Each year I like to look back over the previous year, and then set goals for the coming year. Many people do this on Jan 1st; I prefer to do it on my birthday. I often refine the accomplishments and goals until my new year, Samhain, but the bulk of the work is done on or around my birthday.
Perhaps I was ‘burned out’ from the stress of 2016 and 2017, but 2018 was not a great year for me in many ways. I basically stopped writing and moving anything further on my career. I love the idea of Dawnspring, and I do help people informally, but I just don’t have the bandwidth to market it enough to gain a following. I may do a simpler site design so it’s not stale, and then let it go fallow. Family-wise I renegotiated a return to some kind of conversation with my mother and created a care plan that supports my sister. While I started working with a recruiter it seems to be a total failure (which isn’t helping my sense of security about my career.) Getting a PMP seems impossible after recent changes to their requirements, so I dropped that idea.
It’s been an incredibly expensive year for the animals: S. had her 2nd CL surgery in January. R. has developed IBS, and K. is battling either cancer or IBS or something else.
Our home continues to become the place we most love. We rejuvenated our front yard to look good during the winter, added a catio, and extended our patio. We now have a backyard we can entertain in.
Health was my big failure, and although I know that language is harsh it’s perfectly valid. I have gotten further out of shape and out of the habit of exercise. Restarting and returning to those better days must be accomplished this year. I’m being given some clear signs that I will develop serious illnesses if I do not.
My spiritual side was my big success. I’m holding myself more accountable and growing more fully into my role as a leader, not just a teacher. The class is even better than ever and I see it continuing to be the special entity. I need to not take it for granted, and (eventually) plan for its succession to another. It’s such a pleasure to have a Dedicant again, and now an Initiate. We started advanced lessons this year and although they are still driven by me, it’s a beginning. I’ve been taking a class in magick that gets me thinking about new and creative offerings to bring back to JM and helps keep me from getting too stale.
Personally, we made a very close connection to a couple of local friends. Sadly they had to move, but will return. Our challenge will be to maintain the connection over distance. We’ve added more to our social circle and will continue to keep this a focus.
(to see last year’s post, click here: http://wp.me/phJp4-BG)
Mind
Blog monthly (at least) on cybercoven.org –
Blog bi-weekly at DawnspringHR.com — done in 2017, stopped entirely in 2018
Finish Deepening the Magick
Fix back-end issue at Facing North
Extra’s:
- Got interviewed on technopaganism/ cyber covens at The Wild Hunt
Family
discuss eldercare scenarios w/ K. – DONE (as much as it will get done until a crisis occurs)
Finish the Household Binder (from my bucket list)
transcribe family history
start conv w/ K. re that side of the family
create a family tree
Extra’s:
- Traveled with C&C
- Resumed regular conversations with T and K.
Work/ Career
Get PMP certificate
Get a client for DSHR — DONE
Start working with Tina — DONE
Get a new job
Extras:
- Got a raise (1st since 2015)
- Helped GA navigate radical shift in business model
- Successfully dealt with particularly difficult employee issue
Financial
Keep $X in savings at all times — DONE
Make all gifts for Xmas and Bdays
Extras:
- Successfully paid off an extremely expensive animal medical year
- Successfully sued for damages after being hit by a car (on Dec 21, 2016)
Home
Fix the front yard to make it appealing — in progress
Make new altar cloths
Hem curtains — in progress
Paint sideboard
Paint dresser
Create constellation tablecloth
Organize digital photos — DONE
Extras:
- Added a catio
- Extended patio
- Created a backyard for entertaining
- Re-finished bedroom
Spiritual
Create a system of advanced lessons with my coven — started
Develop a coven leaders’ handbook (aka Deepening the Connection)
Revise our 2nd * handbook
Update astrology lesson – DONE
Extras:
- Revised Laws to better reflect our actual practices and expectations
- Dedicated C., and they have requested Initiation
- Two students from the class have asked to Dedicate at the end of the year
- Revised some lessons to better explain core concepts
- Started Advanced Lessons
- Created a Statement of Inclusion
Health
lose 50 lbs (5 lbs/ month)
lose 10″ from waist
Consistently exercise nearly every day and at least 4x/ week
Walk 20 mins/ day
get your (blood work) #s down to manageable levels – some success, not sustained
participate in 5k in Dec, and 3 more in 2017
Extras:
- I’ve gotten really good and consistent about taking my vitamins, which has led to an improvement in my emotional health.
Personal
Finish Carousel Lion needlepoint project — DONE
Take a cooking class (from my bucket list)
Cook from the freezer for a month
buy Magickal Connections back from New Page
do a puzzle a month — keep or sell (?)
Monthly, see: O&L, I&D, D&S at least once — DONE
Monthly, call: sister, sister, mom, dad, friend, D*
Extras:
- Ladies nights are a success 🙂
- Added more friends to the circle
- Continuing to deepen my relationship with J.
Travel
April, 2018: Mexico
May, 2018: Spokane
May, 2018: San Francisco
June, 2018: Chicago
Oct, 2018: Sumter & Phila
I also do a Tarot reading, which is here (downloads a .pdf file)