Cheers to 2021! Goal + Vision Planning

Welcome to 2021, everyone! Praise the Lord that we've made it to another year. As I mentioned in my last post, I can't believe we've begun a new year. It feels as if 2020 were simultaneously too short and too long. But, enough about 2020 -- she doesn't even go here.

It's probably a contradiction, but I subscribe to both ideas that there is nothing special about January 1 and that a new year is an exciting new start. The new year has similar vibes as the start of a new school year or new semester. There's a sense of change, anticipation, maybe some apprehension. You don't have to wait for January 1 to set new goals or create a vision for your life, but it can help get your momentum going.

I personally enjoy coming up with some larger-scale goals that I can break down into smaller, actionable goals and habits over the next twelve months. The goals I set often evolve as the year goes on. Sometimes they turn out completely different than how I imagined!

A few clear goals for this year emerged out of 2020, such writing my second draft of my book and reading 22 books. However, I had a slight identity crisis while brainstorming the rest of my goals. There's just so many things I want to do, but I don't want to overestimate how much I can do in one day, a month, or a year. (Even as I wrote this post, I considered adjusting the organization.)

The crisis began as I journaled about the four categories in which I divide my goals: wellness, spiritual, creative, and personal. I wanted to have a clearer focus for each category. Wellness covers my overall wellbeing, such as my physical, mental, and emotional health. This ranges from diet and exercise to emotional intelligence and self-care. Spiritual encompasses my walk with God. It feels a bit forced to create goals meant to be measured by some metric when it comes to faith, but it's an important aspect of my life that needs to be cultivated just like everything else. Creative focuses on self-expression. For me, self-expression is learning, making, and creating in any form, from reading, writing, painting, coloring, or even baking. Last is personal, which I've treated as a miscellaneous or catch-all category. It could include things like self-development ideas to professional things, like building a portfolio.

Here's the dilemma: many goals I brainstormed could fit into multiple categories or they could be another category. For example, journaling weekly fits both in Wellness and Personal. Do I want to journal for mental and emotional benefits or for self-growth? I can do both, so which category do I put it in? Another example is that I want to create a budget so that I can pay off a decent chunk of my student loans. I could organize that under Personal, but it could also be its own category! I could go on, but I will spare you the rest.

It took some reshuffling and redefining to narrow my goals, but I am finally satisfied with how they turned out. Without further ado, here are four of my goals for 2021!

Wellness

Goal: Create functional morning and evening routines

I've attempted to create morning and evening routines before, but they were never as consistent or as "structured" as I would like them to be. I had an order of things but I was lackadaisical in what I counted as successfully completing the routine. One habit I really want to break is hitting snooze every morning. It cuts into my time for my morning devotion and getting ready for the day.

I will to set the tone for my day in the morning and unwind in the evening with these routines. Productivity YouTuber and blogger The Bliss Bean has a few worksheets on morning and evening routines that I will use.

Spiritual

Goal: Memorize a verse a week

I participated in Bible Quizzing for three years. For those that don't know, Bible Quizzing is a ministry of the UPCI that challenges children and youth to memorize hundreds of verses and compete in tournaments. It was hard but so much fun. Since I stopped quizzing, I haven't continued memorizing the Word as I should.

My goal means that I will memorize 52 verses. Some may think it's a lot, but I know that it is more than doable for me. I will pick out a predetermined list of verses and take at least 10 minutes a day to practice and meditate on Scripture.

Creative

Goal: write the second draft of my book

After completing NaNoWriMo, I knew I needed some time off from my draft. I spent the month of December planning my blog, writing posts, and writing a little The Rise of Skywalker fix-it fan-fic. I still don't feel completely ready to jump back into my draft, but I have thought about it often and I miss my characters. I've already know a few things I wanted to change, such as switching my female lead's father's occupation from merchant to professor.

My plan for the second draft is as follows: 1) reread my first draft (while resisting the urge to edit and preferably in one sitting); 2) take notes on plot holes/characterization issues/continuity problems/etc; 3) research everything I didn't before I began writing; 4) rewrite the draft.

I don't know how to actually rewrite the draft. I think I will create a new document and write with the first draft pulled up so I can review it as I go along. I may create a new outline first, but who knows? *shrugs shoulders* Certainly not me.

Another Creative goal of mine is to define my personal style and clean out my closet accordingly. My closet is stuffed to the brim and it's beyond time for me to do something about it. I plan to share this process outside of my quarter reviews, and I'm really excited!

Lastly, I mentioned earlier that my reading challenge is set at 22 books. While I won't be updating my progress every quarter anymore here on the blog, I will continue to share what I'm reading on my Goodreads and Instagram!

Personal

Goal: create a budget to pay off student loans

Unfortunately, my six-month grace period has ended and my loan servicers didn't forget about me during that time. I have two sets of student loans: federal and private. I'm going to be as transparent as possible with my financial details, not only to help myself stay accountable but also to hopefully help others in the same boat.

I owe $27,612.08 in federal loans. I have 8 loans with interest rates ranging from 3.7% to 4.53%. Due to the pandemic, my federal loans are in forbearance and interest accrual has frozen until February.

I owe $11,279.58 in private loans through Wells Fargo with an interest rate of 7.99% (yes, that hurts). This loan began repayment in December and my minimum monthly payment is $109.68.

All together, my debt totals $38,891.66. (I also have car loan from the Dad Bank for $1600 that I'm planning to pay off soon). Honestly, have student debt under 40 grand is not that bad... but it does feel a little overwhelming nonetheless. *cue jazz hands to hide impending doom*

I earn $692 every two weeks, bringing in a monthly income of $1,384. Last month's bills (Spotify, phone, Wells Fargo payment, gas, IF Campaign) totaled $188.14. That doesn't include tithes from each paycheck. I have lot of cash left over after paying bills.

My first goal for quarter one is to find a budget system that works for me. I've been tracking my spending by hand in my bullet journal for over a year, but that is getting tedious.

These aren't all of my goals for 2021, but these are the ones I will share my progress on a regular basis! I may share the others on the blog or my socials throughout the year as well.

Lastly, my word for this year is refocus. I was stuck on what to choose for my word until the close of my church's New Year's Eve service. The sermon the night before at Winter Youth Convention and that night were about distraction. I could clearly feel the Spirit impressing on me to refocus my mind and energy on what truly matters. A Scripture that came to me is Colossians 3:2: "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

I don't have the exact details on what refocusing all entails (spending less time on social media is definitely one of them), but I'm ready for the journey.

Cheers to 2021! Let me what your word of the year is in the comments below.

P.S. The blog is two years old today!

A Year of Increase: Quarter Four + 2020 Year-End Review

I cannot, cannot, cannot believe 2020 has ~finally~ come to an end. Let's be honest, it's been a long 12 months. Jan. 1, 2020 feels like it was three years ago, not just 364 days ago. Despite the current state of the world, with its many crises and ongoing dumpster fires, 2020 has been a good year for me. I graduated college, bought a car, explored Utah, and wrote a book! As I reflected on this year, I realized just how much I've learned, accomplished, and experienced.

The four goals that I've shared with you:

• Wellness: replace chemical products with natural ones (as I can afford it)

• Spiritual: finish The Chronological Bible plan

• Creative: read 20 books

• Personal: pass the B2 level for German fluency on Deutsche Welle

Wellness

In last quarter's review, I shared my research on natural deodorants. I did try Native this quarter as I said I would. I was honestly expecting this switch to be the hardest, but it was pretty simple. I didn't go through a detox period like some of my research said I might. Native works great!

Overall, I accomplished this goal! I switched out my haircare with products from Lush and Love, Beauty and Planet and tried a few natural skincare products from Lush, Skin Balm Apothecary, Method, and Mary Kay's MK Naturally line. One thing I learned through this process is that it takes time -- both in researching and testing the products. I was ready to give up on the shampoo bar, but I waited it out as my hair adjusted. I still don't think I found *the one* yet, but I'm headed in the right direction.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that I began Curology! I will definitely share my experience with their custom acne treatment in the coming months.

Switching to Native was pretty simple!

Spiritual

Reading the Bible chronologically in a year was a bit harder than I anticipated. I'm not sure why I thought it would be easy, but I'm doing my best to stick to it. I struggled to keep up with my daily readings last quarter, and this quarter saw only minor improvement. But, as I have mentioned in my past reviews, it is not about completing the challenge within the timeframe but gaining a better understanding and deeper love for the Word of God.

In grand scheme of things, I am roughly two months "behind schedule," so I won't finish this plan until February. Often times I would get more caught up in trying to power through my readings for the day instead of focusing on what God wanted me to learn. Through this challenge, God taught me that I don't need a schedule or routine to have a relationship with Him, though it can be beneficial.

Creative

I read seven books this quarter. Seven! Or rather, I should say that I finished seven books, because I started several of them months ago. A few of these books made it into my top books of 2020 post from Monday, which you should check out if you haven't already!

I read All the Places to Go by John Ortberg; The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi; The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric; Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot by Mo Isom; and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

All the Places to Go by John Ortberg was an insightful read about learning how to recognize the doors God placed before you. I think it's especially applicable to those facing transitions.

I enjoyed The Ersatz Elevator (the sixth installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events), but I'm still finding it a bit repetitive. This book does have my favorite Lemony Snicket quote so far: "but if we wait until we're ready we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives."

The Hate U Give was my pick for my book club. I picked it because it's been on my TBR list forever and I wanted some Young Adult rep in our book club picks. This book helped me to see beyond my own experiences and step into those of others. I loved Starr and her family and their relationships with each other. I highly recommend it!

Next, I read How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Kendi weaves together history, law, science, ethics, and theory together with his own personal narrative of his awakening to antiracism. This book definitely challenged me. It reveals how easily racism is intertwined with, well, nearly everything. I appreciate what Kendi explains at the closing of his first chapter: "No one becomes a racist or antiracist. We can only strive to one or the other. We unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist."

Reading The Hate U Give and How to Be an Antiracist side-by-side was an complimentary experience. Many of the concepts Kendi touched on were applied in "real life" (fictional but as close to real as it could be) scenarios.

The Bridge on the Drina is a book I'd never pick up myself but I'm glad to have read it. The novel spans the lifetime of the bridge in the heart of the Balkans as it stands witness to the lives of those around it. I enjoyed reading about an area of the world that I'm unfamiliar with. It's a dense read, and it took me forever to finish (I believe it was my book club's June pick. I didn't finish until November). I think part of the denseness came from the font and small print of my book. Andric's writing style is also detailed and long, but I loved how he often extrapolates universal truths and clever proverbs from the mundane.

Sex, Jesus, and Other Conversations the Church Forgot came to me highly recommended by a friend. It was good, but I found it to be lacking in the "other conversations the church forgot" part. Isom spent the majority of the book on her personal redemption and healing from sexual impurity. Those chapters were beneficial, but not as applicable to me, personally. The last few chapters were the most interesting, as Isom expounds on God's true purpose for sex and how the enemy does everything he can to twist it. I wish Isom spent more time on that and on how the church should teach this to our youth, engaged, newly-weds -- and even couples who've been married for years.

Lastly, I read A Man Called Ove. It was my book club's December pick, and I loved it so much. This book is incredibly heartwarming and hilarious. I laughed and cried. Seriously, everyone needs to read it!

I completed this challenge with a week to spare!

Personal

I really slacked with my German learning this quarter. My learning habits were dropped -- along with nearly everything else -- during NaNoWriMo, and I have yet to get back in the saddle again.

Overall, I made some decent progress this year. I organized my German binder and created a learning schedule that I stuck to for a few months, though not every single day.

2020 Reflection

These are only four out of the twelve goals that I set for myself this year. I nearly accomplished all of them! Some of the goals I didn't share with you included working out more consistently, writing a book, working on this blog, and more. It's exciting to see how each goal came to fruition, and even how some didn't. I view each goal is an opportunity to learn and improve. Even if I didn't smash each and every one, I'm still proud that I strove for it. Small steps are still steps.

I also take time every year to reflect on the highlights of each month and a few lessons I learned. Here are 5 lessons that I learned this year:

1. Traditions mean everything and nothing at the same time. The pandemic revealed just how much we take traditions for granted. It also showed me that it is important not to rely solely on tradition alone. The holidays are a prime example of this. Christ is still risen and He was still born, even if we couldn't participate in our usual traditions. Sometimes, we can get too caught up in our traditions that we miss what it's supposed to be about, especially within the church. But traditions, such as graduation ceremonies and weddings, are also meaningful and an important part of life.

2. God is good.

3. I am a capable writer. I already shared this in my NaNoWriMo recap, but writing a novel in 30 days taught me that I do have what it takes to be a writer. I regained the passion and internal drive to write creatively and for myself.

4. I don't need a routine or schedule to have a relationship with God. It is beneficial to have a set time for daily devotion, but it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.

5. Letting others in on your struggles is terrifying but liberating.

Reviewing my goals also helped me prepare for 2021. I'm moving in different directions for almost all of four categories, but I've created some habits that I'll carry with me. For example, I will still be researching and testing natural skin and hair products, even though it is not a set goal for the year. I enjoyed this quarterly review process, and I plan to keep it up next year. A post all about my intention and goals for the new year will be up soon!

What are you most proud of this year? What is your intention for 2021?

my top nine Instagram photos of 2020