2019 Goals

It is March already!!! 2019 seems to be flying by much faster than any other year. I guess we feel the same every year.
This year I have really thought long and hard about what I would like to achieve during the course of this year. I have looked for inspiration everywhere and finally found it in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People course work and this blog which I think explained the 7 habits very well with real life and relatable examples . The latter also has a great podcast, which I really love as well. If you have not read/heard it already, I highly recommend that you give it a shot. After a mediocre 2018, I am determined to have a great 2019.

So, here is my set of goals for this year, I am not going to explain how the 7 habits inspired me or how it is linked to this blog, as that will make this already very long blog, much longer.

All I can say is that you can definitely find traces of it in my goals. Though I am publishing this only in March, I have been working on several of my goals already for sometime:

Health:

• I am going to continue exercising at least 5 times a week. 
• Additionally, I am eating sugar on specific days of the year and paying close attention to what I am putting into my body and will continue with this effort.
• Getting adequate sleep
• If possible, participate in a team sport but this is not a priority.

Personal Development:

Once upon a time, I used to be very well-informed. However, over a period of time, I stopped keeping up with current affairs. It was quite embarrassing for me during a conversation, with a few colleagues, that I did not even know that Indra Nooyi had stepped down as the CEO of Pepsi Co and I learnt of it so much later. Apart from this, I have not been really acquiring new skills or new areas of knowledge for a long time. Anyway, I think it is not too late and I have decided to make amends this year.

• Read/Listen/Follow to news every day
• Take up 2 certifications/courses- one which will help me in my professional career and the other which may or may not help me professionally but it is something to help me further with a hobby or help me develop a new skill.

This year, I will dedicate myself to social cause(s) during my birthday month. I will write a separate blog about this when the time is right.

Hobbies:

These are so important to me and help me stay sane in this mad mad world. I cannot imagine not working on one of the below.

• Reading: This year I would like to read just 1 book by the end of the year. With work and studying that I will be doing this year and with the other goals, I do not think I will be able to read more.
• Writing: Last year I started out writing every day and then ran out of content to write everyday. This year, however, I will be writing weekly. It can be about anything but should definitely include 1 thing I did proactively, 1 thing that demonstrates synergy and 1 thing with a win-win attitude, and the progress made with other goals.
• Blogging: I would like to write 1 blog post per week from now on. I know it was my goal last year as well and I did not completely meet it. As I said, I have thought long and hard and now have a very good idea of how I can achieve it this year. 
• Art: I would create 1 art work per month. I am happy to inform that I am already underway.
• Cooking/Baking: I love cooking and baking. This year, I am going to try making at least 5 healthy gourmet recipes. In addition, if time permits, I will like to successfully bake 2 types of bread (inspired by Jenna Fischer's Instagram!!).

This year, I am not keeping any travel goals, if it happens well and good.

It already looks like a busy year and the only way I am going to achieve all of this, is through self-discipline- spending less time on social media and idle entertainment, owning my time more, being well organised and just not being lazy (I have appointed my husband a few minutes back as my lazy monitor. He has to "notify" me whenever I am being lazy).

I have bunch of other goals too but they are too private in nature and will not be a part of this blog but just to give you an idea, these are about family and friendships.