My First Half Marathon- A Recap

I shared last week in my reverse bucket list that I ran a full marathon in 2010. I was a freshman in college at the time and was so scared of gaining the "Freshman 15" that I decided I would train for a marathon and then I could eat whatever I wanted. The plan worked brilliantly, but I haven't been motivated to run further than 3 miles since. 

I've done my fair share of at-home workouts over the past few years including a lot of Jillian Michaels and P90X3. Last November, Alex and I decided to go for a spur-of-the-moment run around our new house. It felt incredible. I remembered how much of a release running had been for me freshman year, and it brought me back to the days that I spent training. For the next couple of months I started consistently running, and around January decided that maybe I should train for something. I've always wanted to do a half marathon, so I decided that would be my goal. But I decided that I also wanted to shoot for an under 2 hour half marathon. This averages to be 9:09 per mile. I am NOT a fast runner- my marathon was 11:15 or something like that per mile so cranking it to 9:09 was a pretty lofty goal. But since I had started running in November, I had been consistently running around 9:30 a mile so I figured it was a doable goal. 

I chose the half marathon I did because the course didn't look terribly hard, but I mostly chose it because it coincided on a weekend that my family was coming up to Denver to watch my brother play lacrosse. I had my family and a couple of friends at my full marathon and it made the biggest difference in the world. My husband, my parents, my brother and his girlfriend, my in-laws, my brother in law and his girlfriend, and one of my very best friends all showed up to support me. Let's just say that I had the best cheering squad at the race. Now, onto the race.

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{This was at the starting line... I was SUPER nervous}

Pre-race

I was nervous, you guys! Like really nervous! I wanted my goal time so bad but was nervous about achieving it. I didn't particularly like being nervous, but it was kind of cool to feel that nervous/competitive energy that I hadn't really felt since playing tennis in college. Several days before the race we had had freezing rain and snow, and I knew the course could potentially be really muddy. The forecast that morning was cloudy around 35 degrees with a chance of rain. This was actually perfect for me- I run way better in sub-50 temperatures, I was just hoping it wouldn't actively be raining through the race. I woke up at 4:45 the morning of the race, tossed and turned until my alarm went off at 6. Alex drove me to the race and after 45 minutes of warming up and trying not to get too nervous, I lined up and waited for the starting gun to go off. 

Miles 1-4

My strategy was to go a little bit slower than my goal pace for the first 2 miles of the race so that I wouldn't get tired and hit a wall later in the race. My goal pace for the first 2 miles was 9:15 or 9:20 and this had been really hard for me to do during my training runs (I always started running way quicker). The first quarter mile of the race was seriously muddy despite the race organizers best efforts to put bark down. The mud helped me start slower and I was able to keep a 9:20 pace for the first two miles. I actually kept the 9:20 pace (unintentionally) for the first four miles which started to be a serious mental challenge because I started worrying that I wouldn't be able to make up the time later. 

{This was about mile 5 and I felt good}

Miles 5-9

This course ran alongside a beautiful lake that was absolutely stunning, and had I not been so worried about my time I would have stopped to take pictures because it was gorgeous. This particular stretch of the race was mostly concrete which was a huge deal for me. I had done the majority of my training runs on concrete and prior to hitting concrete I was running on a trail that was fairly muddy in spots. The mud had slowed me down and so I was able to crank up my pace on the concrete (my fastest mile, 8:22, was during this concrete portion). There were a couple of ladies that I kept passing then kept passing me so the little cat and mouse game helped me keep a quick pace. 

Miles 6-7 got a little bit tough because I kept wondering when I was going to turn around. This was also the stretch where I didn't see my cheer squad for about 4 miles, so I just kept thinking to myself "just a little bit further until I see my people". 

{This was mile 10 and as I'm sure you can tell, I felt like death}

Mile 10-12

This was the hardest part of the race for sure. I saw my people at mile 10 and knew it would be the last time that I saw them before the finish line. After the race, they made sure to let me know that I looked like death at mile 10. Thanks guys. There was a lady in front of me that I had passed forever ago and all of a sudden she passed me again. I kept up with her but she was crankin it out at a 7:40/mile pace, and I eventually lost her after a mile or so, but trying to keep up with her meant that my 10th mile was a quick one (8:37). 

I felt really gassed at mile 11 (probably from going way too fast in mile 10), but a lady that I had been running either right in front of or right behind  most of the race passed me and yelled "we're almost there". That was exactly the boost I needed, and a perfect example of why the running community can be so dang awesome! 

The rest of mile 11 and 12 all I could think was "If I ever get the idea to do this again, someone shoot me." I also started counting down from 100 to distract myself from my misery. 

The Finish 

The race organizers didn't put a "Mile 13" sign out (for you half marathoners- is this normal??) and I kinda got thrown for a loop. I rounded the corner and realized I was closer than I thought so I started picking up my speed as much as I could. I glanced at my watch and saw that I was at 1:58 so I told myself "Go Sarah go, you're going to make the 2 hour mark!" 

I sprinted as fast as I could towards the finish line but the last quarter mile (right before the finish line) seemed muddier than when I had started and I felt myself getting stuck. I was focused on trying to get through the mud without twisting an ankle and just felt this incredible frustration as I felt myself slowing down. 

I crossed the finish line and glanced down at my watch and saw 2:00:06 (2 hours, 6 seconds). At this point, I could care less. My husband, family, and friends were all at the finish line and all I could do was bend over and catch my breath. I got really super dizzy and it took a good several minutes before I caught my breath and was ready to smile for pictures. 

{"All About That Bass"- one of my favorite songs during training}

{My in-laws with the funniest sign}

{5280 is the feet of elevation of Denver... that's my beautiful momma}

Post-Race

I smiled for my fair share of pictures as the elation of finishing my first half marathon set in. I was happy with my time- it wasn't the 2:00:00 or less that I had hoped but I just knew that if the last part of the course hadn't been so muddy, I totally would have reached my goal. Since then I've had my moments of "if only I had run faster here...", but for the most part I've been content with my time. I knew that if the weather conditions were different, my time probably would have been different too. 

I finished 51st overall (out of 163 runners), 7th out of 30 in my age division (Females 20-29 years old), and 17th out of 97 females. I felt pretty proud of how I finished considering it was my first half marathon, and my stats leaves room for improvement in my next half!  

{Most of my people.... from top left clockwise: my hubby, one of my closest friends, my brother in law and girlfriend, my brother's girlfriend}

I stood around chatting with my friends and family and just enjoyed being done with the race! My people were awesome you guys. I guess someone along the course that was running close to me said, "Man I wish I was Sarah!" Someone else said, "I guess Sarah must be about to pass me!" And one lady said with desperation in her face, "My name is Michelle" and my squad started cheering for her by name. Having all of them there with their awesome signs made the race so much more fun and made all the difference in the world. 

It's been two days since the race... will I do a half marathon again? Probably. Will it be anytime soon? Probably not. Towards the end of my training I was getting tired of how much of my time it was taking, so for now I think I'm just going to enjoy running whatever mileage I want at whatever pace I want.

Oh yeah, and after the race one of the booths was giving out a fitbit to whoever could hold the longest plank. You were also entered in a drawing for a gym membership and some pretty awesome other prizes. So even though I was exhausted, I had to try. My brother's girlfriend beat my mom and I, and none of us were close to the longest time that won the fitbit (7 minutes something). 

{Check out our form! ;) }

If you're wondering, I used this half marathon training plan. I have an upcoming post explaining why I chose that plan, and some of my tips on how to avoid injury while running. 

In case any of you were wondering, my splits (according to my GPS) are below. 

Mile 1    9:23

Mile 2    9:15

Mile 3    9:15

Mile 4    9:18 

Mile 5    8:58

Mile 6    8:22

Mile 7    9:13

Mile 8    9:18

Mile 9    8:29

Mile 10  8:37

Mile 11  9:03

Mile 12  8:56

Mile 13  9:11

Final Time: 2:00:06

Average Split: 9:11

{All my people minus my Dad and brother who had left already for my brother's lacrosse game}

Would you or have you ever run a half marathon? If you have run one before, what's your strategy for running it? 

Spring 2015 Goals

I've always been about the goals in life- they keep me focused and help me get things done. As I explained in last week's winter goal recap post, sometimes I'm too hard on myself and goals leave me feeling burnt out instead of energized. I originally wasn't going to even write a spring goals post then realized that in my mind I have a couple goals set so I might as well put them down on paper. 

Get PA school applications submitted. 

Many of you may (or may not) know that my hubby is applying to physician assistant school for 2016. The application opens next week and we are hoping to have all the applications submitted by early to mid May. There are essays that have yet to be written and edited, transcripts and letters of recommendation to be gathered, application fees to be paid, and most importantly lots of prayers to be prayed. It's gearing up to be a busy month but we're excited and have been looking forward to getting the ball rolling on this for two years. If we come to mind, we would love and appreciate your prayers in this area. 

Slow down and sit in the presence of Jesus. 

Last week, I had a sweet sweet time with Jesus during my morning quiet time. I'll admit that I tend to crank through my quiet time- read my devotionals, journal a bit, and say a few quick prayers. Rarely do I take time to just sit and meditate. This post and this book have really been encouraging me to be more consistent in my time with the Lord, and let my closeness with Him provide the wisdom I need to make decisions in daily life. 

Last week I sat and meditated for about 20 minutes and it was so so so life-giving. Not only did the Lord speak some much needed truths to my heart, but the rest of the day I felt at peace and had energy for my tasks. Perhaps the best thing of all was that I gained some incredible clarity on some important career decisions that I am making. 

As Alex and I head into a season of decisions, waiting, and ultimately changes, we will need wisdom and clarity that only the Lord can give. Last week it became clear to me that being still, even for a few moments, is absolutely vital to my walk with the Lord and discerning wisdom. 

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Those are my only two goals for this season. It's a lot less goals that perhaps I'm used to but they're two really important things. I'm looking forward to having these guide my spring yet not feel overwhelmed with a long list of self imposed goals. 

What are your goals for this month/season? I would love to hear! Are you good about meditating/being still in your quiet time? If you have tips I would love to hear them!

{Joining Sweet Little Ones Blog for Tuesday Talk!}

Winter Goals- A Recap

Back in January, I posted about my goals for winter. Now that I'm out of school, I've found that sometimes I feel lost without any papers to write or deadlines to meet and setting some goals for myself has really given structure to my days off (a good thing!). That being said, I'm a person who NEEDS to accomplish their goals, even if it leads me to feeling burnt out. My goals this winter left me feeling a little stretched thin, so I think my goals for spring are going to look a little different (stay tuned for a post next week). I think goals are a great thing but can be detrimental if you put too much pressure on yourself (like I do). So here's to a little bit more relaxed spring! Without further ado, this is how I did this past winter. 

Increase blog posting frequency to 3+ times per week. 

I did pretty good with this up until the past couple of weeks. I switched to night shift in March and I've had a hard time keeping up with life/blogging while adjusting to an off schedule. If you've wondered why I've been off the grid lately- that's why. I also felt like shooting for 3+ posts a week kind of burned me out on blogging a little bit. That's a feeling I don't like, so I'll probably go back to posting around 2-3 times a week. Major props to all you daily bloggers! 

Consistently run 3 times a week

This was probably my most successful goal (see below). I'm actually running my first ever half marathon in just a little over a week and as excited as I am to run it, I'm also really excited to get it over with. I've been really consistent with my running, doing a training plan that only has me running 3 times a week and cross training two days a week (for me that means once a week because I'm terrible about working out on days I'm at the hospital). Being on a strict training plan for 4ish months has burned me out a little bit though because some days I wish I could just run 4 or 6 miles or whatever distance I feel like instead of having to do a tempo run this day and a 12 mile run on this day. I'm looking forward to just being more relaxed about my running in a couple weeks. 

Invite at least 5 couples over for dinner. 

To be honest, I didn't count the number of couples we had over for dinner. It was probably something like 3-4 couples but the number doesn't matter to me. The main thing is that we opened our doors, and have had a great time with family and friends coming over. I am consistently praying for the Lord to show Alex and I more ways to be generous with our time and money. It's been fun to see the ideas and opportunities He has given us.

Finish 5 pages of my wedding scrapbook

I think I have a mental block against this. This Instagram post basically sums up how I did with this goal. I will say though with all my extra blogging and running I sort of felt like I didn't have time to work on a scrapbook. I've also realized that it's not something I particularly enjoy, and with the abundance of Shutterfly gift cards I have, I'm debating going that route. 

Complete a weekly challenge outlined in "Power Thoughts" by Joyce Myer

This goal went great for about a month! I happened to have a Sunday/Monday off consistently and would read my chapter for the week and put sticky notes of related Bible verses all over my house. It was a great practice that stopped when I started working Sundays and Mondays (which is no excuse, I know). I hope I can pick it up again because it was really making a difference in my spiritual life. 

Memorize at least one scripture verse a week.

This was also a goal I was great with for awhile but have been inconsistent with for the last month. Like reading the book, I need to pick it up because it was making such a difference in my spiritual life! 

Get involved in one way at church. 

We've been wanting to do this for awhile, and this season it happened! We connected with the director of our kids' ministry, attended an orientation, and I taught my first class (Alex was sick that day). It was a great experience and I am so thankful to be more connected to my church. 

How did you do with your goals this month/season? I would love to hear about it! Do goals ever leave you feeling burnt out? 

I Believe

On a lighter note, I believe... 

• That if you hate April Fool's Day, you need to lighten up a little bit. 
• In giving anyone and everyone Zofran (Zofran is an anti-nausea medication). Me and puke don't mix well. Ever.  
• There's no such thing as forgetting to eat. If you forget to eat, then you really need to get less-busy. I love food, so I've clearly never had this problem. 
• On the note of food, my love for hamburgers and fries is why I'll be dead at 40. 
• Crutches are from the devil (personal experience here talking). 
• Serving chicken and rice at a wedding is criminal (yes, I know it happens all the time). You realize your paying $30 a plate for two foods that are daily staples in most third world countries?
• No smile pictures are for losers. My Dad is one of these losers. I told him before my wedding that he better smile and his response was, "I'm not smiling for no damn wedding!" He loves me, promise. 

On a more serious note, I believe... 

• That God is sovereign over all things. This means that I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I mean everything. 
• That there are miracles happening all around us, we just need to notice them. Every child that is born, is a miracle. Statistically speaking, every time you get into a car and get to your destination safely, that's a miracle. I recently pinned this on Pinterest and couldn't agree more. 
• That there needs to be a lot more talk about unity and a lot less theological debate in the church. 
• In second chances and do-overs. We all mess up, and we all deserve a second chance. 

Linking up with Amanda @ The Lady Okie Blog and Megan @ Semi-Charmed Kind of Life for the "I Believe" Link-up! 

What do you believe? Serious or funny, share below!

Winter 2015 Goals

When I made my fall goals, I had no idea how awesome of a thing it would be for me. Giving myself seasonal goals helped me structure my days off better and gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. I don't really do well with monthly goals because by the time I think of them, the month is halfway gone. So below are my goals for the winter season- I'll be recapping them sometime in March or April! 

Increase blog posting frequency to 3+ times per week. 

My fall goal was two times per week and I actually did pretty good with that goal so now it's time to give myself another challenge. Be on the lookout for more posts at Sometimes Photojenik! 

Consistently run 3 times a week

I've been running pretty consistently for the past two months. I work 12 hour shifts three days a week and there's no way I even think about running after being on my feet for that long, so I shoot to run the other 4 days. My goal is to keep at it at least three (but hopefully four) times a week. I like to give myself the leeway of the extra day since it is winter in Colorado and I don't have access to a treadmill. 

Invite at least 5 couples over for dinner. 

If you read my post on generosity, you'll know that my heart for the year is to have an open heart and open doors at my house. By making a tangible goal for myself in this area, I'll be able to practice generosity and challenge myself to open my doors.

Finish 5 pages of my wedding scrapbook

This was my fall goal that totally didn't happen. I bought stuff for our scrapbook and then it sat there for the next two months. This time I'm going to put a number on it so that it will be more measurable. 

Complete a weekly challenge outlined in "Power Thoughts" by Joyce Myer

This book is one I got last Christmas and never actually read more than the first chapter. There are certain "power thoughts" and challenges that she suggests you tackle on a weekly basis (one thought/idea per week for 12 weeks). My goal is to actually do this challenge this year and get past the first chapter of the book! 

Memorize at least one scripture verse a week.

This is something that I've tried to do over the past few years and just haven't been consistent with it. By writing it down, I know I'll be more motivated. And thanks to the gift from my Secret Santa, I have an awesome place to start! 

Get involved in one way at church. 

This was also a fall goal that was left undone. My recap post explained that we had emailed our church about ways to get involved and never heard back. We're definitely going to follow-up and hopefully get plugged in this winter!

Okay, I think that's enough goals for this season. I'm excited and hope that I'm not being over zealous but I'm always excited for a new challenge.

How about you? Do you have some winter or January goals? Share them below with a link or a comment so I can cheer you on! 

2015: A Generous Home

Happy happy New Year!!! Welcome to 2015! If you're anything like me, you're excited for all that a new year brings!  I've been sharing why I think goals are important and how to make realistic goals for yourself. I also shared that I've always been a fan of New Year's resolutions but I mostly love the feeling of a fresh start that comes with a new year. The past couple of weeks I've been praying about the new year and what the Lord has for my husband and I in 2015. 

In sitting and listening, the Lord has clearly brought to mind a "theme" for our year instead of specific resolutions. It's a broad theme- one that stretches across many aspects of life, and is something that has been deeply resonating in my heart over the past couple of months.

I want to live generously in 2015

Generosity is something that is not often talked about in today's culture and if it is, it's usually in the context of a wealthy someone donating a large amount of money. 

I think we (I) often forget that generosity applies to so much more than just money. It can apply to our time, our home, and how we treat others. The dictionary defines generous as "liberal in giving or sharing; unselfish". 

That is what I want my year to be about. I want it to be a year of giving and sharing of my finances, my time, and my home. I've shared my struggle in not letting money control me, and I think my challenge will be trusting in the Lord's provision as we strive to be generous financially. I've already seen drastic and very real examples of how the Lord provides and I need to continually remind myself of those times. Over the past couple of months, Alex and I have also really enjoyed doing some fun things with some of our income including tipping a waitress generously and sponsoring a family's Christmas presents. We have absolutely loved it, and hope to continue doing random financial gifts throughout the year.

Second to our finances, I want to be generous in my time and home. I grew up with a large family and our house was always full of laughter and people. I want to be generous in my home by opening my doors to friends and strangers alike. I want to serve others food and show love at my dinner table share community around our couches. 

I want the generosity to extend outside of my front door. A few weeks ago it was bitter cold out and as Alex and I turned on our street to go home there were some homeless men holding signs on the corner. We had chicken noodle soup waiting at home and I thought to myself that it would be good if we went home, put some soup in a couple of containers and brought it to the men on the corner. Unfortunately, that thought stayed a thought and never turned into action. I haven't forgotten that moment and it's resonated deeply within me that I want my generosity to extend out of the front door and to the street corners. Things like taking soup to the homeless take so little time and effort, yet I almost always don't make it happen. I want that to change in 2015.  

I've come up with so many excuses that limit me in my generosity. Things like our 600 square foot apartment, 4 person table, and single income have given me an excuse for not doing more. As I've watched those of you I know in person and read about the stories of you in the blogging community, you have shown me that these things should not be a hindrance. I've realized that I need to stop making excuses and be generous with the resources I have now.

The transition after college has been pretty difficult for me, and I often feel like I'm in an awkward in-between time. Alex is still in school, I'm still figuring out what it means to be a nurse, and we are nowhere close to having kids or buying a house. I feel like I'm in a time of waiting, and this feeling tends to make me shy away from involving myself in things. I often find myself thinking that "oh we'll invite more people over when we have a house" or "we'll do that when Alex finishes school and we have two incomes". But if my whole life is a season of waiting (which in one sense or another I will always be in a season of waiting), then I will have wasted my life hoping for the cards to fall into place so that I could start this thing or that thing.

This year, I will fight against the excuses and the heart of waiting that so easily turns into the heart of postponing. I pray that the Lord guides Alex and I to opportunities requiring generosity, the wisdom to hear His direction, and the courage to follow the call.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions? Or maybe a theme like I do? I would LOVE to hear them!

5 Tips for Setting Realistic Goals

Yesterday I wrote about why I think setting goals is a healthy thing. I do realize that some people don't like goals because they make them feel overwhelmed, too pressured, or a failure. Setting achievable and realistic goals can be a tricky thing, but with the few tips below, you'll be well on your way! I am in no way a master goal maker, but I've developed some ways to make sure my goals don't overwhelm or discourage me.

Think about goals for each role that you play in life
When I wrote my post on fall goals, you may have noticed that I had a goal for each area of my life- I had a goal for my job, a goal for my personal/social life, a goal for my blog, and a goal for my church life. Thinking of my life in certain categories- nurse, wife, friend etc. actually helps me set specific goals for each of those roles I play. That's not to say that each role I have has a certain goal, but by thinking of goals in these terms, I'm able to come up with a balanced range of goals.

Make your goals realistic
I think a lot of times the reasons goals or resolutions fail is that they're not very realistic. Your resolution is to workout 6 days a week at 6am when you haven't been working out at all? Please let me know how that's going in February. If your goal was to work out 2 days a week at 6am and then gradually increase, then you're probably going to have lot better results and your goal will be much more sustainable.

Goals are there to motivate us, but sometimes we need to keep our lofty ideas under control a little better. Starting slowly and building up to your final goal is usually a lot more effective and productive. If you feel like a goal you have is maybe too lofty, take it down a notch- you'll be more likely to achieve it, and if you supersede it-great! I always try to have my goals on the lower side of realistic- a number or measure that will still motivate me, but that won't be so unattainable that I get discouraged. If you're not sure if your goals are realistic, run them by someone- your friend, your spouse, your mom- and see what they think. Sometimes a little outside perspective is needed to develop some realistic achievable goals.

Make your goals measurable 
Creating measurable goals is the vital component in making your goals achievable and realistic. It can be hard to make a goal measurable, but it can be done. For example, if you are looking to grow your blog, maybe instead of just saying "grow your blog", put a specific number on it. For me, that meant giving myself a specific goal of how many times to post in a week. For you that may be participating in a certain amount of linkups, sponsorships etc. Whatever the goal is, make it measurable by adding a number, time frame, or something else that can help you see more concrete progress to your goal.

Be accountable to someone
Finding someone to hold you accountable to your goals is key to succeeding. For me, my accountability partner has been you, the blog world. That may seem silly to many because I know none of you are going to come hunt me down if I don't finish all my goals, but at the same time knowing that people are reading my goals and the outcome of those goals is enough accountability to keep me motivated.

Maybe you need an in-person accountability partner. Grab a friend and suggest that you make some goals together (not the same goals, you just each make your own goals and hold each other accountable to them); share your goals with your spouse and see if they'll hold you accountable. Find someone to report to- it will increase your motivation ten fold.

Give yourself a measure of grace
In all goal setting there is much to be said about giving yourself a measure of grace. No matter how hard you try to set realistic and achievable goals, sometimes they just won't happen. And that's okay. Goals that are unfinished can always be goals for the next season or next year. It's not a failure, it's just something to be continued.

Out of my five goals this past fall, I really didn't accomplish two of them. That means I barely accomplished half of my original goals, but I was okay with that. The three goals I did accomplish had kept me really busy and I felt good about what I had accomplished. By focusing on what I did achieve instead of on what I didn't achieve, I was able to be okay with not accomplishing two of my five goals.Those two goals I didn't finish are rolling into my goals for winter of 2015 and I'm perfectly okay with that.

Focus on the goals you do accomplish rather than the ones that you didn't, and remember that it's okay if they're not all done in the time frame you wanted them done. Life happens, give yourself enough grace to be okay with that.

What are some ways that you make realistic, achievable goals for yourself?  

Five Goals for Fall: A Recap

Back in October, I wrote a post discussing my five goals for fall. With Christmas less than a week away (how did that even happen?) I decided it was no longer fall anymore and it was time to examine how I did with my goals. 

1. Start working on our wedding scrapbook. 

I bought materials from Hobby Lobby. They now sit in the corner waiting to be used. Does that count? I'm hoping with winter upon us I'll be spending more time inside, thus spending more time on actually working on the scrapbook. 

2. Increase the posting frequency on my blog to 2-3 times a week. 

I actually did pretty good with this one and was consistent with twice a week posting except for maybe one week. For all of you who post every day- I don't know how you do it! I'm working on getting my consistency up and hopefully posting closer to 3-4 times a week in the new year. I did find that by posting more often I actually came up with more post ideas instead of less making it a lot easier! 

3. Get involved in one way at church. 

So basically, didn't happen. Not for lack of trying, however. We did email our church and never heard back from them so we're going to shoot them another email in the New Year and see where we can help out! 

4. Be intentional about making connections and creating community. 

It's funny- once I posted this goal, I had a few friends from work reach out to me to see about hanging out. Throughout the course of the past couple of months I've enjoyed a couple movies with a new friend and a walk with another. The outings and new friendships developed were a huge blessing to me this fall and have made our most recent move a lot easier! 

5. Get ACLS and PALS certified. 

If you don't remember from my original post, these were goals related to work and something I'd wanted to do. I took both classes the week before Thanksgiving and spent a few weeks up to then studying! It was a long week full of exams and testing scenarios, but now I'm officially certified to save you and your child's life so there's that. 

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I must admit, between hanging out with new friends, studying for my certifications, and blogging more frequently, I had a lot less time this fall! But I can't even tell you how good having goals was for me. 

I'm a goals person and always thrived on the structure that came with school- semesters and seasons were my jam and made me tick. Now graduated, it's been easy to let seasons slip away, yet hard to find a purpose for this current life stage. All this to say- creating seasonal goals is a good idea for me... be on the lookout for my goals in the new year! 

Did you set goals for the fall? How did they go? Are you a goals person or would you rather just take life as it comes? 

(Linking up with Andrea and #friendswithgoals)