This year I worked really hard to work on myself and I set goals that I thought would be achievable. Hereās what Iāve learned from setting my 2017 Goals:
Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals actually work. S.M.A.R.T is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. I learned this acronym in college and I applied it more to academics, but never to life. When I made my goals for 2017, I applied the concept of S.M.A.R.T. goals to them because I wanted to make sure I could achieve them.
Accountability is key. I donāt think I would have maintained my exercise routine without having it in my calendar, receiving reminders, and being charged if I cancelled a class too late. Also, sharing your goals with people is a good way to be held accountable.
Traveling is a great way to learn more about yourself. Whether you want to learn more about yourself or other cultures, you will learn something new about yourself on each trip you take.
One of my big goals was to learn how to budget more and actually stick to that budget. I found that apps really didnāt help me achieve this goal, so at the beginning of the month Iāve started writing out my expenses for the month, the days I get paid, and the amount I get paid to figure out how to manage my spending for the month.
It is important to keep learning. Taking classes through UCLA Extension has been one of the best things I decided to do this year. Iāve loved what Iām learning and itās been one of the more enjoyable things Iāve done this year.
Setting goals related to exercise should be focused on seeing what your body can do and not just weight loss. When I initially set my goal of getting better at cardio, the real goal was to lose weight. A few months into the year, I made the mental shift to focus on pushing my body more vs. focusing on weight loss, and I accomplished more than I ever thought I would. I ran a mile faster than Iād ever run before- 12 minutes! Which to some is a bad time, but for me that broke a 13-year record! Due to my mental shift, I was able to accomplish my cardio goal and achieve my secondary goal of losing weight.
Your body can do more than you think. I know this is related to #6, but itās definitely a lesson I learned. Up until this past year, I had never really lifted weights. I had used little weights in PT or a gym class, but never truly lifted weights. This year I have learned how to lift weights and Iāve increased the amount of weight I can lift throughout the year. Itās been nice to see that Iām able to do this because Iāve had shoulder and neck issues.
Cooking is a lot easier than you think. I usually get overwhelmed by cooking a meal, but recently Iāve started being creative in the kitchen and created my own recipes. Iāve actually found this process to be fun, and Iād never had that experience before. An example of this is my obsession with making a DELICIOUS egg sandwich.
Eating out or ordering in usually isnāt as good as you think itāll be. The more I ate out this year, the less I enjoyed it. I would go to some of my favorite places and I just didnāt like it or I felt sick afterwards; which is obviously not a reaction you want to have. I definitely think there needs to be a balance between eating out/ordering in and cooking at home.
Find things that you love outside of work. This for me has been key- without this blog I wouldnāt have a creative outlet and work would be my life.
Be open to exploring new places. Whether youāre exploring a brand-new country or city or walking around where you live and you stumble upon a new place, you should be open to trying new things. This is how I created my Ktown Hidden Gems series- it simply happened because I started walking around where I live.
Stand up for what you believe in. This applies to politics, issues at work, with your friends- you get the point. This is an important skill to have and it applies to any aspect of life.
Take care of yourself. This is easier said than done, but itās important to learn. Iāve tried really hard to take care of issues before they become bigger problems, and I think this approach is making me more aware about how my body works and reacts to things.
Go to interesting events. In 2017, I was really lucky to have the opportunity to see a lot of performers and speakers that I never thought I would see. This includes seeing Hamilton the Musical, movie screenings, the Backstreet Boys, and Dan Rather. Attending different types of interesting events makes you think differently about different aspects of life and you appreciate them. Every time an opportunity would arise, I would just ask myself, āwhen will I be able to do this again?ā If the answer was probably never again, then I would decide to go. Taking advantage of opportunities is key.
Donāt be afraid to try new things. Iāve always had the rule that I am willing to try anything once, but sometimes fear can make that hard to follow. This year I tried to actually force myself to try things that scared me or were completely new. The major thing I tried was skiing. I had never skied before, but I had always wanted to try. So, when the opportunity arose, I said yes. Was I great at it? No. Am I willing to try it again? Yes.
Friends and family are everything. Going on all of my adventures in 2017 wouldnāt have been as memorable or enjoyable without everyone who participated in them. From Nashville, to trying new restaurants, to Hawaii, to going to concerts and speakers- these memories wouldnāt be half of what they were without the people who attended them with me. For this, I am eternally grateful.
Be comfortable with the uncomfortable. This is just a key thing to be able to do in life. Things are going to happen in life and you need to be able to be okay with it.
2017 has been a crazy year, but Iāve definitely learned a lot. Iāve got some travel guides, new restaurant reviews, and 2018 goal updates coming soon, so stay tuned for those J Ā If you have something that you want me to blog about, please let me know!
I hope that everyone has a happy and healthy new year!
17 Things I Learned in 2017 This year I worked really hard to work on myself and I set goals that I thought would be achievable.
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