New Year’s Resolutions: 2021 – January Update

Every month, I report the progress of my yearly goals in order to monitor progress (or the lack thereof) and hold myself accountable.

January just flew by, didn’t it? My boyfriend tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies in early January, so we decided that it would be best for him to handle all of our errands. Thus, I haven’t left the house all month except to visit a friend once, my parents a few times, and walk to the park each evening. Life has been quiet, but nice. With one month down, here is my progress thus far.

---

New Year’s Resolutions: 2021 – January Update

---

Health & Wellness

1. Don’t die. I’m still here. Our friend, Paulie, died from the virus this month and three other friends and family members became ill. These are strange times and each day I’m poignantly aware of how lucky I am to be safe, healthy, and alive.
2. Move my body daily. Aside from two days of icy cold wind and heavy rain, I went on a 2-mile walk each day in January.
3. Prioritize sleep. I’m fortunate to be able to work from home and to have a flexible work schedule, so I go to bed at 9pm each night and wake up between 5am and 7am, depending on my body’s needs. Sleep remains my top priority.
4. Continue to eat healthfully. Done. We get 90% of our produce from a local farm and most of our ethically-raised meats from a local butcher, and consume almost no processed foods. I follow a strict low-glycemic, paleo diet/lifestyle plan and supplement for identified deficiencies. In January, I was retested for food allergies and eliminated some foods that have become more problematic since my last test in 2019 (I’m looking at you, almonds!).

Personal & Professional Development

5. Read (or re-read) at least 24 books. I’ve been reading a bit every morning, but haven’t finished any books yet this yet.
6. Do Homework for Life. Homework for Life is a practice I’ve done on-and-off for at least three years now, but I just completed my first 31 consecutive days in January. It involves capturing the most storyworthy moment of each, and it’s brought joy into the most mundane of days.
7. Continued learning. No progress.
8. Select two behaviors that I am opposed to and adopt them for one week, then write about my experiences on the blog. I have listened to lectures and read articles from Dr. James Lindsay on Critical Race Theory to better understand what “wokeness” is and how it is impacting society. I don’t think I can adopt those beliefs and behaviors, but I do plan to keep learning about the topic.
9. Complete Yoga Teacher Training. No progress. Unfortunately, AZ is top in the country for COVID-19 infection rates and I have an allergy to an mRNA vaccine ingredient, so this is on the back-burner for the time being.
10. Receive a promotion and boost my salary by +10% in 2021. No progress. This would theoretically happen in March or October at the biannual review cycle.
11. Work on identifying my purpose of ideal career path. No progress. I have exercised general curiously, though nothing too noteworthy.

Financial

12. Achieve net worth of $200,000 by the end of 2021. As of January 31th 2021, my net worth sits at $128,900. In early January, my boyfriend’s former GameStop coworkers told him about the squeeze and I scoffed at the high-risk opportunity. I’m kicking myself a bit, but I’m far more comfortable with the set-it-and-forget-it model of investing that has served me well over the last decade.
13. Save 45% of my net income. January had a savings rate of 35%. Medical costs were 38% even after declining the $700+ Epipen (ugh!). I would really would like to find ways to minimize medical costs without jeopardizing my long-term health. However, 35% isn’t too bad because expense include a large fireproof safe, birthday gifts for my parents, and several computer and network components that required updating.
14. Remain debt-free. This should remain true unless something crazy happens.
15. Start down payment savings account. We’re probably staying put for awhile, so we may put some of this into a diversified investment fund, rather than keep it in high-yield savings.

Hobbies

16. Writing. I have been writing, journaling, and enjoying the craft… nothing serious, but it has been wonderfully refreshing.
17. Sewing. I had one machine serviced, completed fanny pack, completed garden apron, and made more face masks for the farmer’s market staff who keep kindly complimenting them.
18. Fermentation. No progress.
19. Try at least 12 new recipes. 1. Kung Pao Cauliflower (Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen cookbook), and 2. Kung Pao Stir Fry from (Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen cookbook)
20. Canning. No progress.
21. Gardening. The front and back patio are filled with herbs and flowers! And it’s beautiful. However, someone reported us to the HOA for exceeding the three-pot limit. Who does that?
22. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month. Here is January!

Family, Friends & Strangers

23. Write 50 letters in 2021. As of 31Jan2021, 13 written.
24. Call a family member or friend at least once per week. I honestly have not kept track of this, though I talk to my parents once or twice per week.
25. Surprise my boyfriend at least six times in 2021. No progress.
26. Celebrate eight years with my best friend. Counting down to October.
27. Invent a new word. No progress.
28. Take more photos and start an album. This does not come naturally. However, we have taken some pictures on evening walks around the park, capturing some stunning sunsets in the background.
29. Read to my niece at least six times. One of six completed. At two months, she’s beginning to respond and coo. Her favorite book seems to be Courdoury, which was one of my favorites as a child too.
30. Reconnect with friends I’ve lost touch with while ill. No progress.
31. Meet new people. No progress. I haven’t really left the house in months. Hopefully soon it will be safe to go out again.
32. Practice kindness. Despite having not left the house during the month of January due to the virus, I learned that a 2020 kindness is still deeply appreciated, so I’m leaning into that to offer more of the same.

Home & Household

33. Mold remediation. We figured out that my severe respiratory symptoms were at least partially due to food allergies, particularly to the almond milk used in my daily chai tea (so sad!), so this is less urgent; however, my in-laws are getting vaccinated, so we will soon be able to stay at their home while the mold is taken care of.
34. Hang up all the artwork we have lying around. No progress.
35. Have the custom sketch on the back of Rainbow Sunset professionally scanned and printed. No progress.
36. Buy a fireproof safe for sentimental items. Done! We used Christmas money and gift cards to by a discounted safe at Costco.
37. Reassess our emergency preparedness. This has been the hubby’s project and I don’t know exactly where we stand.
38. Clean out my closet and get rid of anything I don’t love. I cleaned out my closet. Shoes and handbags were given to an appreciative family and the clothes are in a bag waiting to find their new home.

Future Planning

39. Save money for a down payment. No progress.
40. Prepare to start a family. No progress.
41. Think about the overall vision for my life. I think I do this on a small scale weekly, but haven’t gotten around to anything formal yet.