18 Before 2018

I follow Lisa Jacobs of Marketing Your Creativity and have for several years. I really enjoy her annual "Best Year" guides.  She also leads a "XX Before 20XX" every year and just released her 18 before 2018 list.

For me, it seems the "New Year" starts in September. My birthday is in September (60 this year!). School traditionally starts on or about the first of September. It just feels right. 

And I will freely admit I have felt like I have been floundering a bit this year. 

So this exercise comes in handy.

With coffee by my side, I sat down with my journal and started listing items I wanted to concentrate on. I looked back at my 2017 goals. I looked at some of my ideas I had written down over the course of the past few months and decided I wanted to concentrate on five areas.

1. Writing
2. Reading
3. Creating
4. Moving
5. Spirit

Here are my 18 before 2018 based on those areas...

1. Morning pages and daily journaling - Get back into the habit of doing morning pages to 'brain dump and prepare for the day. Journal daily, even if only a brief reference to weather and gratitude list.
2. NaNoWriMo - lead another year of NaNoWriMo and hit my 50,000 words. This will also include a prep session in October to set up what I am going to write about.
3. Weekly letter to a friend - reconnecting with an old friend back in North Carolina and keeping her up to date on all our 'antics'
4. Hit my Goodreads goal of 175 books read this year - at 90 as of today, with 4 months to go. It's going to be tough!
5. Learning to use a quilting machine - I have several quilts ready for quilting and will take up a good friend's loan of her quilting machine in her studio. This will add another trick to my quilting toolbox and get me out of the house into a creative environment.
6. Finish 6 quilts - I have the Almond Country Beauty and the Batman quilts almost ready to go. The Disney Villains is ready and the Queen of Ween is almost there. I have an Asian quilt all done except for the quilting and a couple more just on the brink. I need to finish them up and get them into use.
7. Finish 3 shawls - I have two almost done and yarn set aside for at least 1 more already. Good binge watching and knitting time.
8. Finish 1 pair of socks - I have yarn for 3 or 4 pairs of socks and I need to crank out at least 1 more pair before the end of the year to work on my heels.
9. Take the "Fear No Fabric" workshop (birthday present from Texter and Lady K) - will let me, under the instruction of a professional, to really learn how to work with different fabric and have hands-on time over two days with a Bernina sewing machine. Not only will I learn some tricks for working with different fabrics (hello costumes), but will give me a chance to really see if I want to invest in a Bernina or not.
10. Plan a "Make and Take" party with friends close to the holidays, making personal beauty items and having a lot of fun in the meantime!
11. Learn to use the serger - I have it, need to use it. Lots of clothing ideas in mind once I know how to use it.
12. Exercise and mediate daily - I need to get into the habit of some kind of movement. Once the smoke clears, take the dog for a walk in the evening if nothing else.
13. Plan out healthy meals - this will help take the 'pressure' off the 'what's for dinner' question if nothing else and also save money by preparing lunches for Texter and Savvy.
14. Reestablish my morning and evening routines - once again, not only does it give me peace of mind, but it also gives me a 'wind-up and wind-down' time every day.
15. Go back to tracking activities - I have gotten out of the habit of tracking taking my vitamins and other goals. I need to refocus on tracking them, which in turn, leads me to doing more of what I want to be doing.
16. Set up a 'study time' and really get into working with my tarot and oracle cards and researching use and meanings of crystals.
17. Plan a Christmas party with friends! Last year we did a cookie exchange and had a TON of cookies. Thinking more of a potluck and desserts and fun time!
18. Saving money! I have some freelance work I will be doing for pocket money (hopefully) and want to use up stuff I have for my quilting and knitting already in order to get ready for the move next May.

There it is. My 18 before 2018.

Now for more coffee.