My 2013 Goals - Did I Achieve Them?

Every year, around the 31st of December, people all over the world make resolutions.

People want to be thinner, prettier, people want to travel, or build their dream home or find that one person who they fall in love with.

People start the new year with a fresh slate, ready to rise up to the challenges, tick things off of their bucket list, being determined that at the end of that year, they can look back and think yup, that's where my hard earned money went.

Every year I am one of those such people who create focuses.

Over the years these change, from going on a massive European adventure, to visiting South East Asia, buying tanks for our house, investing in property, renovating and so forth.

I've decided that as the years go on, it's more and more important for me to have "focuses" otherwise the years roll into each other and usually around tax time, you're left scratching your head thinking me oh my, where did all of that money go!

Since we've now entered the final month of the year, I decided it was a great chance to look back on my "focuses" for 2013.

I wrote about them in this blog: "Focuses for 2013"

They were:

1. Paying off our outside area. Such a lame first focus but we don't have much left to pay and we just want to get it done and dusted!

Verdict: negative. Looking back now we were aiming incredibly high. Financially, we had probably bitten off a bit more then we could chew in hoping that we could pay for a wedding, create a super amazing honeymoon anddddddd pay off the veranda all in one year! This "focus" will now be moved to 2014.
2. Plan our wedding! A whoop! So very incredibly excited that we get married in October THIS YEAR!

Verdict: AMAZEBALLS! I can't believe that there were so many things to organise that I had enough writing material to create a weekly "Don't Tell the Guests" segment. There were times when I wondered whether all of the planning and moolah would really be worth throwing a party for other people get drunk at, but the truth was, it was SOOO much more than that! Our wedding day truly was the best day of our lives to date. To spend quality time with your guests as they arrive, and then to walk down the aisle towards your husband with 160 beady eyes of your loved ones watching you, while then declaring your love for each other in a hand written ceremony, posing for photos, and partying the night away doing silly dances, listening to hysterical speeches, throwing bouquets and garters was AWESOME!

3. Choosing, saving and planning a super amazing honeymoon! A whoop! We're currently tossing up ideas between going around Australia for 3 months and popping overseas! Decisions, decisions!

Verdict: SUPER DOOPERLY EXCITING!

We're off to NEW ZEALAND in February for 3 weeks! While I wished it would HURRY UP ALREADY, we certainly needed the time to save our pennies to be able to do all of the amazing activities that we have planned!

We're hiring a 4 berth winnebago  (you know the saying, when the Winnebago's rockin' giggle) and cruising from the North to the South Island, going on fishing charters, floating down caves peaking at glow worms, flying in helicopters up to the glaciers to play in the snow, testing out our nerves of steel while white water rafting in Queenstown, chillaxing in the hot springs, cruising down the Milford Sound and so much more!

First stop - Bay of Islands! Via

Second stop - Waitomo Caves!

Sixth Stop - Milford Sound

Fifth Stop - White Water Rafting in Queenstown!

Third stop - Rotorua Hot Springs! Via

Fourth Stop - Fox Glaciers Via

4. For me, making some new friends when we move home.

Verdict: I've met some superly nice, amazing, genuine people since moving home, including my new work mates, team mates from netball, people on fundraising committees, and reuniting with old friends.
5. Skype my old friends in Adelaide regularly!

Verdict: Thanks to modern technology it's super easy to keep in touch with friends. I love a good Skype date and have even been known to have a "dinner date" with 700kms between us!

Even though I'm not geographically close to some of my best friends, we're still very much a part of each others lives (in fact sometimes we joke that we speak and see each other more now that I live at home!)

6. Being healthy - I don't mean healthy as in go on some crazy diet, or something totally out there like committing to exercise everyday (it's just not going to happen), I just mean being happy, taking deep breaths when things get a little stressful, and putting things in perspective healthy. Healthy for me is more about being happy than being stick thin.

Verdict: I must admit that this is one that I definitely need to work on. I think I've started the Couch to 5km challenge 3 times - turns out it's a whole lot harder to get this butt off the couch then what I've first thought (giggle!) I'm super proud that I have gotten to the point where I feel comfortable reducing my depression medication, but I am also a little disappointed that I have allowed myself to get way too stressed on various occasions. My health is something that is so very important to not only me, but to those closest to me, and we're always on alert. Sometimes I have to remind myself to take a huge step back and to put things into perspective. One thing that I can assure is that I am much more mindful about my health, and will continue to be for the rest of my life.

Sooo... overall I can tick 5 of my 6 "focuses" for 2013 off of my list!

How did you go?

Did you start 2013 with any big dreams or resolutions?

Have you had a chance to reflect on any of them?

Look after yourself and those around you,

Kirsty xxxx