At the beginning of the year, I set some goals for myself, and I want to briefly check in on them to see how they're going and talk about some adjustments I'm making.
Writing
The goal: Finish the first drafts of two new novels.
The update: Yeah, right. I've spent most of this year on draft four of my current novel, and not writing much of anything new. The good news is that I feel like this revision is going better than the last few in that I actually have a clear idea of what I'm looking to improve. I'm taking out extraneous or repetitive information, catching tiny typos, tightening the prose, and fixing plot inconsistencies I missed in the first three rounds. I really think after this round, this novel will be as done as it can be.
The plan moving forward: Finish revisions on the current novel by August and truly get started on the first draft of the next one.
Fitness
The goal: Continue at the gym, prioritize protein, and reintroduce running to my schedule.
The update: If you've been following along with my "Fit by 40" updates, you know I've been killing it. I've found a great cadence for my workouts, I'm running (and racing) again, and I've lost 8lbs of fat this year. I'm still feeling so good about my progress and how sustainable my routine is right now.
The plan moving forward: I actually think I'm in the best shape I've been in in years and I'm on track to meet my goal by next February, but I don't feel I'm quite where I want to be. Progress is slow and steady and I'm feeling good about having truly made a lifestyle change I can stick with long-term. The plan is to keep doing what I'm doing, and check in on my diet because ideally I'd still like to lose about 5 more pounds of fat.
Reading
The goal: Replace doomscrolling with reading.
The update: I haven't made linear progress on this one, but overall I've certainly been better about doomscrolling less. I'm not always replacing it with reading, but I've decided not to force myself to read when I'm not in the mood because it makes it feel like a chore instead of a hobby.
The plan moving forward: Continue to limit social media time and pick up books as they interest me. I've got a lot on my list that I'm excited about!
So that's it! I'm honestly not surprised my writing goal has shifted, because it was always the most ambitious. I'm happy with how my fitness goal has been progressing, and given the state of the world, I'm not going to be too hard on myself for not giving up doomscrolling entirely. We have to stay informed, after all.
Ali
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