Balanced Life Monthly Goals - May Review and June Goals

As mentioned before, my monthly balanced life goals are similar to the spokes of a wheel, with the length of each spoke representing my satisfaction in that area of my life, from 1 to 10, with 1 being most dissatisfied and 10 being most satisfied.  Ideally, all the spokes are of equal length and the wheel will roll along smoothly.  If the spokes are of unequal lengths, then, the resulting wheel will be lop-sided and wobbly.  I do realize that the wheel can be perfectly round with short spokes, but, that would be an indication that there is overall dissatisfaction!  My ratings for each segment are shown within the parentheses, with the beginning of the month ratings in black and the end of the month ratings being shown in blue.

Monthly goals:

Spiritual (10)(10):   The goal is to live a spiritually meaningful life:

- Continue with daily prayers, meditation, being grateful, positive, and joyful

- Continue to cultivate non-attachment by being generous and giving to the extent I am able

I continued with my daily prayers, meditation, and being grateful.

I continued to try being positive, although there was a short period of a few days at the beginning of the month when I didn't feel all that positive;  however, I was able to change my frame of mind, deciding that I will focus on what I can do and not dwell on what I can't do (or, am unwilling to do) at present.  

I continued to try being generous and joyful.  I feel that I do live a spiritually meaningful life.  

I will continue to keep the rating at 10.

June Spiritual goals will be the same as above.  

House & Garage (6.5)(6.75):  The goal is a home that is pleasant, comfortable, and welcoming:
- Clean - Clean the house and garage as needed
- Organize - Continue to find a place for everything and keep everything in its place
- Well maintained - Keep "erasing the evidence"; implement daily and weekly cleaning schedules
- Decluttered - Continue with the decluttering process

 

I readjusted my rating system for the house in May because there are some repairs and renovations that I want to do, but am not ready to do, yet. In the meantime, I have decided that I will only concentrate on those things that I can and am willing to do now, because that is what I am doing in all the other areas!  I have not fretted about not being able to attend Temple events or go out to eat in restaurants or gather with family and friends as I used to and been content with focusing only on what I was willing and able to do; so, why am I letting the fact that I am not yet willing to have workers in my house to do repairs get to me?  

I've kept up with the housework, doing the routine cleaning, and some not so routine cleaning (washing the doors, dusting the tops of door frames, washing the sofa covers, etc.) in  May, and decluttered 31 items.  

May decluttering included:
1 glass vase (broke)

1 ceramic dish (given away)

5 food storage containers (given away with food)
4 canning jars (given away with peach topping)
6 items of clothing
2 note books

3 file folders and their contents
5 brochures/catalogs/magazines

2 gift bags

2 boxes/packing material
1 decorative item (the top to a decorative jar candle, which broke off the candle)

The Top to a Jar Candle

I didn't do any garage cleaning in May.   

June House & Garage goals will be the same as above.  I am planning to continue with the cleaning and decluttering in June, too.  The June decluttering goal is 30 items from the house.

Garden (7.5)(8.0):  The goal is a garden that is productive, yet drought tolerant:

- Maintaining (water, fertilize, and weed)

- Planting summer vegetables!
- Start improving the parkway in the front

The garden did well in May and continued to produce broccoli side shoots, blueberries, oranges, lemons, and peaches.  We planted some zucchini plants (only 5 of them), okra seeds, a white bittermelon seedling, and two Persian cucumber seedlings (one of which died).  In the meantime, there are some volunteer plants coming up on the compost heaps, including watermelon, some other kind of melon or cucumber, potatoes, and pumpkin!   I also have a volunteer tomato seedling (no idea which kind) and an apple seedling (grown from a seed from a store bought apple).  M has been watering, fertilizing, weeding, and pruning as needed.  The parkway improvements are still under consideration although no decisions have been made yet.  New watering restrictions went into effect as of June 1st.  M and I will focus on watering our food producing plants and the roses because I am not willing to lose anymore rose bushes, if at all possible.

I am raising the rating to 8.0 based on the continuing harvest of fruits (oranges, lemons, peaches, blueberries) and vegetables (broccoli, the occasional beetroot) and the newly planted vegetable seedlings.

June Garden goals will be the same as above.

Daughter (10)(10):  The goal is to continue to have a close relationship with her:

- Keep in daily contact once she does go back

My daughter has transitioned well to living on her own again, going to the office in person twice a week, shopping in person, and taking her acrobatics classes, etc.  We keep in daily contact by phone, texts, and video chats.

I am keeping the rating at 10!

June Daughter goals will include:
- Keep in daily contact with her

- Look forward to and enjoy her planned visit in mid-June.  She is coming down to attend her friend's baby shower and will take a week of vacation to spend some time at home, before returning to Berkeley.

Family & Friends (10)(10):  The goal is to have a close connection with family and friends:

- Regular phone calls and emails to check on them

In addition to phone calls, emails, texts, etc., there were also an in-person visit with cousins at the very end of the month.  

I am keeping the rating at 10.  

June Family and Friends goals will include:

- Regular phone calls and emails to check on them

Community (10)(10):  The goal is to be involved in my community:

- Continue to participate in the various community groups to the extent possible in the following ways:

  - Participate in the blogging community

  - Participate in the online organizing group

  - Weekly phone calls with neighbor T
  - Participate in temple events when safe to do so

I participated in the blogging community, etc. and interacted with my neighbors, too (there were plenty of plates and bowl of food being exchanged!).  I didn't attend any Temple events, but, was able to be of assistance when asked by the monks to edit a dedication speech.

I'm keeping the rating at 10.

June Community goals will be the same as above.

Finances (10)(10):  The goal is financial security:

- Continue budgeting and spending mindfully, with purpose

I continued to budget and spend as mindfully as possible in May.  I had a phone consultation with my financial planner and her assessment was I should continue to do what I have been doing.  

I am keeping the rating at 10.

June Financial goals:

- Continue budgeting and spending mindfully, with purpose 

Health & Well Being (8.5)(8.5):  The goal is good health:

- Focus on continuing to improve my health through diet, hydration, etc.

- Attend my doctor's appointments (there are two scheduled)
- Do additional lab work before the second doctor's appointment

I had two doctors' appointments in May.  The one with the oncologist had been rescheduled from April; I met with the oncology nurse practitioner who went over my lab test results from April and said everything seemed fine, which was reassuring to know.  I have a follow-up appointment at the end of July, which will include a review of my current treatments (a daily treatment pill) with the oncologist to see if I need to continue with it.  

The second appointment was with my primary care physician for a routine check up.  I did the lab tests for that appointment and the majority of them showed good results.  I was especially happy with my A1c blood glucose level reading, which was less than 5.7, which means I am keeping my diabetes under control through diet (I was taken off my medications for that almost four years ago).  

I am keeping the satisfaction rating at 8.5.

June Health & Well Being goals: 

- Focus on continuing to improve my health through diet, hydration, etc.
- Do the abdominal scan my doctor wants me do to

Time Management (7.5)(7.5): The goal is to spend my time in a mindful manner:
- Spend time purposefully, mindfully

- Continue to focus on making my schedule work for me

- Procrastinate less

I think I was a little better with my time management, in May.  I still tend to procrastinate, but, I am getting better at getting things done.  I just have to be diligent and keep at it!   

I am going to keep the rating at 7.5.

June Time Management goals are the same as above.  

Leisure/Crafts/Hobbies/Self-Care (10)(10):  The goal is to relax doing something I enjoy doing for the pleasure of it.
- Continue with craft projects that are in progress

- Participate in the Monthly Photo Challenge

Instead of continuing with projects that are in progress, I started at least a couple of new ones!  I did finish one of them (the rug) and I participated in the Monthly Photo Challenge.

I am keeping the rating at 10.  

June Leisure/Crafts/Hobbies/Self-Care goals include:

- Continue with craft projects that are in progress

- Participate in the Monthly Photo Challenge
- Participate in the Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt

May was a good month; most areas retained their ratings and a couple of them increased.  I will continue to focus on health/well being and time management in June, too.  

How was your May?  Did you make any monthly goals for a more balanced life?  What are your goals for June?