December Balanced Life Goals - Review

December was a busy month with a lot going on.  These were my goals to maintain a balanced life during this busy month:

Spiritual:  The goal is to live a spiritually meaningful life.
- Hold my year-end almsgiving  (scheduled for Sunday, December 17) - I was unable to hold it last year as I fainted in the bathroom the night before the almsgiving and knocked my head on the side of the bathtub (I still have an indentation on my forehead where I hit the railing for the shower door) - Accomplished!  The year end almsgiving went off very well and I feel very happy and blessed to have been able to accomplish it.

- Continue with daily prayers and gratitude - On going; daily prayers are part of my routine and I have had many things for which to be grateful throughout the month and year, as well.

- Take time for meditation- I've been taking a few minutes every morning and evening to meditate, as part of my daily devotions.

- Cultivate non-attachment through giving to others - Have done well in this area, this month, I feel.  Not only alms to the monks and gifts to family, friends, and neighbors; I have also giving of myself,  resources, time, and energy to various causes and people.

- Attend the monthly prayer gathering, if possible - it is scheduled for this evening and I am planning to go.  I offered a ride to my cousin, but she is recovering from the flu.

Environment:  The goal is a clean, tidy, uncluttered house and a well-maintained garden.

House: 

- Clean the house for the almsgiving - Accomplished!  House was cleaned both before and after.

- Maybe decorate for the winter holidays - Very minimally, but that's OK.

Garden:
- Maintain - Being maintained.  It has been a very dry fall and winter, so far, so the garden is just limping along.

Daughter:  The goal is to continue to have a close relationship with her. 

- Daily texts, phone calls, emails , and video chatting - Accomplished!
- Enjoy her next trip home (for the holidays) - Enjoying it to the fullest!  

Family & Friends:  The goal is to keep in touch with various family members and friends.

- This is probably the best month for keeping in touch with family and friends as we send greeting cards and well wishes and visit over the holiday season.  I will be seeing several friends and family members throughout the month at the monthly prayer gathering, at my almsgiving, at Christmas, and, most probably, on New Year's Day - Have been keeping in touch and getting together with family and friends, throughout the month. 

- Call, email, and send greeting cards to family and friends - In process!  I still need to send my New Year greetings! 

- Invite family and friends to participate in the almsgiving - Invited all the family and the closest of friends.  Those who could, participated.

- Will be seeing several members of the family and friends at the monthly prayer gathering - Scheduled for tonight; I'll be seeing those who will be able to participate.

- Celebrate Christmas and New Year with family and friends - Christmas was celebrated with both good friends and with family.  Daughter and I have been invited to an aunt's house to her annual New Year's Day lunch and I know I'll be seeing family and friends there.

Career:  The goal is to continue to do work which I enjoy (for the most part) and which enables me to support myself.

- Continue to do my assignments in a timely manner -  On-going.  I got a little bit stressed towards the middle of the month, as I was trying to clear my desk of projects before I went on vacation, but, it seems I was just putting pressure on myself, because no one else seems to be in a hurry!

Finances:  The goal is financial security.

- Continue budgeting and spending mindfully, with purpose - I think I did well, both this month and throughout the year, overall.  I have no debts and I have savings in place.

Health & Well Being:  The goal is good health. 

- Attend the appointments with my various medical doctors - 3 scheduled, so far, in December: the primary care physician assistant, the radiation oncologist, and the podiatrist. All are for routine care and follow-up - Kept all my appointments; and the primary care PA reduced the dosage of one of my medications.

- Continue to go for additional screening tests, as needed- Did some blood tests when I went to the primary care PA.  I will find out the results in January.

- Continue to monitor blood pressure, sugar levels, and weight - monitoring the blood sugar levels, daily, since the PA reduced the dosage, yet again.  The blood pressure is OK, but the weight could come down a little bit!

- Continue to focus on a healthier diet (more vegetables!), drinking enough water, exercising regularly, and getting sufficient sleep- Work in progress!  Daughter played a Zumba workout video the other day and I joined her in a couple of the dances and the stretching, afterwards.  Today, she and I went for a walk in the evening, and, afterwards, we did some stretching.  I just need to keep it up when she's gone.

Time Management:  The goal is having enough time to do all what I want to do!

- Almsgiving and holiday preparations - The almsgiving preparations were completed on time and I am very happy about that.  The holiday preparations didn't go quite as smoothly, but it got done, eventually.  This month has been a bit hectic, with lots going on, but I can say that the important things got done.

Leisure/Crafts/Hobbies/Me-Time:  The goal is to relax doing something I enjoy doing for the pleasure of it.

- Knit more hats for the AHA - Knitted a few; I think I was too ambitious to take on this project during this time of the year.

- Knit my grey sweater - Started, but had to put aside because I needed to concentrate on getting other things done (almsgiving preparations, etc.)

- Make some holiday gifts!  - I made a few items, but not as many as I would have liked to have done. 

Those were my goals for a balanced life in December.  I think I made good progress on most of them.  I will continue to make these goals in January, too.  I think they help me to make sure that all the various aspects of my life get some attention throughout the month, so that I don't feel that all my time was spent on office work or I didn't get any time to socialize, etc.