The Results Are In | 10 Life Goals for 2014

I had two sets of goals for this year: book goals and life goals. Both sets of goals went really well and I'm excited to share my results! Continue reading for my life goal results and click here for my 2014 book goals results.

10 Life Goals for 2014:

I made most of these goals vague (i.e. get off my butt more) because I did not want to base my year off one specific goal (lose 20 pounds) and then feel immense disappointment if I did not reach a specified goal. I wanted them to be things I had complete control over and could achieve at any time (hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly) as long as I set my mind on them.

1. Be honest

This wasn't something I kept track of, but I know I've improved on telling others how I feel when they have hurt me and not being afraid to tell others what I think about a subject, including sticking up for the things I love but others might consider silly or nerdy.

2. Be kind
I don't have much to say about this other than I felt an improvement in my own attitude and I feel better because of it.

3. Confront fears and take chances
These are tricky goals because when I started them, I didn't really have any specific fears (such a public speaking or spiders) in mind when I made it. But some things I had reservations about had to do with independence. I was nervous to drive across the state to unfamiliar places by myself, fly across the country alone, ride on the subway alone, start college (with harder classes and a unknown roommate)... but I did them anyway and loved them all! When I got to college, I pushed myself to meet new people, join clubs and organizations, do crazy things, and I don't regret any of it!

4. Try new hobbies/things

I knitted my first scarf and started sketching and yoga, but not much so I will be continuing! I actually started journaling my "firsts" which included new foods (Latin, Indian, authentic Mexican, chirros, etc) new experiences (mani-pedi, riding on a subway, white water rafting, going to California), and milestones (started college). 

5. Go on an adventure
I went to my first author events (Ruta Sepetys, Marissa Meyer, Joelle Charbonneau, and Sarah J Maas!), flew across the country to visit cousins, went skinny dipping (teehee!), traveled to Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Caroline where I did a whole bunch of fun things including white water rafting, ziplining, and wild black bear searching. 


6. Help those in need
I raised $610 for Amazima Ministries' child sponsorship, joined the National Service Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, and went to North Carolina on an Alternative Break to volunteer at the YMCA! Such great experiences and I'm so happy to have impacted my local and world community in big ways! Oh!! I just remembered I also gave blood for the first time and I loved it! I want to do it multiple times a year from now on!

7. Simplify material possessions
Cleansed by room and closet in June, and then moved out lol.


8. Strive to keep learning
I got into watching documentaries this year and they were so enlightening! I also started my first semester in college, which was a huge transition in my life, and learned an infinite more about myself and the world.


9. Get off my butt more
This was an up and down process of not exercising and eating crap and then exercising and eating healthy food again and again. Throughout the first couple months of the semester I was eating pretty bad, had stopped exercising, was feeling awful, and was beating myself up for it all. But then I reached a point (on October 31 to be exact) when I realized I could not continue living this way. Since then, I've lost 9 pounds, am feeling pretty good, looking pretty good, and not stopping!

10. Watch a new-to-me movie a week
I added this to my list of goals soon after the new year began. All of 2012 and most of 2013 I was in a movie slump and when I came out of it, I wanted to catch up on movies I hadn't seen. This turned into watch a movie/TV show/documentary a week, and I ended the year with a total of 56! Click here to see what my top 14 movies of 2014!

Let me know how you did with the goals you set for yourself this year!
Thanks for reading,

Holly