Review of my 22 for 2022 List
This year I shared a mid-year goal update, which is something I haven’t always done, but since I shared it on the podcast, I figured I might as well share it on the blog, too! So some of the things that I checked off won’t be a surprise, but fortunately, I have been able to check off much more since my mid-year report.
In addition to the resolutions that earned a checkmark, I strove to embody my word of the year all throughout 2022 - alignment. Alignment quickly became my favorite word of the year that I have had, and it was continually reinforced. Although I hope to continue to live my life in alignment, I’m grateful that I have had this year to focus on the word, what it means, and to recognize all of the moments throughout that so perfectly encapsulated it.
Other than my word of the year, however, I also made great progress on checking off the resolutions on my 22 for 2022 list, which I broke down into 11 activities and 11 achievements:
Try cryotherapy - DONE. I checked this off early in the year, and it was a fun adventure at -147 degrees.
Try a sensory deprivation tank - DONE. This was another goal that got checked off early in the year, and although I enjoyed it for what it was, along with cryotherapy, I don’t think that either of these extreme sensory experiences will become a regular occurrence in my life.
Go on one trip with a friend - DONE. A friend and I were able to escape the cold fall in the PNW and head to some lingering sun in other parts of the country. Although we were both still doing school, we went to amusement parks, a water park, an NFL game, visited friends and family, and had a fantastic time. The trip probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t put it on my list, and so I’m so glad that I did.
Take a typing class - DONE. When I did my goal update this summer, I realized that the random online program I had been using, which had helped significantly in the 100+ levels I had done, still had an additional 500 levels I could complete. I was skeptical as to whether I would put that much more time and effort in, but knowing myself, I knew I. wouldn’t let this get a full checkmark unless I did, and so as the months went on, I continued to work through the levels. My typing is greatly improved, and I know that I (and my future productivity) will be forever grateful that I undertook this resolution.
Start going to the gym again - DONE. I checked this one off way back in the spring, and have managed to completely integrate it into my routine. This goal is probably the one that surprised me the most, both in how much effort I have been willing to put into it, and how seamlessly it seems to have fit back into my life. I don’t love going to the gym, but I do enjoy it and only plan to continue on into the future.
Go to a Kraken game - DONE. This goal was originally to see the northern lights, but since the weather didn’t cooperate on the trip I took to Alaska, I decided that rather than stressing about a goal I set for fun, I would instead switch the goal out for one that would allow me to lean into that original intent. Little did I know that I would be setting the stage for much more future fun and launching a hockey obsession. This goal is done, twice over, and I already have plans to go to several more games in the future.
Go on a dog sled ride - DONE. This goal did get checked off on my trip to Alaska, and since it happened out in the woods with a guy and his team who competed in the Iditarod, it exceeded even my wildest expectations. It was freezing (it felt just as cold as cryotherapy, even if it was about 125 degrees warmer), but it was such a great thing to check off my bucket list.
Visit a hot spring - DONE. This also got checked off in Alaska, in the mountains and the snow. Moments like this may have happened eventually, even if they weren’t on my list, but this way, they were sure to happen, and the memories will last forever.
Get a faux tattoo - DONE. I ordered several of these early on in the year and experimented with them a few times throughout. I’m even less decided about getting a more permanent tattoo in the future (leaning towards no), but experimenting with the faux ones was still worth doing.
Go to the movies one time a month with someone - DONE. Not all of the movies I went to this year were good, and not even all of them were new releases (I went to 2 re-releases, both of which happened to be in 3D), but I still can check this goal off. It was fun to see who enjoyed going to the movies with me and made an effort to go again and again. And although I won’t make an effort to continue going as religiously, I do intend to continue to go to the movies, with others - at least when there is something out that is worth seeing.
Read books that I like more - DONE. When I set this goal, I knew it was going to be a tough one to keep, and I wasn’t sure how it would impact my reading totals. It really didn’t, with 170 books completed on top of the thousands of (uncounted) pages that I read for school. I also started and gave up about 30 books this year, bringing the total of books that I picked up to about 200. As I recently reflected in my Books of November 2022 post, however, while I have gotten good at stopping books that aren’t good, I still have work to do in reading books that are truly great. I plan to continue to work on improving how to identify and read books that predominately fall into that category. How exactly I will do that remains to be seen, but I know that is what I want to do, and in time, I will figure it out. However, in order to get to that point, I had to undertake the growth that I did this year in reading books I like more, even as now I plan to continue, reading books I like more.
In addition to checking off all of the activities on my list, I checked off just about all of the 11 achievements I set as well:
Watch Ted Lasso - DONE. I checked this off earlier in the year and actually watched the show a few times. It greatly exceeded my expectations, and now, like everyone else, I await season 3 - or even just an announcement of when we can expect it. Either way, this one was an enjoyable goal to check off.
Watch Frasier - DONE. I watched this show even earlier in the year and enjoyed bonding with others who love it. I will admit to not having thought about it much since, but I am glad that I am now familiar with the characters, humor, and story.
Get TSA Pre-Check - DONE. I set this as my easy-check-off goal for January and got it done in the first few weeks. It was so helpful for all the travel I did this year, which was admittedly not a ton, but enough to make it worthwhile. And since I already have several trips booked, scheduled, and planned for next year, I know it will continue to come in handy.
Do 50 pushups at one time, altogether - DONE. I got super close to this goal early on in the year, but then started to focus on strengthening my muscles in other ways. However, by the end of the year, and a return to practicing pushups, I checked this one off too.
Do an 8-minute mile - DONE. Since I ran an 8:06 mile early in the year, I was surprised that it took me months more to finally crack the 8-minute mark. But, I did, and by quite a bit. So I am happy to officially check this one off too.
Get new shoes - DONE. After a slow start with this goal, and encouragement from Heidi on the podcast during our goal update episode, I finally got to work and replaced the rest of my shoes that needed to be so. Although they won’t last forever, I have a new set, and my feet should be warm, comfortable, dry, and (mostly) cute for the foreseeable future.
Get a robot vacuum - DONE. Although initially, I planned to wait until Black Friday sales to complete this goal, after a good sale in the summer, I checked this goal off. And the biggest upside? Not having to vacuum since.
Get a nice puffer coat - DONE. Fortunately, I checked this goal off early in the year before I went to Alaska, and although it wasn’t super helpful in the summer, I greatly benefitted from this goal the whole rest of the year. Since I am often hesitant to buy pricey things, even ones I could really use, setting them as goals ensures that I do, and gives me something to (somewhat) easily check off in contrast with some larger goals.
Use all of my gift cards - IN PROCESS. I have definitely made progress on this goal since the start of the year - particularly with gift cards for particular places. I do still have some that need to be used, and I plan to continue to work on this (now that whatever was holding me back in the past seems to have been mostly eliminated), but I am happy with how I have done this year.
Publish my book - DONE. It took about as long as I expected, but I am happy to announce that my book is officially out into the world. After years of working on this book, I’m so excited that it is finally in a form for other people to read (and hopefully, enjoy). Heidi interviewed me on the podcast recently to talk about the writing process, the topic, and much more for those who want to learn more before diving in themselves. Get The Sustainability Project here!
Graduate from grad school - DONE. This goal, by far, took the most continuous work and effort, but I’m happy to say that I am officially done with my degree requirements and have graduated from grad school. I was even more excited that I managed to do so with straight As and to maintain a 4.0 throughout. Juggling this on top of the rest of my life was difficult at times, but I’m so grateful for everything that I learned, both about the subject matter and myself, all throughout the process.
As I also shared in my mid-year goal update, over the course of the year, I made an entirely separate 22 for 2022 list with additional things I wanted to check off (of which, graduating with a 4.0 was just one). Although I don’t intend to share that list, I did manage to check off 20 of those goals, with 2 more in progress!
All in all, it was an incredibly busy year, but one that has allowed me to learn, stretch, and grow in new ways. I’m incredibly grateful for all that it has held, and the fact that all of it has been so in alignment with the direction I am heading and the person I am becoming.
Although next year will have a different word, resolutions, and goals, my overall focus will not waiver, and with all of this behind me, only time will tell what next year may hold.
Until next time,