I explained in The Hours and Days Create Your Life.

About the time I decided to stop doing weekly updates, I was in full coronavirus lockdown preparation mode because I could see what was coming. (If you weren’t a reader at that time, I made videos and wrote about it.) Things took on a life of their own after that point and I didn’t want to juggle one more list of things to do in the midst of an already challenging situation. So I never even looked at these goals after that point, even when they crossed my mind (such as the fact that I was not exercising at all or losing weight).

I pulled up the post with the goals again at the beginning of July because I had truthfully forgotten what was on it (other than the fact that I was not exercising or losing weight). You can see the list in 20 Goals for 2020 – Week 1 which I republished this morning. Some of them are delightfully naive now such as going out for family nights at the bookstore or coffee shop. How nice it would be to have the freedom to do so.

I don’t know if I’ll do a regular monthly update. I probably should because I need the accountability which was my original intention in trying to do the weekly one. In retrospect, maybe doing a weekly update would have been a good use of my time. As I explained in the post, I saw it as a drain on my time to do it each week. However, maybe I would have accomplished far more if I had spent that hour each week being accountable. We’ll never know. And I’m not going to shame myself for failing to do a great job in the midst of a pandemic. Life has not been normal at all.

I’m doing this update post today partially to confess how spectacularly I’ve failed, I guess. LOL! And maybe to show to myself and others that you can fail and start again. There are still quite a few weeks left in 2020. About 24, if I counted correctly. That’s still time to meet some of these goals if I focus on them. Some of them are less important to me now and some aren’t even feasible. But I think it is worthwhile for me to revisit them, print them off, and try again. I only fail if I stop.

Goal 1: Have 20 minutes of Bible, prayer, and quiet time each day

This has really varied based on the week. Overall, I’ve not done as well as I want and need to do. It’s embarrassing to admit this, but true.

Goal 2: Read 20 books

I have a reading tickler list page that you can see. I updated it a bit this morning. I read all the time, but not books.

Goal 3: Write 20 personal letters and send via snail mail

The last I checked I had completed 5 of the 20. I did think about this one during the lockdown, but wasn’t sure if people even wanted to receive mail. I could still complete this goal if I put forth the effort.

Goal 4: Clean out, label, and organize 20 years worth of digital photos

I completely forgot about this one. I was making very good progress on it before I stopped updating. I need to get back into my files and see where I am in the process.

Goal 5: Lose 20 pounds

It seems that most people in the USA either got buff during the lockdown or gained 15 pounds. I did neither. So while I didn’t make any progress toward my goal, I also didn’t go way far in the other direction. This is still a valid goal and not out of the question, but I’ve made it a lot more difficult to achieve after squandering half the year.

Goal 6: Lose 20 inches

Ditto comments for Goal 5.

Goal 7: Walk 200 miles

I have started walking a bit again. This is also still doable if I do it. Again, squandered six months, blah blah blah.

Goal 8: Go on one bookstore/coffee shop night out each quarter as a family

Oh, to be able to do so.

Goal 9: Find 20 new EoE-friendly foods and/or recipes for myself

Zero, zip, nada.

Goal 10: Clear out the basement once and for all and finally have a crafting area I can use

This is one goal I DID make a lot of progress on. Because David and I went to separate offices in April (see Cozy Homemaking Weekly Goals No. 24), I’ve moved all of my craft things to my office. They are not completely sorted and I still have a few things to finish up in the basement, but this goal – WOO HOO – has seen major progress.

Goal 11: Increase our family income by 40%

Still working on it.

Goal 12: Reduce our family debt by 20%

Still working on it.

Goal 13: Create 100 new products for my shop

Have not made a lot of new products because I decided I absolutely could not create anything new until we had finished updating all the products we already have. We’ve made a massive amount of progress on the updating both products and the shop. So even though I haven’t done much to reach this specific goal, I do feel good about what we are accomplishing related to it in the shop.

Goal 14: Pin 20 posts, pages, or products from my site to my Pinterest boards 3 days a week

This has been hit and miss. Some weeks I meet this, many I don’t. This is one of those goals I need right in front of me to remember to do.

Goal 15: Add 20 new pieces of content to the forums each week

Probably not 20 each week. That’s probably too lofty a goal. However, I am updating it with a lot of quality content so I feel good about that part of it.

Goal 16: Learn how to process and watermark photos for my site

I signed up for Canva and have been making all the post banners myself. But no progress on this specific goal yet.

Goal 17: Create 1 product all by my big self (as little Caroline would say)

Not yet.

Goal 18: Add 20 unit study posts to my site

This has been on my to do list for many months. Due to changes with Google, Amazon, etc. I’m glad I dragged my feet a bit. I still plan on doing more unit studies, but with a modified approach. I’m not working on these until my products are up to date.

Goal 19: Record and release 10 podcast episodes

This one heavily depends on David’s availability, but I would like to do more podcasts. I started relistening to my podcasts so I could get up to speed on where I was. I would REALLY like to do this. I truly enjoy making them.

Goal 20: Leave 10 comments each week on other blogs

I think this is such a positive goal, but lately I’ve been struggling to even keep up with the comments on my own site. I’m not sure this is realistic as much as I would like to do it.

So that’s where I am. Do you have any goals you are working on this year?