Sometimes, I make resolutions/goals for the year. Mainly so I have something to write in the front of my bullet journal. Sometimes I succeed at them, sometimes I fail (spectacularly), but it’s always nice to have something to aim for and work towards. In recent years I’ve found that doing quarterly check-ins helps to keep me accountable to these aspirationally-set resolutions throughout the year, rather than just panicking and trying to do everything in December. So this is what it says on the tin, folks, this is a check-in of how I’m doing at my 2019 Resolutions after the third quarter of the year. If you want to know how I did in previous quarters, take a look at my first check-in or my second check-in.
ENTERTAINMENT GOALS
1. Read the 5 books on my ‘Books I Didn’t Get To In 2018’ list
Guys, I have done nothing on this since the last check-in, I am failing miserably at it, in fact. However, I think October may well be the month that I get to some of those dark academia books (i.e. We Were Villains)because Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House is released at the start of October and I will likely be keen to read all books set in pompous colleges. We’ll see what happens with the rest of the books on this list, haha.
2. Read at least 1 classic each month from my Classics Club list
I have not been succeeding at this at all. I’ve only read 2 classics in the entirety of the year and I should have read 9. October brings with it Victober though, so maybe I’ll prioritise some classics then? Fingers crossed!
3. Read at least 1 non-fiction book each month
Surprise surpise, I’m kind of failing at this goal too. Although, since the last check-in (at which point I hadn’t so much as looked at a non-fiction book), I have read technically two whole non-fiction books, Art Matters (which is barely a book but, hey, it’s on Goodreads so it counts!) and The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. Something tells me that I’m going to need to participate in Non-Fiction November if I hold any hope of completing this goal.
4. Read at least 4 books a month from Around the Year in 52 Books list
I haven’t particularly actively been choosing to read books because they fit challenges on this list; rather, books that I’ve read happen to fit with the prompts from Around the Year. That has worked out pretty well so far, since we’re on week 40 and I’ve completed 41/52 reading challenges. (Finally a reading resolution I’m not, yet, behind on, woo!) The last few challenges will be trickier to complete since I will have to actively think about them when choosing books but I’m hopeful that I can complete this goal this year.
5. Read all of the Penguin History of the World
This resolution has completely fell off my radar. In fact, as I said at the last check-in, I’m minded to just get rid of it entirely so, yes, from this point on, consider this resolution well and truly ditched.
6. Document read books better on Twitter
and Instagram, with short reviews in the captions
I have had a bit of a crisis with my Instagram. At one point it was book-related but now? Well now I prefer to just use it sporadically to document my travels (that sounds way grander than I meant it to, haha). Twitter is still my preferred social media platform and I use it a lot, I think I’m succeeding pretty well at this goal on there.
7. Finish all NetGalley eARCS that I was approved for pre-2019
Yeah I keep… failing at this, simply because I keep requesting more ARCs. Someone needs to take my NetGalley password away from me, seriously. I’ve read a couple more eARCs since last check-in and I’ve reviewed 1 of those – Gods of Jade and Shadow – so I just need to make sure to review some of the others I’ve read this year.
8. Watch at least 12 films that are new to me
Soooo I didn’t do anything further on this goal in the last quarter. The only ‘new to me’ film I watched was a brand new release – Spiderman: Far From Home – which I loved but that was never going to be a hard sell for me? As winter rolls around I do think I’ll spend more time in the cinema or watching a DVD at home so hopefully I’ll get around to some films I haven’t seen yet. (If you have suggestions for my watch list, please let me know!)
LIFE GOALS
1. Cut down on the number of unhealthy snacks I eat
I think I’m doing a bit better at this, and that’s because I’m now really trying not to snack unnecessarily at work. Outside of work? It’s still a struggle, but I am trying.
2. Go to the gym or exercise classes at least twice a week
I would have said I’m doing ok at this but in the last month or so I haven’t stepped foot inside the gym. After I came home from holiday in September (during which we walked A LOT every day), I didn’t really fancy going to the gym. Then various events and weekends away meant that I missed my two weekly Zumba classes and I’ve fell out of the habit to attend them. I need to get back on it in October.
3. Completely block off one day a week to just chill
I’m doing much better at this and I think, cautiously, I’d say I’ve succeeded at this. It’s become something of a habit for me and Liz to go to Pret on a Saturday morning for breakfast and blog, so that’s a good weekly routine I hope to continue. Sunday I (try to) go to Zumba class on the morning and then I mostly chill for the rest of the day. I’m a lot more mindful now of when I need to chill.
4. Improve daily water intake
As I said at the last check-in, I barely pay attention to this goal anymore and, as unhealthy as it sounds, I can count on one hand the amount of glasses of water I’ve had in the last week. I still find myself agreeing with Rachel Parris’ tweet tbh. However, I now have a slightly different job which means I am sharing an office with a different colleague who drinks A LOT of water, so I’m hoping she will be a good influence on me (/I’ll feel quietly ashamed of how unhealthy I am in comparison)!
5. Keep a better log of skin issues
Yeah, I don’t do this any more. I’ve tried to make peace with the fact that it doesn’t look like my eczema issues on my hands are going away anytime soon.
6. Save at least £100 every month (and don’t touch it!)
I’m still doing well at this, helped out by the fact that I set up an automatic transfer to go out of my current account and into my savings account once I am paid. I’ve also transferred a large chunk of my bonus straight into my ISA. Look at me being responsible!
7. Complete at least 5 of the things on my 30 Before 30 list
Since my last check-in I’ve only crossed off 1 thing from my list: visit Greenwich. But hey, that aint too shabby and I really enjoyed it!
8. Cut down the time-wasting activities and use evenings/weekends more
Liz and I were really good about trying not to just stay in the house on the weekends over summer. Now we have well and truly entered Autumn and the weather is being… difficult, to say the least. I anticipate that we will suck at this goal once the dark nights settle in, but I’m hoping I at least continue to make plans on evenings/weekends rather than just plodding along with my daily/weekly routine. Fingers crossed?
Much like at my last check-in, I’m only semi-succeeding at completing my resolutions – and the ones that I am succeeding at are the ones which are quite easy. I’m kind of… okay with that though. I’ve made my peace with resolutions and come to realise that maybe your priorities can shift within the course of a few months and that’s fine. Let’s see if, now I’ve taken the pressure off myself, I actually end up completing a few more resolutions of my own accord in the remaining months of the year. Did you make 2019 resolutions or goals for the year? How are you doing?
The Terror of Knowing 