I can’t believe I actually just typed the words goals wrap-up, like we’re somehow at the end of 2021? Although, if we’re being honest, I am so hyped for 2022 that I’m actually pretty excited to have typed that. ICYMI, here is my initial goal setting post in January, as well as my quarterly check-in in April & September. This is going to be a wild ride.

fitness

It’s been a year. While I have gained a lot of weight, I’ve also gotten really far in my yoga practice and have figured out a lot of poses that have been stymying me. I’ve also climbed harder than I ever have before, and though I’m still hovering around a 5.8 because I’m not going often enough, it’s better climbing than I’ve ever done. And so, I’m trying to practice body neutrality. Not love because that’s a long way away, but neutrality. I have a body, and it’s capable of a lot of things, and that’s pretty great. And that’s that. Pretending that I love my body is getting me nowhere but hiding from the fact that I’m lying and thus hating my body in secret so there’s suddenly all sorts of shame wrapped around it again, so we’re just at a hey what’s up we exist space now.

1. Find a split on my right side again.
2. Practice more backbends!
3. Work on arm balances.

As we chatted about in September, I have finally found a split on my right side again after three years post-hamstring injury. I’m so excited to have it back, and though I haven’t worked on it in a few weeks, my hips have been feeling so good that I know it’ll be there if I reach for it. I’ve also been incorporating backbends in every single practice. They’re chiropractor approved, and they feel hella good on my spine, so I’ve more than accomplished this second goal. And the third one? Well, I can’t say that I’ve worked a ton on arm balances, but I have added them into every home practice, and I’ve taught a few during my Saturday classes, so I at least haven’t forgotten about working on them.

reading

It pains me that this goal was the one that took such a hit this year, but you know what? I read my predicted 100 books, and I enjoyed a lot of the books in the second half of the year, so I’m considering it a win anyway.

1. Read 100 books.
2. Catch up on all currently published Shadowhunters books.
3. Read one classic OR nonfiction per month.
4. Review volumes 3-7 of History of Middle-earth.
5. Stick to my monthly TBRs!
6. Do not buy any books until The Great TBR Challenge is at or below 35.

I finished reading 100 books in November, and I’m definitely going to set it at that again next year. I want to be realistic, and where I’m at with my job and my life right now, I don’t see myself crossing the 100 threshold much beyond a few. As of drafting this post, it’s 11/30, and I haven’t completed goal two on this list, but I’m fully planning on reading both Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron, which are my last two for the Shadowhunters universe, so if I did that, here’s my update: yooooooo I’m 150 pages away from the end of Chain of Iron, it’s happening TONIGHT. I’m so happy that I finally accomplished this goal. I reread City of Bones in January 2018, so this goal has officially taken me three years to complete.

Obviously, I kicked off two goals from this year, and I don’t think I’m carrying them through next year! Now for the monthly TBRs. January: 4/5, February: 5/6, March: 5/8, April & May did not have a TBR, June: 10/20, July: 3/5, August 2/5, September: 5/7, October: 1/8, November: 2/5, December: 6/9. Well, you know, you win some, you lose some, and I’m going to keep setting this goal every year anyway.

I mostly stuck to the last goal? I allowed myself some Christmas shopping, which I do every year, but I don’t think I bought any other books outside of that, and if I did, it was, like, one or two books, nothing to write home about. You will see this one for next year, as well, but hopefully there’ll be some new goals for 2022 reading, too!

writing

Oh, boy. If anything, this has had the biggest shake-up this year. There’s a whole ton of reasons, but I’ve talked them to death, so we’re just going to take a look and then move on.

1. Rewrite sister witches 2 & edit into a final draft.
2. Edit researcher & librarian 1 & 2 into final drafts.
3. Write the first draft vampire detective.
4. Get crazy, and write something unexpected.

SW2 happened in the beginning of the year, but Freddie’s story didn’t happen at all, and that’s because of the third goal. I hadn’t quite anticipated how long it was going to take me to write Andrew’s story, and now that I’ve realized it’s probably going to be a multi-year adventure, things have started moving along again. And while I haven’t written the entirety of the first draft for Andrew, I have finished the first half, and that’s a solid book and a half in length, so I’m pleased with how far we’ve come.

Look, I am both the bane of Grace’s existence and the love of her life, so we’re on solid ground, and Lily has taken to legitimately asking me for snuggles every night, so we’re also crushing it on the loving each other game. Lily’s so cute, she’ll walk up to me when I’m in bed and all but bat her eyes at me until I pick her up and hold her until she’s purring and drooling like a maniac. Grace and I have nightly snuggles, and she’s even gotten mad at me a few nights recently for going to bed late because she wants to be spooned, not just sit in my lap, and it’s hilarious. I love them so damn much.

Did you set goals this year?