Resolution Check-In: 2016

Each year, I check back on the resolutions I made the previous year to see how well I've done. I only look at these things twice a year. Once when I make them, and once when I check them, 12 months later. It's interesting to see what my goals were and whether or not I made it.



10) Drink four glasses of water a day.

I mostly did this, but slacked off during October and November as the entire world went to shit.

.5

9) Do some form of exercise every day.

I was doing really well with this until summer when I got more work, and then the election happened, and I'm only just now getting back on the train, and it's not everyday, for sure.

0

8) Read and journal every day.

I was rocking this, truly. Then October and November happened. I didn't journal once then, and I didn't read any books. But, the year total is 212 journal entries and 11 books read. That's more than half.

.5

7) Take care of myself in some way every day.

HAHAHAHA

0

6) Stop smoking.

.5

5) Stop biting my nails.

0

4) Make $40,000 this year.

I made $48,000 this year.

1

3) Publish 100 pieces.

Only 65. I slacked because I wasn't prepared for how much work creating online lectures and teaching online and in-person would be.

0

2) Get some sort of big project off the ground.

So, I'm going to give this a point. I'm not sure if I did this right or made any difference, but the push of this resolution was to be open about it, and do something big somehow that moved me out of my comfort zone.

I honestly think the activism I started on November 9th could count here. I'm putting all my resources into it, and trying to bring others along. I'm showing up in person to events and planning meetings. I'm doing more than writing about it. I'm writing to people, calling them, giving all my extra money to it. I think this counts. I know I've certainly never done it before, and God do I wish I had.

1

1) Save $5,000 for each of my kids to start the college fund.

DONE. Amazingly. And I had totally forgotten I'd made this resolution, lol.

1


TOTAL: 4.5 out of 10. Better than usual, actually.




And I make five resolutions specifically with regard to my children each year. This year, I resolve the following:

5) To keep with the scheduling and strike system.

I did a pretty good job with this. We fell out of it sometimes, when we got super busy, but on the whole, we were consistent. I also started us in play therapy to help me more than them so that I didn't get so overwhelmed and we didn't get into a negative attention feedback loop. Things are going pretty strongly here.

1

4) Help them study.

I tried really hard on this. Carlos started helping, too, because it turns out I am just a HORRIBLE elementary school teacher. I make them do homework every day, I sit with them and answer the questions, I give them pep talks and guide them through the work when they're being stubborn. It's been hard, and will continue to be hard.

1

3) Have them read every day.

I did not make them read on the weekends, and I only make them read sporadically on vacation, but every school day, they've been reading. And that's HARD for all of us, actually.

.5

2) Get them to stop competing and fighting so viciously.

Fail. But I have faith for this year.

0

1) Play a game with them every day.

I tried hard on this one, too, but I got busy and playing with them is difficult sometimes because they compete for attention. Still, I managed a more than 50 percent ratio, so I'll give it a .5

.5


3 out of 5. Better than last year, anyway.