Goals for a New (Birth) Year

Source: etsy.com via Emily on Pinterest

Last year for my birthday I set some goals for myself and to my delight, I accomplished more than I thought over the last year. Just to recap, those goals were:

1. Read 6 books-- didn't happen.
2. Take a vacation with SSF (SSBF at the time) -- unless you count a 2 day trip to the Outer Banks to meet with wedding planners then not accomplished.
3. Be consumer debt free-- I was referring to mostly to my credit card debt so CHECK.
4. Get a raise/promotion-- CHECK 4% isn't much, but it's 4% more than when I started.
5. Take on more financial responsibility/get engaged-- CHECK (to my surprise and delight)

Three out of five is pretty damn good.

This year, in a little change of pace, I hope to:

1. Be Present: I wish I would have snagged this necklace from JessLC while it was available because it's something I need to be reminded of often. I have a tendency to get all wrapped in my own stuff and thoughts  that I forget to make time for the little things like calling friends, commenting on blogs, or rubbing SSF's head just because. These are the little things that keep existing relationships fresh and help to build new ones.

2. Be Open/Brave: While I could be accused of over-sharing on this blog, in real-life I'm a little more closed off and defensive. I tend to fear what I can't control-- what other people think of me. As a result it's hard for me to make friends or even small talk. This year I will be open, attend more after-work functions, and make more than just acquaintances.

3. Be Thoughtful: Similar to my first goal, this one is about doing special things for the people around me. I always intend to send a birthday card, a congratulations card, or I "just wanted to say hi" card but more often than not I just don't get around to it. This year, I want to actually get around to it.

4. Be Fiscally Savvy and Brag About It: This one is kind of ironic since I claim to write a blog with a personal finance spin. I feel like I just don't write about it that often. In the beginning my intent with this blog was to create a resource for savvy shoppers, but it's kind of just turned into same-old girl on a budget getting dressed everyday. I want this blog to be something more than that but I've found I hold back because I tend to second-guess just how clever I am. I doubt how much my readers really want to hear about how I bought a pair of jeans for $5 or saved 70% on grocery bill. I mean I know you do, but I just doubt whether I am the person you want to hear it from. This year, I want to brag, I want to boast, and I want all of you to take the reigns on your financial life (if you haven't already)

5. Be Engaged: No, I don't mean like engaged to SSF. I will be finishing up grad school in December and while that means I will get a boatload of free time back, it also means it will be my sole responsibility to keep learning. Last year my goal was to just read 6 books. This year I don't just want to read books, I want to grow from them. Sounds kind of cheesy but it's true. You know what I mean.

These goals aren't entirely SMART(Specific,Measurable, Attainable,Relevant,Timely), but they are my goals none the less.

What kind of goals are you working on?