How to Sort of Fail at Achieving Your Goals

So remember last month when I set some goals for October? 

It turns out that I am not so good at completing goals. 

Here's how I did:

1. Walk for 30 minutes a day, at least 4 times a week. 

I think I even used the phrase "no excuses not do this" with great confidence that I would come out of the end of the month half-way fit and in shape-ish. Well, the first week went great, then...ummm...turns out I have a lot of excuses. 

For example:

The federal parks are closed and I like to walk by the river

It's raining

The bricks in Old Town are too bumpy

I need a nap

But it is 30 whole minutes that I could be getting other things done

I like getting dressed in the morning, not like putting on yoga pants and sneakers.

Last night, Kev and I were talking about this and how I have such a hard time prioritizing working out because it is not something I really enjoy. Sure, I feel good afterwards, but I don't look forward to doing it. His suggestion was for me to work out at night after the boys go to bed. I pointed to the giant glass of wine I just poured after the boys went to bed (giant, because I was feeling too lazy to walk back up the 6 steps to pour more and it was more efficient to fill it up the first time). Clearly, night exercise is not going to happen.

2. Read at least two books.

Good news, this one did happen, just by a hair as I finished my second book last week. I read Dan Brown's Inferno (while I appreciate the amount of research that needs to go into his books, I am admittedly tired of the Robert Langdon character. I mean, how many times can a Harvard professor get in life or death situations?) and Veronica Roth's Allegiant (Didn't like it as much as the first two, it was kind of all over the place with plot points and random characters who would pop up few a minutes but really serve no purpose. Still an interesting premise though).

3. Book 4 photography jobs.

I did 0 in October, but have 6 coming up, does that count? 

And it is not too late for you, so email me if you want more info.

4. Finish our Year 6 Photo Book.

So this is annoying... I went through a year's worth of file folders and uploaded 500 hundred pictures, then sat down last Friday night to get this done. I did 30 pages and clicked on the button to 'add more' and realized I had selected the wrong type of book and this particular one capped out at 30. I was only halfway through the year and there is no way to transfer all the pages done to a new book. Grrrr. I know I can sit down and get this done, but I am not done being annoyed at myself yet. 

5. Turn 30.

Check.

6. Finish Wells' Nursery. 

Again, SO close, but not done. There is one more project I need to complete and like any of the problem above, time is an issue. I just rarely have a large chunk of time to sit down and complete something and because this involves painting, I need it to be uninterrupted. I am hoping to have this ready by next week because everything else is so cute and it is really turning into such a unique and special room. 

A sneak peek of this amazingness done by Lauren:

And so my friends, that is how you sort of complete goals, but not really at all. The good news is,  we had a wonderful month of October, and my main goals of loving my husband and raising my children to be functional members of society are still in check.