January 31 - let's see where we are.

I started this year with talking about goals, not resolutions.  So on this final day of January 2017 I am looking at my progress so far this year with the goals I listed at the beginning of this month.

One thing I wanted to do is write in this blog regularly.  So far I have posted something each week, either on Monday or Tuesday.  So I am pretty pleased with myself on meeting that goal.  Last week I even embedded a YouTube video to illustrate my point about educational journeys.  That would not have been possible six months ago.  Although probably most first graders can embed a video, digital immigrant that I am, I did not know how to do it.  I served as a course developer for my employer last semester and through that process I learned many new digital skills, which included embedding videos into my course content.

Another thing I wanted to do this year is become more physically active.  Late last year I read an article in AARP magazine (Yes I do read it.  They have great articles often about performers I like.  It's kind of like "People for old folks!") The article was titled "Younger Next Year"   It was a quick little two page article with a list of things to do to turn back your biological clock.  The first was plan to exercise six days a week including 45 minutes of cardio for four days and strength training the other two days.  Ok, I want to be younger but I hate to exercise.  But I made a commitment and tried it.  Since I live in the midwest and it is winter here it is difficult to get out and do cardio right now.  So I pulled out my Beachbody - TurboJam videos and started to exercise along with them regularly.  It was hard (remember I hate to exercise) and at the beginning all I wanted to do was say "I'm too busy for this"  Yet something happened about week three - all of a sudden I looked forward to that time of pushing my body and sweating.  It is becoming a habit.  (I still hate to exercise but I really like what it is doing to my body and mind!)

Now on to writing.  I am writing regularly in this blog but my fiction writing is still at a stand still.  I want to do it and have great ideas yet the habit of writing eludes me.  Then out of the blue one of my writer friends invited me to a writing group.  We will meet regularly and all focus on the craft of writing.  Just what I needed to get me going (a blessing from God in my thinking).  I will keep you updated on how that is progressing.

So I can report that I am making progress on my 2017 goals.   I am keeping up with my blog regularly, I am exercising regularly and I have plans to be part of a group that will encourage me to write.  So far it has been a good year.