Goals for 2012

Now that the New Year is fully underway, how are you coming along with your resolutions?

Hopefully, you carved out some time to conduct your own personal annual review and reflect upon all that you did in 2011.

Now it’s time to look ahead for this year. What do you want to accomplish in 2012? What are your big goals?

If you want to accomplish some challenging goals, the best thing you can do is make them public. The more people you have asking you about what you’re doing, the less likely you will be to throw in the towel.

As with my personal annual review, I will be using the same categories for my 2012 goals.

This year, I’m trying to focus more on fewer goals. I want the theme of this year to be “consistency.” So, if I want to be consistent, it’s best to start small and build from there.

Professional Goals

Graduate From the Health Coaching Program
In May, I am scheduled to complete my holistic health coach training program through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). I’m more than halfway there and am on track to pass with flying colors.

Get 5 New Clients
I have two clients right now, but I’d like to have at least five new clients by the end of the year.

Join Toastmasters
I hate public speaking and, naturally, tend to avoid it. However, I recognize that this aversion is holding me back from doing better in my full-time job as well as in my health coaching work. I want to improve my public speaking skills and have heard joining Toastmasters is one of the best ways to do this.

Start and Run a Monthly Meetup Group
I’d like to start and maintain a monthly Meetup group for women who want to support and encourage one another in creating and executing big dreams, goals, and projects. The group will provide invaluable accountability to help its members stick to their goals and resolutions while having fun.

Conduct 6 Teleclasses or In-Person Workshops
I only offered two free teleclasses last year, so I’d like to try that again this year. I’d also like some of those to be in-person workshops.

Write 1 Guest Post or Freelance Article Per Month
I didn’t do this at all last year, and I wish I would have. I love writing and need to be better about seeking opportunities.

Stick to a Weekly Posting Schedule
As I mentioned in my personal annual review, I was haphazard in my posting schedule last year. This year, I’d like to stick to one post per week.

Relationship Goals

Take at Least 2 Mini Vacations With Mr. Man
I didn’t do this last year, and we recognized that its important for us to get away and spend more time together. So, I want to try again this year.

Call Out-of-State Friends More Regularly (as in More Than Once or Twice Per Year)
Again, this is another goal that was on my list from last year that I’d like to try and improve upon this year.

Financial Goals

Continue to Reduce Credit Card Debt
We’re doing well with this long-term goal, but we found a way we may be able to get out of credit card debt even faster. I can elaborate later, but even if that falls through, as long as we stick to our debt management program through AAA Fair Credit Foundation, we’ll be fine.

Build an Emergency Savings Fund
This has been a goal of mine for years, and every year I manage to save a little and then spend it all. This time I think I’ll create a separate “Do Not Touch” account within my ING Direct savings account.

Diet and Nutrition Goals

Eat One “Raw” Meal Per Day
This goal was inspired by my friend Liz, who has become a passionate raw foodist. I have no desire to go all raw, but I do believe in the benefits of a raw food diet. One meal a day sounds realistic for me.

Cut My Meat Consumption by 50 Percent
I’ve cut back on my meat consumption, but I know I can do better. This year, I’d like to cut the amount of meat I eat in half. I don’t plan to go vegetarian, but again, I believe we could all benefit from reducing the amount of meat we eat.

Drink the Recommended 8 Glasses of Water Per Day
I drink more water now than ever before, but I know it’s not the recommended eight cups. I’d say I’m somewhere between four and six right now.

Exercise and Fitness Goals

Exercise at Least 5 Days a Week
This is another repeat goal from last year. I’m almost there now. I’d say I exercise at least four days a week; many times last year I exercised six days a week. The problem is that I was sporadic in my workout schedules. That whole “consistency” theme is big on this one.

Be Able to Do 10 Regular Pushups With Proper Form
As of now, I can do three regular/guy-style pushups with proper form.

Run a Half-Marathon
I ran my first 10K last year. I’d like to challenge myself to a half-marathon this year.

Volunteer/Service Goals

Write My “Sister” From Women for Women International at Least 3 Times
I love being a sponsor for Women for Women International, but I haven’t been as involved as I could.

Donate Items to Laura’s House or Salvation Army
I do this at least once a year. This should be an easy goal to accomplish. Got to have at least one freebie, right?

Spiritual Goals

Meditate for 10 Minutes at Least 3 Days Per Week
Since I failed at my “meditate daily” goal for last year, I figured I’d better take it down a notch, and try again this year.

Home Goals

Deep Clean Our Apartment
We need to purge a lot of clutter. As long as I break this big goal down into smaller ones (clean out this drawer, go through this closet), it will be manageable. Granted, I still expect this to take all year.

Well, now that I’m looking over my list of goals for this year, it still looks like a lot to accomplish — even with paring down the list. I feel good about it though — it feels appropriately challenging. It also feels exciting and a little intimidating, which is a strong sign I’m on the right track.

If I had to pick the top three goals I want to accomplish for 2012, they would be:

1. Cut My Meat Consumption by 50 Percent
2. Get 5 New Clients
3. Run a Half-Marathon

How about you? What are your three major goals that you want to accomplish for 2012?