Wednesday, January 3, 2018

2017


2017 was filled with friends, parents, road tripping, reading, family reunions, canoeing, hiking, cashiering, Silmarillion Awards, and school school SCHOOL (I'm sorry, I just watched Eloise at Christmastime, so I am saying things three times like Nanny). 2017 was full, and fun, and hard, and I feel like I've learned so much more about what being an adult means.

These were my goals for the year:

-Give my blog a makeover, including changing the name to "Regarding Reading, Writing, and Sometimes Life." Additionally, post at least once a month, if not more. 
CHECK! I changed the name of my blog, changed my header, AND posted at least twice every month except for February, when I mysteriously disappeared due to homework. I'd call that a success.

-Eat less sugar and exercise more.
Check...? I didn't do that well with the less sugar thing, but I did increase my exercise (though that may have been due to the walking class I took *cough cough*). 
-Read thirty-five books.
CHECK! I read forty-five books this year (despite what my Goodreads challenge says). I read two series: Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones and The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. I also took four literature classes, so I read a lot of British poetry, several books based off of Shakespeare's plays (for Modern Shakespearean Fiction), selections in Russian literature, and five Shakespeare plays. Left to my own devices, I read a lot of YA and middle grade, several nonfiction, and a classic or two (like Jane Eyre and Peter Pan). I'm most proud, however, of reading the entire Bible for the first time in my life. 
-Continue to do well in school. 
CHECK!
-Find a home church in Minnesota and continue growing in my relationship with God. 
CHECK! Nearly every week this school year, I went to church with one of my friends. When she was gone, I even asked for a ride from someone else in the church (yes, my poor, introverted soul asked a near stranger for a ride)! The final week of school, I went with another friend to the start-up church that meets in one of our campus buildings. I really liked that church, and I want to try it again in the New Year. While I know more about God, I'm not sure my relationship with him has grown all that much... there are always periods of growth when I consistently read my Bible and pray several times a week, but I've fallen out of that habit over the past two months or so. 
-Finish my fantasy novel.
 Check...? I've given this a hesitant check mark for a reason... but I'll save that for my next post ;)


2018 Goals:

1. Eat no candy or baked goods in January (and if I survive January, then do the same in February, and so on through the year).

2. Walk 90 minutes every week.

3. Post at least twice a month on Regarding Reading and Writing (and Sometimes Life).

4. Read 50 books.

5. Publish my Fantasy Novel.

6. Continue doing as well in school as I have been.

7. Continue going to church every week and get into the habit of reading my Bible and praying (if not every day, then at least four or five times a week).

8. Grow myself. Take more risks. Become better at confrontation. Become better at expressing my wants, needs, fears, and frustrations. Become better at setting up boundaries so that I can take care of my mental health.

What was the most memorable thing you did in 2017? What are your goals for 2018? Let me know in the comments below!

2 comments:

  1. Those all sound like great goals! Ooh, you're going to try and publish this year? That's awesome! :D I would absolutely LOVE to read anything you've written! ^_^

    My main goal this year is to not pressure myself so much. I feel like last year I was trying to do too much. This year, I'm going to try to step back and just live. :)

    Have a great 2018 Abbey! ^_^

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    1. Thanks! I really hope that I can publish this year, but we'll see how the editing goes :P And the cover art process.
      That's a really great goal. I tend to pressure myself and then feel guilty when I don't accomplish as much as I want, but it's good to remember that we all have to take a break sometimes. It's not the end of the world if things don't get accomplished. That's something I had to learn last year.

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