21 in 21

I’ve been doing this type of list for a few years now.  2019 didn’t go too well so I tried to have a more realistic list for 2020.  I could never have imagined the scenario that unfurled (a global pandemic!) to scupper my plans.

But I am not defeated.  My life goes on so I’m going for 21 in 21.  It’s been difficult deciding what to put on the list though.  We’re currently locked down tight and although a vaccine is being rolled out (and it looks like a second one will get approval very soon) it will be some time before we are in anywhere near normal circumstances again.

I’ve decided again that the list needs to be specific but it also needs to be attainable.  In some ways it’s more about habit forming than achieving big things.  That’s something I need to work on.  Before we moved, back in September 2020, our main focus was on getting moved.  There were lots of things to do and it kept us motivated and busy.  After the move things changed.  Grandbabies started arriving which of course kept us occupied and there were things to sort out in the new house.  However, it’s been difficult to establish any sort of routine and, I know you’re all probably screaming “just go with the flow” but that’s not me.  I like to be organised.  I like there to be a plan.

I’m very conscious of wasting a lot of time on mindless things.  (Social media and puzzles/games immediately spring to mind.)  Of course I know that some of that is not a waste of time at all.  Keeping my brain exercised is just as important as keeping my body exercised, and nourished, not just with food.  But there’s the thing.  I haven’t done a great job of exercising my body or nourishing it particularly well.  Of course with little options for socialising, particularly at the moment, it’s hard to be motivated to make an effort but I’ve decided I must.

So here is my list for 21 things to do in 2021.

1. Fill out weekly/daily planner. This should keep me on track with things I need to do. I did reasonably well with it last year but there’s always room for improvement. 

2. Pamper myself each week (e.g. take a relaxing bath, paint my nails etc.) Too often I just shower, dry my hair and go. This is what I meant by nourishing my body.

3. Weekly date night with Nick – set aside one evening to do something together e.g. watch a film, play a game. Hopefully later in the year we’ll be able to do things outside the house too.

4. Raise my average daily steps over the year to 6800. Yes I know everyone goes on about 10,000 steps a day but according to my Fitbit my average for 2020 was about 6300. I think increasing it by 500 steps a day is a realistic target.

5. Complete a walk each week. Upping the step count is one thing but some weeks I haven’t got very far out of the house. That needs to change.

6. Do a session on the exercise bike once a week. I have used it about twice since we acquired it from my daughter. As it’s unlikely that exercise classes will be running again any time soon, or that I’d want to join one even when they are, I need to take matters into my own hands – or legs!

7. Read 12 books on my TBR pile. I’ve not added many books to this pile in 2020 so hopefully this will continue to reduce the pile.

8. Complete my reading challenge (52 books for the year)

9. Do the Friday’s Fave Five meme on my blog each week. I went for keeping a gratitude diary last year and it just didn’t happen, but I did manage to do this 43 weeks out of 52 and it does make me think about the good things in my life.

10. Blog at least once per week. (This means an original post not jumping on the back of a meme.)

11. Take a photo each week and blog about it. I managed 38 photos last year so room for improvement.

12. Complete the A – Z blogging challenge.

13. Try out a new recipe or do a bake each month. This didn’t go too well in 2020 but I’m looking into a baking subscription my DIL uses where they send you a kit each month to do a bake. Yes that might sound like cheating but my challenge my rules lol.

14. Lose 12 pounds. Last year my target was to maintain my weight and I more or less did that, although a few pounds crept on at the end of the year. This year I’ve decided I need to be a few pounds lighter at least. (Despite #12 on the list lol)

15. Buy a new car. This should be a certainty. We live just outside the London wide area which, from October 2021, will be known as the ULEZ (ultra low emission zone) and our car, which is fairly old and has a diesel engine, will not meet the emission targets being set. This means that every time we enter the zone we would have to pay a fee. No sense in that so we’ll be looking to change our car for one that meets the new requirements before October.

16. Visit/see Noah & Miles as much as possible. Visits were very limited in 2020 and we’ve only seen Miles once! We have to do better this year, pandemic permitting.

17. Visit the beach. I’m sure we can get there at least once in 2021 even during a pandemic!

18. Have a weekend away with Hubby. Of course a week or two would be even better but again this will be pandemic permitting.

19. Make a plan of what needs to be done in/bought for the house and put into action. This will need to be done with Hubby and needs to be Covid safe to do.

20. Garden projects: Make a list of things to do/buy, prioritise and action.

21. Be positive! Typically I’m a glass half empty sort of person but I’ve decided I need to try and be more positive about things. 2020 was a horrible year but we came through it relatively unscathed, in a new house and with 3 more grandchildren. Not easy to quantify this one but hopefully it will help overall with all the other things on the list!