I am finding it hard to believe that it’s already October. September didn’t exactly fly by for us — the kids didn’t start until almost the end of September due to some Hurricane Ida damage at their school — but it felt more like extended summer than fall. Now that both kids are officially in school (Char is only a few mornings a week, but still…), it feels like fall for real. While I’m not going back into the city for work yet, work and work events are picking up as well and between work, school, the kids’ fall activities, and trying to knock things off our fall bucket list, our days are feeling full. I am not going to lie, I didn’t accomplish most of my September goals (sigh), but I have high hopes for my October 2021 monthly goals.
This month, I want to think a little bit more about my monthly goals less as a check list of things to get done (although there’s plenty of that on there), but more as taking steps to design the type of life I want for me and my family. I am realizing if I don’t start to move in that direction, it’s easy to let the day to day and constant demands on our attention and time consume all our attention, and before we realize it, a month or season is over, and we’re no closer to building the life we want for ourselves. So for my October 2021 monthly goals, I’m focusing on some tangibles and some not so tangibles.
Take more deep breaths and pauses before reacting when the kids misbehave or trigger me. I am starting to realize when my kids lose it, my reaction is the difference between a huge meltdown and a short-lived tantrum. I am also realizing my reactions to everything, from not listening to hitting to not getting dressed in the morning, is the most important thing. My children feed off my energy, and I feel like with over a month between school and camp, and trying to work from home, I started to lose my patience too much. I feel like I’ve been yelling even though it’s something I really don’t want to do, and always telling them to do something or not to do something, which isn’t how I want to parent. Truth is, I don’t always know what to do in the moment, and I can get overwhelmed and frustrated and lose it, especially when it comes to hitting and pushing and throwing toys, basically any situation where someone can or does get hurt. I am going to really try to better manage my reactions, stress and feelings, so I can deal with my kids behavior from a place of calm and from a full cup. Much easier said than done, but it’s something I really want to focus on this month and moving forward.
Read 2 books. I’m upping the ante this month and going to try to complete two whole books! Send recs!
Outline my own book. Yep, this is still on my to-do list. It’s funny, the ideas come to me when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, but I don’t want to whip out my laptop and end up being up for hours, but I think I need to at least one night.
Finish our living room. Our dining room is near complete, and now it’s time to finish our living room. On the list is a new coffee table and a plan for the back wall. I know this has been a goal for awhile, but I wanted to wait until the dining room pieces came before finishing the living room since both rooms look into each other, and now I feel ready.
Cook one meal/week. DIdn’t do this in September. Let’s hope for a better turn out this month. Any recipe recs for a novice that are also family friendly?
Carve pumpkins with the kids. Can’t wait to visit our local farm, get pumpkins and carve or paint them with the kids.
Plan a long weekend adventure and get out of town. I’m craving an adventure and change of scenery. Whether we go to the lake or venture on a road trip, it’s time to get the hell out of Dodge. Is that even the saying? I have no idea.
Visit the furniture and consignment stores that have been on my lists since summer. Before I order anything else, I need to hit up these stores that have been on my wishlist forever. I’m going to try to cross off one this week!
Finally figure out how to start a newsletter. I have pushed this goal back way too many times. Time to do it.
Plan 2 date nights or afternoon dates with the hubs. We had so much going on in September and were so social in August, I dropped the ball on just 1:1 dates with the hubs. Going to try for two this month, whether it’s dinner or lunch, or just some tennis.
Get back into a fitness routine. I’ve also dropped the ball on working out recently. Want to get back into a routine now that the kids are in a school routine.
Get more creative about school lunches for James. HELP! Send ideas. I find this so stressful.
Put away phone in mornings before school drop off and evenings between work and kids’ bed as well as for 15 minutes after school. It’s so hard but so important.
Get in a better morning routine with kids. Ahhh. I’m hoping this will come with practice but send tips too please!
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