Setting goals in the New Year

     We are two weeks into 2017. What have you been up to?

     Now I’m not one to set New Year’s resolutions because, in my opinion, you set yourself up for failure. I’ve verbally “set” New Year’s resolutions in the past, but never followed through.

     Now goals are more attainable. I set goals all the time. On Monday mornings, my goal is to make sure the Express is on its way to the printer before 6 p.m., unless we have a late meeting to cover.

     As president of the county young professionals organization Ignite, I try my hardest to keep our monthly lunch meetings to an hour.

     I used to spend many of my evenings when I wasn’t working or covering something for the paper at a local fitness center. I set goals each time I walked in: To hit the 3-mile or more mark.

     After Jan. 1, I got back in the fitness center after a year away. And let me tell you, it feels good.

     Well, getting back into my routine of 3 or more miles did not feel good at first. But the feeling of working out, staying fit and energized does feel good.

     It’s important to remain active in a variety of ways, physically and mentally.

     That leads me to my other goal this year, reading.

     I love to read, if you haven’t gathered from previous columns I’ve written. My problem, not enough time to read.

     So, I set a goal on Goodreads to complete eight books in 2017. Goodreads has all sorts of fun and interesting reading challenges out there. You can join a group of like-minded readers on Goodreads for motivation or you can set your own goal and take off from there.

     I prefer non-fiction most of the time than anything else, but the reading challenge I dove into includes fun ways to expand one’s reading horizon. Some of the categories include reading a book of letters, reading a book with a cat on the cover, reading a book about food, or reading a book set in a hotel. There are so many creative ways to accomplish my reading goal this year!

     Between my gym goal and my reading goal, I’d say I have my work cut out for me this year. It takes accountability to accomplish these goals, or any goal for that matter.

     To help with my fitness goal, I’ve enrolled in a few classes offered at a local fitness center. It’s fun to also expand my physical constraints; to get out of my comfort zone of going to the gym every night to jump on the treadmill for 3 miles or so and leave.

     I enjoy my gym time. I put my headphones on, crank up my iPod of fast-paced tunes and hit the pavement (not literally). It’s my time away from the world.

     Reading does the same. I open a book and within a page or so, I am glued to the story. I don’t think about (or try not to think about) what’s taking place around me.

     And while some prefer a physical book to an e-book, there is just something about opening a book as you begin to read. I jumped on that electronic reader train several years ago. But, the newness wore off and I was back to buying books again.

     So here is to accomplishing goals, not failing at resolutions in 2017!