2011 Halfway Goals Update

I’m a bit slow with dates sometimes. I tend to lose track of what day it is and am always slow to catch on to month and year changes. Basically, I just realized it was July and that means half the year is gone.

Where did it go? It seems like it’s been the fastest year ever and it keeps speeding by.
I had a lot of goals for this year and some I’ve had to let go while others I’ve already accomplished. Here’s a mid-year check in regarding my goals.

2011 Goals Update

Accomplished

• Complete a triathlon. – Completed Jan 23!!
• Pay off credit card debt. – Done as of this week. I paid off over $5,000 is credit card debt this year (it was hanging around from that horrible year after college when I got depressed and gained both weight and debt). I’m a very non-typical bride – I focused on paying off debt instead of spending on our wedding.
• Find a part time job. – I destroyed this goal with my awesome FULL TIME job!

Happening or Upcoming

• Clean up my eating/quit binge eating. – I’m in therapy for the binge eating so I’m working on it. It’s an ongoing process.
• Learn to sew. – Not yet but I’ve got a sewing project and an opportunity to learn.
• Read a book a week. – I’ve lost count of books because I keep track on multiple lists in multiple places, but I’m averaging a book a week to week and a half.
• Run a 5k. - I’m up to a mile at a time which is great but I’ve still got a ways to go. This will definitely happen this year though!
• Get married and have the best wedding ever. – Our wedding has been majorly downsized yet I’m more excited about it than ever. It’s going to be simple, casual park wedding in Memphis and a second reception in New Zealand. Fun!

On Hold

• Cook my way through a cookbook. – I need to find a new dairy-free cookbook to cook through since my eating habits have changed drastically since the start of the year.
• Ride 2011 miles on my bike. – Not having a bike while living in Memphis has made this goal next to impossible. I’m hoping to still hit the halfway mark for this goal by the end of the year.
• Increase A Merry Life traffic. – Remember how yesterday I was thinking I’m a blog failure? This is why. Traffic is completely static and I’ve got no time right now to increase it.

Mid-Year Recap and Look Ahead

Favorite Moments From Life in NZ 2011:

• Hitting the expat wall. Yeah, everything in NZ wasn’t great and in January I was having a rough time with anxiety and not finding a job. It sucked, I was sad… but the thing about hitting a low point is that it gets better!
• Swimming in the local pool.
• Trips to the beach.
• Road trips and celebrations.
• My first spin class experience.
• First bike ride of the year. This pretty bike ride. Every other awesome bike ride we went on.
• Pasifika Festival, Auckland Lantern Festival, and pretty much every other fun festival.

There are some things I really miss about New Zealand. I’ve been thinking about it more and more lately, especially whenever I want to go for a bike ride!

Best Parts From the first half of 2011:

• Finishing my first triathlon. (Triathlon Recap, Lessons Learned From My First Triathlon, Beginner Triathlon Training Resources)
• Learning how to salsa dance and salsa dancing with Kepa.
• Starting therapy. (How to find a therapist and first session notes here.)
• Kepa and I adopting our baby Señor Kitty.
• My new job at Rocketfuel.  From the first day to now it’s been awesome. I work on the same stuff I teach other bloggers and I even teach people how to use WordPress!
• Becoming a Polar Ambassador because Polar changed the way I workout.

What’s Happening in the second half of 2011:

• More yoga & zumba & weightlifting & fitness that I love.
• Getting married to the love of my life!
• Moving back to New Zealand and finally getting our own place.

Those are the big ones. And they are big! I see only good things in my future.

How are you doing halfway through the year?