Saturday, December 30, 2017

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.

 
 

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like you did really well on your goals. You must be very proud of yourself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There were a few areas I felt I could have done better in, but, I think, overall, I'm quite happy with what I was able to achieve. Nothing felt too wonky. :)

      Delete
  2. You did GREAT Bless! it's always easier to exercise with someone else. Perhaps your neighbor or cousin whose husband doesn't want to invite you would like to join you in a daily walk around the neighborhood? You can chat at the same time and kill two birds with one stone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nathalie. :) My cousin goes walking in the morning, with another neighbor. I can't join them because I am already on my way to the office, by then. I try to walk during my lunch break at work or, sometimes, climb a couple of flights of stairs. Once the evenings become lighter, again, I can go for my evening walks.

      Delete
  3. You've done brilliantly Bless! I think how you live your life is inspiring, especially as you always focus on the positive. I'm a bit behind with my blog reading at the moment so I hope I haven't missed anything, but I wish you and your daughter a very Happy New Year. X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jules. No, you haven't missed anything. Just more shopping for presents! :D

      It's funny how most of my readers say I focus on the positive and my daughter tells me that she stopped reading my blog because I am always so negative and she wants to shout at me to stop it, because that's not the mother she knows! LOL. But then, she said, "It's your blog, you write what you want", which was very gracious of her, I thought! :D

      I wish you and your family a very Happy New Year, too, Jules. May it be one of the best.

      Delete
  4. I also think of you as the most positive, kindest person I know. Occasionally, we need an outlet to "rant" a little, but your overall personality is very positive, and you are much more forgiving than I am.
    I love reading your goals update at the end of every month. You are holding yourself accountable, which is more like I want to achieve. You are doing a splendid job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you, Susan. I think it is important to focus on the positives, but, occasionally, one needs to account for the negatives, as well, to balance things. I don't want to give a false impression of my life, where I am happy all the time. I am not - I am hopeful, most of the time, but, sometimes, I am also sad or angry or tired and frustrated.

      Delete

Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. Your comments are much appreciated. Please comment in English. Thank you.