My 2016 Fitness, Health and Happiness Goals

2016 is here and it's that time of year. Time to sit down and reflect on our hopes and dreams for the days, months and weeks ahead of us. I take my time with this, don't you? And I'm not so much about the resolutions, per se. I prefer to make goals. SMART goals that I can achieve—and enjoy achieving. And I don't place too much emphasis on the end goal itself, because I believe that it's the journey toward that goal that really teaches me and changes me.

So, here:

Fitness

1) Do more yoga.

We have a Power Yoga class at my gym that's pretty awesome, and I've been doing my best to attend it regularly. It fits nicely into my schedule, and compliments my existing teaching and running workouts. But this year's yoga goal goes beyond class attendance. I want to work on some arm balances. I had so much fun practicing, and finally nailing Bakasana and Eke Pada Koundinyanasana II, that I'm totally hooked. And then there's this for the list:

Cause sometimes, you just need to be upside down. Don't be scared to take risks, to do things outside your comfort zone. That is where we experience the greatest rewards.
Posted by Chalene Johnson on Wednesday, January 6, 2016

2) Run the Fifth Third Riverbank Run 25K.
I wanted to run this race last year, then illness and life got in the way and my training got off schedule. It's a 15-mile run, which would be my longest. Right now, it's the only race (except for a local 5K) that's really on my mind. I'm sort of in a funk when it comes to training because I'm really enjoying running without all the pressure. My body feels great when I lace up, which was not the case at the end of my last bout of training. Ugh. So if I want to actually run this 25K, according to the plan I've been looking at, I should really start focusing by at least February 1. So we'll see. Regardless, main goal: Make every run fun.

3) Get my ACE Group Fitness Certification.
I am an ACE-Certified Personal Trainer, and have been teaching group fitness for 6 years, and I figured it was time to make things official because #whynot. So let the studying begin.

Health
1) Get back to prepping meals and snacks.
We've been in a funk with food lately, relying on basically the same meals and snacks from week to week. So it's getting quite boring. Before kids—and really, before Evan was born—I was pretty good at planning meals and making things ahead of time. But I've gotten away from that, so I want to place emphasis on making a good grocery list, sticking to it, and prepping things ahead of time whenever possible. Because the "here and there" approach isn't really working for me. Consistency is key, right?

2) Get my eyes checked.
Seriously, it's been years. I don't think I have any problems, but it's been so long that I can't really say for sure. Maybe I do and I don't even realize it. Plus, if I do have issues, that just means I get to shop for cute glasses. Ha!

3) Explore essential oils. 

I have a few blends and a bottle of peppermint that I've been playing with, but everyone (seriously, everyone) swears by them. So I want to learn more because (again) #whynot. Oh, and—I want to finally make that yoga mat spray that I've been talking about forever. Must buy tea tree oil and lavender.

Happiness
1) Return to my faith. 
I grew up Catholic. I went to a Catholic grade school, high school and college. I got married in the Catholic church, and both my children were baptized Catholic. And yet, I feel so far away from my faith. So this is the year I want to get back to it. To help, I purchased a journaling Bible, and I have some daily devotionals to work through, too:

2) Take time to relax—with and without my children.
I don't sit and relax. I feel like I always have to be doing something productive, like cleaning or picking up toys (or whatever else is out of place). So this year, I want to place emphasis on letting some of that need to perfect the house or the day (or even the blog) go. My kids are growing up fast. My husband and I only get so much time together each day. And I need to take mental breaks for myself. So this is the year for that. For perfecting my ability to relax. I think these will help with the "me time" portion of that:

3) Spend less money on things, so I can spend more money on experiences.
Let's be honest, my kids have a ton of toys. And I've got a closet full of clothes and shoes. So I want to shift away from buying mindlessly. From buy things we don't really need. I want to focus on spending that money on things my little family can do. Lunch dates, outdoor adventures, plays...whatever. Things that create experiences and memories, because that stuff really lasts a lifetime, right?

Here's the thing: It's only January. I'm sure this list will grow and change as I go. There are twelve months ahead of me and I intend to make the most of them. Watch me go!

Question: Do you play with essential oils? What oils or blends are on your must-have list and why? What brands do you use? I know that can be important, too. Educate me, friends!