Intentions Check-In: 2022 4th Quarter

Last Updated on October 10, 2022 by ThoughtsStained

Hello, loves! So, I mentioned in my last wrap-up post that I would be moving to a different format for my intentions check-in. Doing a weekly check-in like I used to (gods, so impossible) is not sustainable to me.

Yet, my monthly wrap-up also felt like it got buried and didn’t serve want I wanted with an intentions check-in: actually reminding myself of my goals, my progress and encouraging readjustments, as needed.

So, I’m switching to quarterly updates! I thought about waiting and starting it in 2023, but I figured: fuck it, we still have 3 months left in 2022. Let’s crush some goals. 💪🏻(Or commiserate and cry if they’re too far gone already.😅)

Intentions Recap

So, way back in January, I wrote about my original intentions. I broke them up into three main categories: fostering growth through a routine, organize and prioritize and grow creatively. Each of these goals also had some specific goalposts, which I’ll actually dive more specifically into below. But, I thought I quick recap might help us all in general (gods knows I needed it).

You can read about them more in-depth here.

4th Quarter Intentions Check-In

So, how are we doing with each of these goals, considering I literally haven’t read the post outlining what I wanted this year to be like since I wrote it? Hahaha, let’s find out.

Fostering Growth through a Routine

I’ve spoken about it so much, no one is surprised that I’ve struggled (and still am struggling) with a lack of routine. This is definitely something I haven’t made as many strides with as I wanted to.

• Finding movement I enjoy and can regularly partake in: This is sorta win, sorta not quite. I am walking Dovah pretty consistently, since the weather has turned nicer. And, I’m stretching regularly, too, which is really important with the whole chronic disability thing. Yet, haven’t been riding the stationary bike nearly enough, nor found anything else I like to do.
• Creating a morning and evening routine: I have one in my brain. Have I implemented it? No.
• Correcting my sleep schedule: This is sorta making some progress, ish. Still not getting up as early as I want to, but perhaps I need to just admit that’s not in the cards for me? I dunno, I’m so bloody stubborn and the idea of a great morning routine is just so…idolized in my brain?
• Writing, reading and being creative regularly: Yes and no for this. Still nowhere near the levels I want to be, though!

Organize and Prioritize

I have Grand Dreams of moving out of Kansas (preferably sooner rather than later). As such, I wanted to try and do some work this year to help make that eventual process easier. Things like:

• Spend the year doing a deep clean and organization of our home: Ironically, this specific goal was the one I was least concerned with, yet I feel I’ve made the most progress. 😅 I reorganized our kitchen, which was wonderful (though, need to redo the pantry again, as it’s gotten a bit chaotic). Plus, our front closet got cleaned out and unhauled both books and clothes! OH and our upstairs bathroom, which I really like how it turned out!
• Realign (as much as I can) my life with my values and priorities: This, I think, is a mental shift I still need to work on. Despite my 8-5 taking up so much of my time, it also takes up a lot of brain space I’d rather it…didn’t. I’d like writing to be more of a priority and finding a day job that perhaps supports that a bit more? Or gives me more breathing room? Idk.
• Paying off debt that has grown over the past few years: I was making some good progress on this and then it backtracked a bit. Definitely will need to be making this a priority in 2023 (especially if my student loans are forgiven, which makes the idea of being debt free so much more attainable).

Grow Creatively

What I wouldn’t give to be able to dedicate to these goals 100%. 😂 Still, I have made some strides in these that I am proud of, so I do need to focus on that a bit!

• Reach 1,000 followers on my blog: I started the year at 921 and I am currently at 948. This is…moving a lot slower than I anticipated, honestly. 😅
• Work with multiple clients and focus on building a community: I have gained some wonderful new clients this year that have been such a pleasure to work with! However, after catching COVID and my day job restructuring, I have stop marketing pretty much entirely for my editing, which is really sad. I think this is a goal that will need to carry over.
• Create routines for writing and reading, making them staples of my daily life: Ha. Ah ha ha. Hahaaha *breaks down into sobbing mess*
• Start building the foundations of support through areas of Patreon and my newsletter: I think this might be the most I might have improved on. I have really put a ton of effort into the Patreon and it has grown (we have 3 followers now!). And, I switched over from MailChimp to ConvertKit for my newsletter, which I still need to revamp. Maybe I’ll do a relaunch in January?

4th Quarter Goals

Now that this intentions check-in helped me see where I am and what I have left, I’d like to prioritize a few things, getting even more specific. Most of those goals, overarchingly, for one reason or another, didn’t happen. So, I want to narrow it down to a few bite-sized things.

Perhaps, if I can complete the below, I can end the year feeling like it was a win, even if the entire year didn’t feel that way.

Fostering Growth through a Routine

I think the biggest challenges I have right now is figuring out a sleeping schedule that gives me enough rest, but also helps me fit in more time to do the creative things I want. (Instead, I rely on free time during the work day to sneak it in, which is just not sustainable nor reliable.)

So, between now and Dec. 31st, I’d like to:

• Create a sleep schedule
• Plan writing, reading and walking/movement routines
• Communicate plan with partner

Hopefully, that will set me up well for the new year and building back a solid foundation of a routine so, when it’s disrupted, it doesn’t continually feel like starting over to square one again.

Organize and Prioritize

Though I still want to reorganize our entire house (mostly getting rid of things we don’t use/need and then organizing what we have, so packing/moving will be a breeze), that doesn’t feel realistic. So, what can I prioritize in the next three months and still feel good about what I have left? Hmm…perhaps:

• Finish cataloging books and start reorganizing office
• Organize closets
• Start a plan of how to sell/donate things

Grow Creatively

I think my focus is going to be placed more on the routine, as that goal will support this one tremendously. And, I might be doing too much? (she says, even though it’s obvious). So, I think an honest sit down evaluation of things could be really beneficial…

• Reach 960 blog followers (12 more in 3 months or 4 a month sounds plausible, right?)
• Sit down and map out goals for:
  • Writing
  • Newsletter
  • Patreon
  • Blog

Hopefully, if I sit down and map out everything and then try to be realistic about what I can handle, perhaps I can balance things better and feel a little less overwhelmed.

Summation

Well, this intentions check-in has been…super enlightening. January Nicole was so hopeful, while October Nicole is just trying to survive. 😅

Still, I’m glad I did this intentions check-in. It’s good to see what my priorities were and how much they actually still align! Despite not making nearly as much progress as I wanted to, I am glad I am making some. And it’s been good to reevaluate where I want to be and what I can do to get there.

Now it’s just a matter of making it happen. Wish me luck!

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