GOALS/february-march

Assessing my progress with the personal and professional goals I set for 2014 kind of slipped my mind in January, but I figured better late than never! I want to take the time each month to set goals and assess how I did for the previous month. For February, I'm doing it at the end of the month and counting it for March, but after that, I'll be posting my goal posts at the beginning of the month. I find it incredibly motivating to a) take a look at how I've progressed, and b) write it on the blog so I'm a little more accountable. This post is kind of wordy, but I'd love to hear your goals and assessments as well!

For my personal goals, I feel like I'm keeping pretty good momentum. I've been writing more, and I've even finished the first draft (a very, very rough draft) of a story I've been working on for a while. I've been flexing my creative muscles with 25 projects, and am right on track to finish all 25 projects on time (or even early!). I haven't been walking daily with intent. It's something I'm going to be deliberately adding to my daily schedule starting today. I think going for a walk every morning will help stimulate Henry in a positive way, and his nap schedule will become a little more regular. See! This is why we should have a monthly assessment.
Dating my husband? Check. In January and in February we've gone on a date without the babe. It's awesome to spend time just talking like adults, our attention fully on each other without having to shush a whining boy or worry about grabby little hands spilling a cup or whatever. Nursing Henry has been going great. I had initially hoped to nurse exclusively until he was about seven months old before I introduced foods, but he started showing me some signs that he was ready to eat food. He stays full longer, his attention span is longer, and he sleeps better, and I think it's all from the food. Of course, there are downsides, such as baby constipation and upset tummy from foods he's not used to digesting, but nursing is the one constant that seems to keep us both happy, and I'll do it until it's no longer mutually desired. And hey - I nursed exclusively longer than a lot of women nurse entirely, so there's that (there are lots of right ways to parent; I'm not criticizing women who nurse for short periods of time).
Ah, being confident. This one is entirely internal, so it's harder to measure and it's easier to lose progress. One bad day can set you back by weeks. I think I am becoming more confident. I'm more comfortable in my clothes, and I am mostly happy about my physical state (but GIRL. FRIEND. I need a haircut.). I'm also becoming a lot more confident as a mom. I have questions and I accept a lot of advice, but in the end, I think I'm really considerate of what will work for us, and not what I feel pressured to do. 25 projects is also helping me be confident in my creativity and my sense of style in my home.

As for the professional goals, I'm feeling a little uninspired. We're saving money, I'm being better about clearing brain space and not allowing unnecessary information in, and we've been working on building our business, but building my brand? I'm stuck on it. I know what I like and don't like, but I can't seem to translate it into a unique design. Good thing I have ten more months to cross that goal off the list, I guess. Hopefully I'll have more to update on the professional front in the coming months.

For March, I'd love to set some more specific goals. I kept my yearly goals intentionally broad to allow room for expansion and change, but my monthly goals can be more narrow, since I'm so limited on how much time I have to complete them. Thirty-one days, at most. Twenty-eight, at least. So here we go, my goals for March!