In May 2011 I wrote up a 2 year plan. I revisted the plan 8 months later in January 2012. It is now November 2013. So lets see where I am at with my plans. Once again I'm doing a breakdown of my 4 main areas of concern in my life.
Education
In May 2011 I did a breakdown of what it was going to take for me to graduate from UWO with a double major. At the time I didn't realize how much money I had already put into school and I would soon be running out of lending options. So some sacrifices had to be made to this goal. I put a loan on my car and borrowed money from my grandmother to finish on time. I decided to simply get my Bachelor of Science in Psychology because it was the fastest route to graduation for me due to my past emphasis on Psychology. I did pretty well my last two years. I had made it part of my goal to graduate with a 3.0 GPA. I was .1 point under my goal, but I was on the honor roll and well above the 3.0 range for while finishing my degree over the next two years. I've decided to call this goal successful. I have my Bachelor's. Regardless of what I did, the subjects of study I decided on will need post-graduate studies. I have a good chunk of a Bachelor of Human Services under my belt, and my degree is EXTREMELY well rounded. I think I did well, if not exactly how I had planned it to be.
Career
In May 2011 I expressed interest in either promotion at Agape or within Thedacare. The job market has not been particularly promising. Every application I have submitted for full-time work with Thedacare has been denied. Usually I'm told via notification that there are other applicants with stronger qualifications. It has made me extremely frustrated. I have also felt under-appreciated at Agape, but I love my clients and my staff for the most part. I have an interview for an Interim RCM position next Wednesday. Part of me is terrified. Part of me is really hopeful and excited. I'm doing some interview research using Social Work Questions and a background to begin to prepare. If I nail this and am hired, AND prove myself over the next few months I will have made my career goal, and I won't consider it late because it is within 2013 that this will happen and and this wasn't completely up to me as far as when the opportunity would arise within the companies I have established myself.
Weightloss and Fitness
This one was my biggest failure. But what else could I expect with the type of goals I put on myself in TWO YEARS! Most people don't push themselves as hard as I did. I worked full time, plus picked up hours at a part time job. I attended school full time and actually did VERY well with my GPA. It's not an excuse to me. It just wasn't my time to focus on this goal. So, my goal was to get down to 163 pounds. I was not yet sure at the time how I planned to get to where I wanted to be. Right now as things are progressing and getting a little crazy with work and financial issues, as well as my health problems (female in nature typically)I'm beginning to see a way out. But that I will talk about in the 2nd part of this post. So for now, I'm at, well I don't really know. Probably approx 225. I'm not over 227 or even my top weight of 230. But my goal is definitely not achieved. Perhaps I should just be happy that seeing those numbers doesn't break me everyday like it used to. It doesn't make me crazy and it doesn't define my worth anymore. It's just something I want.
Personal
I can't even tell you how happy I am with this one. I am NOT engaged. But he finally said "I love you." He tells me willingly, and on his own accord nearly every day, either verbally or by text. This was such a break through. I waited 4 years to hear those words. I guess I'm willing to wait a little longer for the other stuff. Especially because if he ever decided to make us "til death do we part" I want to be at my best physically AND emotionally. I think emotionally I'm there. But I want to look good for his proposal and our day, should it ever come. I think we both deserve that. I'm not being so quiet now about what my hope was or is. And he's definitely a difficult person at MANY times. But he is perfect for me. We will always have things we'll need to work on. As far as our house goes (technically his, but whatever) I did put in new flooring. I also put in new counter tops. The living room looks pretty freaking nice. And really who needs book shelves when I have a nook that I can sideload pretty much any book I want? I got us a bedroom set that I really like, but it could use a new mattress (paid 300 for the whole set. It's pretty!) I painted and decorated. But a house always needs things fixed. I wanted to set up an exercise room but have changed that to a basement "girl cave" for all my projects and things. It's about 1/3 of the way done. So, yeah....BOOM, I feel successful in this area too, especially because of one area I didn't focus on in this section. Friends. Family. I have fantastic, beautiful friends. I feel extremely established, happy and involved within my own part of the Appleton community. I have people that I absolutely love and they feel the same about me. We all help each other. And sometimes there is drama, but for the most part its a beautiful melding of my friends and family. Ryan is slowly integrating himself as well and actually being around for some of it. But we also feel pretty secure out on our own without each other, something I never really thought I could achieve. So, I'm happy. This part was more than I could have hoped for and so different from what I saw. I also have puppies. My Tela, 2 year old Golden Retriever and I now have a 16 week old german shep/lab mix that we dubbed Timber. It's AWESOME. Then of course in January of 2012 I tacked on another area.
Financial
Goal of being debt free minus my school loans. I'm closer than you'd think. Last credit card payment on my really big nasty card happened in October. My mom has a card that I don't know much about with my name on it. My credit score isn't great but I think it will be better at the end of of the next plan. I do owe my grandma and have a loan out on my car. I think though that those small issues will work out as I need them to be worked out. It's not something I need to focus on. I'll tell you in a minute my new focus. NOW....on to the 3 year plan. I'm picking this number arbitrarily. Most people do a 5 year plan, but I don't care. I decided to do a 2, so might as well finish it into 5 years now. So......
In 2016
Education
It's right now, Nov 2nd, 2013 and I am preparing to pay for and schedule and prepare for the GRE. With this, once I get my score, I will be submitting all materials for a Masters in Social Work program that is hosted by UWGB and UWO. I think I want to get the degree from UWGB just to change things up a little. I want all materials submitted by Mid December because applicatons close in January. I will have to look further into when I would start, but I'm guessing it will be at least 3 years of study. So 3 years from now I should be finishing it up. At least well into completing it. I had thought I wanted a Psy D, but after I never did my internship thing with my Psych professor, I decided that pursuing this Masters Degree would be nice. It would suit me and my need for variety. I'm a jack (jill) of all trades, and that's exactly what Social Work needs. I don't know a ton about Grad School, but I want to do well, get great grades, at least a 3.0 or above, and be involved somehow in some type of extra-curricular within Social Work.
Career
Well, I don't know. I think I'll be a caseworker. I think I might like to work with the elderly, disabled, and mentally ill. I don't really plan to work with children, but I will if it is necessary. It really interested me that Social Workers work for Thedacare. But I could also, perhaps, have the opportunity to do some type of Services Coordinator position, maybe not at Agape, but I think I'd like to get more involved with the lobbyists and health care reform. I'm not sure. I usually have so many projects going it's hard to say. Perhaps it's best if I hope and work towards these ideas, and focus on the education and really WORK, especially if (when!) I get my RCM position.
Weightloss and Fitness
I hope I'm not setting myself up somehow for failure by keeping this as the third spot. But I like continuity in writing. Since Career is kind of pre-destined right now (keep your fingers crossed!) I'm hoping that my one full-time job will take care of financial issues and I will then have more time to focus on making exercise a priority, I want to shoot for 5x a week, but a goal of 3x a week. I am going to start attending kettlebell class on Tuesdays and body flow on Thursday nights. Other days I will swim (more reward based, to relax rather than work out hard) or to do Zombies, Run!. I will still walk with my friends when weather makes it possible. I will work on Timber's leash skills which will also take walking. AND I will still be working on Tela's leash skills. I hope she will be along with me for Zombies, Run most times that I do it. I will start this workout regimen (we'll call it that I guess) on the Week of NOV 17. I'll continue tracking and being more accurate with calorie counting using a scale. I will minimze out to eat nights to focus on healthy cooking in the evenings. I will also plan when we're going to have treats. This needs to be sustainable, long term, life change. Exercise that I will enjoy. Foods that I like, and yet keep me full, healthy and in a caloric deficit. SO...not three years from now, but forever, I will be working on my healthy lifestyle skills. I'm setting a goal of 31 lbs by my birthday on 2014, but it's not really a goal. It's more a wish. But I don't really care as much as I used to. I care, I want it, but trying the way I have, and not really focusing on each component isn't getting me anywhere. I know its really just as simple as calories in/calories out. I don't have any major health problems or a thyroid issue (that I'm aware of). I have years of bad habits to overcome. It wasn't going to happen overnight. So 3 years from now, I will be at, or below my goal weight. I will have a body fat percentage between 20 and 25 %. I will happily be doing active things, like my classes, and walking and gardening and whatever else interests me. And I will have a really nice set of recipes for healthy but super tasty meals, as well as have learned when and how to integrate the naughty stuff occasionally, probably 1 to 2x a month for OTE, and maybe a weekly treat after working out or when stress has me in a bind. I won't eat for emotional support. That is what my friends and boyfriend are for, even if I think they can't or won't. They will. It is my own self-esteem issue and need to always please people that made me think they couldn't or wouldn't want to deal with me when I need to unload.
Personal
I want to be married. I really do. Like I want my wedding to be in October of 2016. I want to be engaged for 2 years before that, saving money and getting the details down. I'm afraid of changes in my circle of friends. I love everyone so much right now, how it is (even with the little issues) that I don't want people to move or change. I have, perhaps, an over-abundance right now (it is stressful sometimes) but these are the people I want there when Ryan and I finally tie the knot. I'm beginning to fantasize and plan for that day. Saving things on Pinterest. Thinking about bands. The band I wanted to play is planning to break up or go on hiatus "indefinitely". This made me cry. And yet it opened the door for me to mention to Ryan that that was what I wanted, and if he waits forever we may miss out on more things. Really, I think it made him think more deeply about where we are going. He hasn't really told me his plans though. Never the less,I'm hoping the band will be willing to reunite if only just for us. We've been avid followers and fans.
I no longer feel that I must have a best friend. I have many very close friends, people that I really feel connected to. So having one best friend doesn't even make sense anymore. Not even Ryan has that. I think in someways we are growing to be that person for each other. I demand intimacy, which he is slowly becoming more comfortable with. I also demand romance, which I'm trying to get him interested in again (some success so far).
I have my puppies and the next three projects over the next three years (aim for 2 out of 3) will be getting rid of the carpet in the spare, office, and master bedroom, along with painting the office (green?)updating the bathroom, and putting in a fence. Then the very necessary (but Ryan will need to deal with this one) getting our house up to code for electricity... Then there are the minor projects. Reupholster and paint the sunroom furniture. Fix Gazebo and put up curtains and make it comfy in there. Get my garden looking decent. I plan to have the "girl cave" done in the next month or so. I want to focus on my hobbies. Music, art, (art includes, sewing, home updating and decorating, drawing, jewelry, and whatever else I decide is a creative endeavor). I want to build a hobby or two with Ryan as well. Not sure what they will be. But something.
Financial
No loans or any credit card balances over 300.00/month EXCEPT, I will no doubt have a car loan for a new(er) car. I'd like this to happen in 2014 once I'm well established at work. Probably a 2010 or newer Rav4 or something VERY similar. Love that thing. We'll see what I can afford in a few months. I am getting tired of typing up this stuff, so for now, I'll post this and see what some people think. I'll no doubt do some tweaking a few months from now.
