December Goals

Here is how I actually did on my November goals:

1. Choose holiday gifts for my immediate family. I have a self imposed budget of $150 for gifts this year. I will load a Visa gift card with this amount and once its gone, I'm done shopping. This amount does not include my mother's gift which is also a very belated birthday present, so will be pricer than every other gift I purchase. I'm open to any home made gift ideas any one might have! –FAIL - I just didn’t have time to do this, I will just have to admit I am a procrastinator when it comes to Christmas shopping and do it at the last minute like I always do.
2. Purchase holiday cards for friends and family members and mail them. –FAIL – I plan to start sending out cards this weekend. But this may be the last year I do this. People appreciate the thought, but it wastes paper and postage is very expensive.
3. Register for Winter/Spring 2009 grad school classes after talking with my advisor. Price textbooks which will be purchased in December. – PASS – I did register. I need to talk to my advisor again though and make sure the class I want to take in the second session of the semester has no prerequsute I need to take during the first session.
4. Put in request for any time I will need off from work for the rest of the year. – HALF WAY – I put in my time for the Thanksgiving holiday, but I still have to see how many days I have left for the year. I’d like to take the time off between Christmas and New Year’s if I have enough vacation/personal days.
5. Go to the gym a minimum of once a week. There are a few classes I want to try out including this dance inspired workout called Zumba. – FAIL – But progress, I did go to the gym this month, but not every week and I still want to take a ZUMBA class.
6. Attend a minimum of one professional or networking event. Meet a minumum of at least three people at any event I attend and keep in touch with them (via email). - PASS
7. Formally ask at least one person I admire professionally to mentor me. Set up expectations both ways so this can be a mutually beneficial relationship. – FAIL, I have someone in mind, but I still have to formally ask, this will be a January goal.

Here are my December Goals, they are not as ambitious as my November goals. I want to feel a sense of accomplishment at ticking every goal off at least onece before the year ends:

1. Choose and purchase holiday gifts for my immediate family with budget of $150 for gifts.
2. Purchase and mail holidays cards.
3. Take at least one yoga, dance and spin class this month at the gym.
4. Set savings and debt repayment goals for 2009. My main focus for the first part of the year is paying down my Visa card and adding more to savings, but I have to set a deadline for myself. I did make my last payment for my Discover card this week! The balance was orginally over $1,000. But the large balance on my Visa card negates that accomplishment in my mind...
5. Decide when I will visit my father and stepmother in Florida in early 2009. Put in vacation request at work, If funds allow, purchase airfare.
6. Come up with definitive plan for a trip to take in 2009 in celebration of my 25th birthday…yikes!

I have many goals in mind (financial and personal) for 2009, but I'll wait until I formulate them to do a post on them.