New Year's Resolutions: March Check-In

March felt like it lasted forever, I'm not going to lie.  It just was not a good month.

Anyway, onto the resolutions!

1. Original Goal: Lose weight/tone up/ get stronger.

     Basically the only thing I did this month was work out and study.  Seriously.  That's it.  I tried hiking this BEAUTIFUL trail in Tennessee, near Lynchburg.  It has two beautiful swinging bridges, which are so much fun to run across!

2. Original Goal: Make all A's this semester.

     I felt SO accomplished- I made a B on my first English test, and with a lot of hard work and determination, made an A on the next one:D

     I also made As on both papers I turned in.  Lovely month for my studies:)  I'm incredibly excited to transfer and get started on all my major course work!

3. Original Goal: Get accepted to all my transfer schools.

     One of the schools I'm applying to has been absolutely hounding me with fun postcards and emails.  On one hand, it's really flattering and I'm loving the personal attention, but on the other...I already know I'm not going there and will probably not even apply in the first place.  So...kind of a waste of their resources, I suppose.

4. Original Goal: Assorted Blog Goals:

     Terrible month for blogging...only four posts in one month?  Sheesh!  I've been having trouble thinking of things that people would even want to read.  I look through my favorite blogs, and their lives just seem so interesting..and mine seems pretty dull in comparison.  I was thinking of diversifying a little, since I've been too busy to cook something spectacular and delicious every night.  Any suggestions on things you guys would like to read on my blog?  Let me know in the comments!

5. Original Goal: Stop Stressing the Small Things & go to Church more.

     Bad month for this too.  I feel like I stressed my way through this month, and didn't go to Church a single time.  C'est la vie, right?  At least April seems to be starting out pretty well- and as a bonus, it's my last full month at this school (hopefully!)!  

I seem to be failing in my goals more than I would like, but the thought of being accountable to a bunch of strangers all over the world on the internet seems to keep me going.  Are you keeping up with your resolutions?  Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Ashley

New Year's Resolutions: February Check In

I can't believe another month has gone by! Actually, I can.  This month feels like it's dragged on for ages.  Anyway, another month, another resolution check in!  I'm surprised at how well I've been keeping these.  They're surprisingly easy when broken down on a day by day basis.

1. Original Goal: Lose Weight

     People who have been reading my blog for a bit know I just completed the Bodyrock February 30 day challenge(!!).  My fit test results have improved by leaps and bounds, and I'm seriously astonished at how much stronger I've gotten in just a few weeks.

Oh, and those three pounds I lost last month?  I gained them back.  And then lost them again.  One of the many cycles of life, I suppose.

But what's more important is that I've gotten so much stronger and that people can actually see a difference in the way I look.  The scale can go hang itself, I've got more tangible results than a silly number on a scale:)

2. Original Goal: Make all A's this semester.

This feels like the month of tests & papers (but in college, aren't all months like that?)

I had two (count'em) math tests (108 & 93 respectively), a Biology test (104), an English test (89), & a History test (99).  With the exception of the English test, I think I'm doing pretty well:)

I'm particularly happy about math and science- I can't believe it was just two years ago when I was failing my Trigonometry class and making a D in Biology.  It really does make a difference when you have both good teachers and a great attitude!

3. Original Goal: Get accepted to all my transfer schools.

N/A at this time.  But check out this cute postcard I got from one of the two I'm applying to:

How cute is that?  It was actually hand written by one of their students.  I have to say, love the personal touch!

4. Original Goal: Assorted Blog Goals.

I haven't posted as much as I'd like, but as you saw...I've had plenty going on in the way of schoolwork. I should actually be working now, but this is more interesting (also, my middle name is basically "Procrastination").  Anyhow, last month at this time, I had 47 followers, and now....I have 72!  I love each and every one of them, and I feels so thankful that people who have never met me actually want to read what I have to say!

5. Original Goal: Stop stressing the small things & go to Church more.

Went to Church every Sunday this month (plus Ash Wednesday), which I find very calming.  It's nice to be able to sit back and relax (and stand, kneel, etc) for an hour a week and just listen and absorb without having to worry about anything.

As part of not stressing, I've been taking hikes on the weekends.  This past Sunday we went to Tim's Ford State Park in Tennessee, and had a looovely hike in the woods.  The woman said it was very easy and for people who didn't hike much....but we found it plenty strenuous as it was mostly up a steep incline.  But what can I say, I love a challenge!

I hope you all have had an amazing February, and I can't wait to see how March goes!

New Year's Resolutions: January Check In

So as I mentioned in comments, I decided to keep myself accountable this year by publishing a monthly post detailing how well I've kept up with the goals I rashly made on 31 December/1 January.

Original Goal: Lose Weight.
How I've kept it:  I used all Jillian Michaels this month.  The DVDs I used were:

Side Note about Yoga Meltdown: I love it.  I'm hooked on it, and I look forward to it everytime I do it, but...

....and so do I:p

More than anything, the "losing weight" bit is about getting stronger and improving my endurance with the circuit/interval training workouts I've gotten into this last year.  As a plus, I lost three pounds:)

Original Goal: Make all A's this semester.
How I've kept it:
 This is the one I've had the most trouble with so far.  I've only had a few assignments, but I haven't done as well as I wanted to on them.  It's mostly little mistakes that add up, so I think focusing on spending more time on each assignment instead of rushing through them would be best right now.
Best part: Made a 95 on my first Math test:)

Original Goal: Get accepted to all my transfer schools.
How I've kept it: N/A at this time.

Original Goal: Assorted blog goals.
How I've kept it: I had 29 followers when I first made this resolution, and now I have 47!  I live in a really isolated area, so I don't get to talk to many people...I love all the comments I get on my blog posts, especially ones from areas far away from where I currently live:)  For me, it's absolutely mind-boggling to post something at one time, and then a short while later, have someone from another country comment on it!  The world feels so connected now, I love it:)


Original Goal: Stop stressing the small things and go to Church more.
How I've kept it: I've been stressing less, mostly by hiking and yoga.  As for Church, I went a grand total of....

ONCE

this month.  Bummer.

Nevertheless, these are resolutions for the entire year, not for the month, so I still don't feel like a failure:)

Did you make New Year's Resolutions?  More importantly, are you keeping them?  Let me know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Ashley

New Year's Eve Res-well, goals, for 2012:)

1. Lose Weight
     This isn't so much "lose weight" as it is get more toned and fit into some of my smaller clothes.  Ideally, I'd be training for a 5k, which I still may do, but I hate running with a passion.  I think I'll settle for being able to do any Jillian Michaels workout without stopping.
     It's not that I'm unhappy with the way I look, I just believe I would feel better and have more energy if I lost ~20 or so pounds.  I also want to stop eating so much salt and baked goods.

2. Make all As next semester.
     Next semester will be my hardest one yet.  Because of insane laziness and one really hard teacher, I made two B's for Fall 2011.  A B in a subject that I could have easily earned an A in, is just unacceptable to me.

3. Get accepted to all my transfer schools.
     This one is partially out of my reach, but it's still a goal.

4. Assorted blog goals.
     Post more and get more followers.  Because I love talking to people and getting to know people from all over the world:)

5. Stop stressing the small things and go to Church more.
     One is connected to the other- I feel more at peace when I regularly attend Mass.  This also aligns with Cal Newport's low maintenance lifestyle that I want to incorporate into my own.

Do you make resolutions?  If so, what are they?  Here's to another year!

Until Next Time,

Ashley