March 2016: Goal Progress

My goal for March was to take more risks in my career and do things that make me happy. I am beginning to learn that my monthly goals never go according to plan but I try to remind myself that life is unpredictable. 

My work goal this month was to work more and apply for more jobs. I didn’t work as much as I would have liked. I should have taken into consideration that there is not much work for relief teachers at the start of the year. The regular teachers have too much stuff to set up that they tend to keep working even when sick. Most teachers are not sick around this time either. It’s when it’s flu season when I make the most money. 

While on the job hunt, I discovered there were other places that hire teachers besides schools. The local newspaper needed an education blogger and the museum needed someone with an education background to manage school groups and make educational resources. I applied for those two jobs but I didn’t even get a response back. I’m not disheartened at all, sometimes it that happens. I am still on the job hunt. 

I did start subbing for a new school this month. It was the first private school that I ever subbed. They had the world’s friendliest admin lady. She is a true credit to the school. The children were nice and polite. I look forward to subbing for them for the rest of the year. 

I also took some days off to help my mum to prepare for some overseas and interstate guests that came to visit us. My mum likes everything to look perfect before the guests arrive which means a lot of cleaning, rearranging of furniture and fussing over the menu.

As for the happiness goal, I didn’t do anything grand. I decided to finish off projects that I had been putting off, reading my to be read pile and watching tv and movies. I fixed a mug that I got for my birthday when I was eight years old. The handle broke off and I glued it back on. It’s the only relic I have of my childhood. I wish I had kept more stuff particularly note books. I wish I could see the childish scrawl I use to have. I also repaired a cushion that I had been meaning to fix since last year. 

In April my goals are to learn more about Buddhism and read four books.  I know more seasoned book bloggers are able to complete one book in day but for me it would be a challenge to read one book in a month. 

February 2016 Goal Progress

In order to achieve my yearly goals, I have divided the goals up to smaller ones to do each month.  The main goals were: 

Exercise regularly

The original plan was to walk everyday which I didn’t end up doing. I just forgot about this goal actually. Next time, I should print out my goals for the month.

Spend more time outdoors

I did make an effort going outside more. Normally, I am stuck in the house all day but I took the time to go outside.  

Take more risks

This goal was mainly for my career. I’m currently a substitute teacher and I’m looking for more permanent work. To take a risk, I applied for jobs that I wanted that I would have normally wouldn’t have because I would think they would never pick me. I found some interesting jobs outside of the school environment, there was a job for an Education correspondent for a newspaper and a museum needed someone to manage the children’s exhibits with an educational background.

Me time once a month

This month, I decided to watch five movies that I wanted to watch. I didn’t end up watching that many movies; I mostly watched new TV shows. The shows I watched were Goosebumps, House of Cards, Upper Middle Class Bogan, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Torchwood.

I watched Goosebumps which is based on a series of horror books written for children. Goosebump books by R.L Stine were very popular in the 90s when I grew up. The TV series went on for three seasons during 1996-1998.  I use to find the TV show scary as a kid but not as an adult. It’s a nostalgia trip for me.

I only watched one episode each of House of Cards and Torchwood but I am planning on watching the rest of the series. This month, I was more into comedy so I finished Upper Middle Bogan and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. 

Give to charity

In February, I resolved to shop at small businesses to support the local community. So, I went to the corner store instead of the supermarket and the local cinema instead of the big chain.
Read books

I wanted to finish off The Selection series by Kiera Cass but I didn’t finish it. However, I did finish The Elite which was the second book from the series.

Explore Buddhism- Didn’t do.

Print out photos – Didn’t do.

Be positive/Happy- Well I didn’t go out of way to focus on positivity this month but it was a happy month.

What I learned:

I had too many goals this month. In future, I’m going to concentrate on a maximum of three per month. In March, I plan on focusing on taking more risks with my career, finally printing out all the photos for the family albums and saving money.  

January 2016 Goal Progress

I read on a blog that a good way to keep track of your new year’s resolutions is to make small monthly goals that tie into your overall plans. So I made some little goals for January.  I didn’t do everything on my yearly goals as I felt that it would be too much. Here were my little goals for January:

Exercise regularly

My original plan was to do aerobics, Pilates and yoga at home but I didn’t end up doing it.  The heat got to me (it’s summer in Australia).  I also felt bored by doing the same old routine. So I decided to go for walks instead and do vigorous housework.  I found walking with friends to be fun and they helped push me to walk further. I also get satisfaction from keeping a clean house. I think I should still do some toning exercises so I’ll have to look into that next month.

Spend more time outdoors

I had one task to do for January which was to replant my plant. It’s a desert plant and it’s really flourishing in this weather. I am pleased because last year, I thought the plant would die. I wish it would flower though. It had flowers when I bought it last year but they withered away. 

the old me

SAVE MONEY!!

I’ve been a good Carlyn on this one. I have been able to withstand temptation. My strategy has been to make do with the things I already own.

Take more risks

My goal for this month was to apply to three jobs. It’s not a lot of jobs but I’ve recently come back to job hunting. I currently work as a relief teacher (substitute) but I want to become a permanent classroom teacher. I applied for jobs regularly last year but I felt demoralized after a lot of rejections. So I took a hiatus from the job hunt.

I also started a LinkedIn profile and my goal was to network a little on various teacher groups. I was a bit shy about it because I was among other professionals who have more experience.

Me time once a month

This month I bought myself a boater hat. A boater is a flat bottomed straw hat that was typically worn when sailing. Some private schools also have boater hats as part of their school uniforms and barber shop quartets like to wear them too. Anyway, my hat has a bigger brim because I bought it for sun safety. I also bought it because I like boater hats. I like that the straw doesn’t lose its shape and how you can wear the hat without it obscuring your vision like other hats. I have this hat:

http://www.fallenbrokenstreet.com/shop/the-bambi-wide-brim-natural

Give to charity

I’ve donated books to charity and I bought some more at the Lifeline bookfest! The Lifeline bookfest happens throughout the year at various locations in Australia.  Lifeline is an Australian charity that specializes in helping disadvantaged people .They also have many thrift stores to earn money.  The bookfest is a huge warehouse sale of all their second hand books. The books are priced from one dollar and upwards.

 Read 40 books

My yearly goal is to read forty books.  I have read five books so far which is a good amount given the slow rate I normally read at.

Be positive/Happy

This month I decided to stop focusing on my shortcomings and be positive with what I have achieved. I’m normally hard on myself if I fail to do something even on small stuff like not getting all my errands done. I should probably get that book, Don’t sweat the small stuff.

I’ve also taken to making my bed in the morning. I heard that it’s good to make your bed because it can be your first achievement in the day. Last year, I was a bit lazy about making my bed. I normally would make it but in the middle of the day or even before I went to bed. I know it’s silly to make a bed before going to sleep but I do it to check that no insects have slipped into the covers. Now I make my bed in the morning and I even do hospital corners for the sheets. I think it looks nicer than untucked sheets and it keeps it cleaner. My sheets use to drape all the way to the floor. I can now look under my bed without having to lift up the blankets.

Old Goals Reviewed 2015

1. Be Productive

I have a tendency to procrastinate so I made a conscious effort to stop. There were times when I spent countless hours on the internet but I was more aware of it and made efforts to stop.  I think I made a good effort.

2. Save 3 Months worth of wages

I didn’t achieve this goal. I actually spent more in 2015 from going out and being too generous with family and buying stuff I didn’t need.

3. Dress Better 

I did make an effort in 2015 to dress nicely and try new fashions. I asked my friends to help create outfits for me which you can read about here. I also learnt that while I like fashion, I am really more of a low maintenance person and I like to wear simple things.

4. Obtain More Qualifications

I didn’t get more qualifications as I couldn’t afford the courses that I wanted. 

5. Go Green

I do try to be environmentally mindful. I try to purchase products that are safe for the environment and I try to have a low carbon footprint. At first, I was worried that organic or sustainable items would be expensive but I discovered that there is a wide variety and price range.

6.Exercise 

I did a little bit of exercise during 2015 but not a regular basis.  It’s something I have to work on.

7. Do something awesome for mum's 50th birthday

Mum wanted a barbecue and she had a small party with friends. I wanted to do something extravagant but she wanted a low key event. She didn’t even tell her friends that it was her birthday.

8. Read 36 books this year

I certainly did more reading in 2015. I took a book with me everywhere which helped me to finish books.  Carrying a book around helped me to escape the boredom during waiting time such as waiting for the doctor and in restaurants.

I thought I would finish this goal except for a small mistake I made. I kept a list of the books I read and I miscounted. After the number 25, I had written 30, 31, 32 etc. I wasn’t aware that I had made a mistake until near the end of the year. So, I had a mad scramble to finish the list. I needed to read 11 more books. I searched through my  to be read pile for my thinnest books and read those. Unfortunately, I still didn’t finish my goal.

Fortunately, reading 30 books in 2015 is still an achievement for me. My yearly average was about 15 books prior to the goal. 

Overall, I think I did okay last year in completing my goals. There were some that I put more effort to than others like the reading goal and the environmental goal. This year, I still want to have exercise and saving money as a goal. Those goals seem to be my biggest hurdles. All I can do is keep trying. 

2015 Goal: Dress Better- Fashion Challenge Work Wear

One of my goals for this year was to experiment with fashion. I usually wear jeans and t-shirts all the time so I wanted to try something different. I asked my friends to help me so that I could  branch out and try things I wouldn't normally wear. 

I have asked my friends to play stylists for me and I told them I would go along with whatever they chose. I have planned $200 per outfit so that I can get be dressed from top to toe. Some may say that it is an expensive amount to spend on an outfit but I think that is a reasonable price range and I want some quality when it comes to the clothes.

My friends were  excited about being able to play dress up with me.  My friend Mika loves to dress up and take extra attention to her outfits. My friend Tina is very practical and conservative so I think she’ll put me in something sensible. My next friend Jenny is four years younger than me and likes preppy clothing. 

Mika

I've decided to ask them to go shopping with me individually so that I can get different outfits. My friend Mika is starting off because she’s known me the longest. She always wanted me to dress up a bit more so she was particularly excited about this challenge. I asked her to help me create an outfit for work. I am currently a substitute teacher and I need to be ready for anything. One day, I'm teaching grade one, the next day I'm teaching Physical Education.

The choices she chose for me weren't what I would normally wear but as they met my guidelines I went along with it. We found most of the outfit in Target. Mika selected a blue patterned shirt for $20.00, a tartan poncho for $40.00, black slip on dress shoes for $40.00 and a digital watch for $7.00. We also bought some trousers at Suzanne Grae for $59.95.  Grand total of $166.95.

At first I thought the tartan poncho and blue shirt were too clashing but now I rather like it. I think they go together well. I wore the outfit to school and I got complimented on the poncho. The outfit is really comfortable too.

Tina

Tina and I have known each other since we were in high school. Tina is one of my most sensible and practical friends. I can always go to her when I need someone to talk to and she’ll always gives me her honest opinion. Tina is a person who is always super busy with her family and her career but she always makes time for me, which I really appreciate.

When Tina and I went shopping, I was surprised by her strong opinions about what I should and shouldn't wear. It was as if she’d been holding back for years! I don’t think I'm a terrible dresser, Tina is very conservative and follows most of the old fashion rules. For example, I like putting mixed prints together because I think it’s fun and it is a style trend but Tina thinks it’s too busy to look at. She believes that you should only wear one pattern at a time so no stripes and spots at the same time. 

source

Here's a really good blog post on clashing patterns also called mixed prints: http://butterfliesonmars.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/clashing-correctly-great-ways-to-mix.html

Tina suggested we get something that I could mix and match with my current wardrobe. She wanted to create an outfit that I could wear for work and out and about. Tina chose a navy woollen sweater from Factorie for $19.95, a silver necklace from Lovisa at $16.99, black straight leg jeans from Target $20.00 ,black sneakers from Spendless Shoes for $29.99 and a black and white striped shirt at Suzanne Grae at $49.95 . In total, Tina’s outfit was $136.88.

Tina’s outfit is really comfortable and practical. I normally don’t wear a lot of dark colours so it was a change for me. I did wear her outfit to work as well and I found it easy to move around in. I did take off the necklace though because it was swinging around every time I moved.  I have since worn different pieces from the outfit many times since. 

Jenny

Jenny was the most decisive out of my friends when it came to outfits. When I went out with Mika and Tina, they had me try on many things and they would look me up and down and take some time deliberating about it. Jenny did that as well but she didn't take as long.

Jenny chose a blouse with butterflies on it from Big W which was $29.00 and a rose gold bracelet for $12.00. After that, we went in search for some trousers to go with the outfit. A sales clerk convinced her that white trousers would be perfect . I wasn't thrilled with getting white jeans though because white clothes are hard to keep clean. I was also afraid of sitting on something dirty and having a big stain on my butt!

Fortunately, we weren't able to find any white pants in my size. We also got a watch from Lovisa which I love. It’s a copper minimalist watch and it was $23.00. The only problem is that there is no numbers on that watch which makes it difficult to tell time. There’s only four lines which represents 12, 3,6 and 9. I like the watch because it’s a statement piece and modern and simple.

We got some black skinny jeans from Best and Less for $20.00. I don’t normally wear skinny jeans because I don’t find them comfortable. I asked Jenny to find me a different type of jeans. She selected a pair of wide leg navy jeans which were more comfortable. Jenny thought I needed a different colour jean though because the blouse was blue so having blue jeans would be too much blue. So I said I would get the black skinny jeans if she insisted. She said, “I insist” so I got the jeans she wanted for me. Afterwards, she selected some sandals for me from Williams for $49.95.

I think Jenny’s outfit is very much what Jenny would wear. I think her outfit is comfortable and nice as well. I'm still getting use to skinny jeans. The jeans fit alright, in that I can zip them up with no problems but I'm not use to having my legs so constricted.

What I learnt from this experience is that everyone has their own ideas on fashion and what is flattering for body shapes. During the challenge, I let my friends make most of the decisions, the only things I did object to is anything I thought was revealing. I also learnt that I should try on clothes before I buy them as I found that I can fit into a variety of sizes. Normally, I just buy things in my size without trying them on and most of the time that works out of me. Sometimes, that means that items are a tad too big or small for me but I don’t count that as a major loss.

I'm also grateful for having such good friends. They readily agreed to help me and were so thoughtful when they were playing stylists. At first, it felt like wearing costumes when I started wearing the clothes but I have now incorporated the clothing into my existing wardrobe.  I also learnt new things about my friends too. I learnt that Mika is willing to suffer a bit when it comes to fashion. She doesn't mind clothes that are a bit restrictive and can bear with an uncomfortable shoe as long as it’s a stylish one.

I want to continue the fashion challenge next year but next time I’ll style myself. I've written of list of looks that I want to try out so I can explore fashion. This will be a private venture as the only opinion I want to trust is my own. I want to be more daring with my clothing choices and I know not everyone will understand. Next year, I want to have a bit more me time and this can be the thing that I do for myself. It may sound indulgent but I do believe I have to start looking after myself more. 

2015 Goal: Do something nice for mum's 50th Birthday

One of my goals this year was to give my mum a good 50^th birthday. Mum told me she wanted to do something big for her birthday so I decided to take on that challenge. I told her that I would pay for whatever she wanted to do and I gave her some suggestions. Mum wasn’t exactly happy with turning 50 but recognized it was a big milestone. I listed the usual stuff that people do when people reach a milestone like tattoos, bungee jumping and other thrill seeking stuff. Mum wasn’t keen on doing something that daring so I suggested things like beauty treatments and going to musicals.

In the end, mum said that what she wanted to do was to host a barbecue and invite her friends. Mum requested we keep her birthday a secret though as she didn’t want for them to create a fuss. One of her friends in particular was from interstate and had been visiting for a month. Her friend was leaving on the day of mum’s birthday so everyone was under the impression that the barbecue was a farewell lunch for that friend.  I debated on whether to tell mum’s friends it was her birthday and get a surprise cake. However, I decided to go with my mother’s wishes as it wasn’t about me. I kinda felt bad that we couldn’t acknowledge her birthday. I still wonder if that was the right thing to do but it’s all in the past now.

The next day, we did give mum her presents. She was very happy with her gifts. I bought her a camera that has a screen at the front which allows for easier selfies. Mum struggles with technology so I bought it to make taking photos easier for her. Dad bought her a painting that my grandmother has as well. She was very happy to get it. We didn’t have a day of celebration either as she was busy buying goodies for the friend to take back home to give to our grandmother. Mum is always thinking about other people.

Read about my other goals here:

• Carlyn's goals 

2014 Goals Reviewed

Initially, this blog was created by Jon and I to record and share our goals and it has morphed into other interest as well. Every year, we always start new goals so that we can enrich our lives. We also evaluate the success of our goals and reasons for the outcomes.

Read new books and finish old ones.

I did read new books and finish old ones. I would have liked to have read more books and finished my booklist but that did not happen. The reason why I didn’t finish as many I would have liked was that I procrastinated and sometimes I was busy. I drew up a table to see how many books I had read from 2012-2014 and it turns out that I have read a total of 45 books in three years. In 2012-2013, I read exactly 16 books which was surprising as I didn’t set a quota for that amount. In 2014 I read 13 books.  

I am still determined to read more books and this year I will be more diligent. One of my goals this year is to be more productive. I’m going to cut out the time wasting activities that I do such as spending endless hours watching youtube videos and reading useless articles.

Grade:D

Be more adventurous in fashion.

Nope! This one did not happen at all. I didn’t focus on clothes much on clothes last year. Updating my wardrobe has been a priority of mine for some time but I still have not completed this goal. I actually need more clothes and I’m not the type of person who has a closet stuffed with clothes.

Grade:F

Put myself first

I’m getting better at being assertive and making my needs a priority.

Grade: A

Eating Healthy

I definitely had eating healthy on my agenda in 2014, especially after my dad had a heart attack.

Grade:C