Things I want to do in 2021


photo credit: @maplepharaoh via Unsplash

This is my version of new year’s resolutions/goals. I feel it’s particularly hard to set any goals this year with all the unknowns going forward in this pandemic, but since I ended up doing quite well last year (despite the unexpected twist and turns we all experienced), maybe I actually can set goals that are achievable despite a (still pretty) restricted environment.

TRAVEL TO GERMANY.

I know. It’s a lofty goal to set while we’re still smack-dab in the middle of a pandemic, but this is really the one and only thing I want to do this year if I had to pick one. I am putting this on here because I have hope that by the end of 2021, we might hopefully be in a position to travel and see my family again.

STAY HEALTHY

My second biggest goal is to stay healthy. I feel like we’re much more cautious than other people when it comes to Covid-19 and the things we’re willing to do, but honestly, I just don’t want to catch it before we can get vaccinated. I will wear my mask, wash my hands, and social distance as much as we possibly can for the foreseeable future.

COMPLETE A 365 PELOTON STREAK. 

Hear me out, this is not as crazy as it sounds. I have not gotten addicted to exercise (maybe just a little) and this doesn’t mean that I will be working out hard every day. The Peloton App has a lot to offer and I’ll be making use of all the different types of classes. Some days it’ll only be some yoga or even meditation, but I am committing to doing something good for my body every day in 2021. (Join me?)

KEEP UP WITH MY PLANNER/JOURNAL.

I did really well last year with my planner (mostly because I made it a habit to record my workouts and my meal-planning in there) and I hope to continue to use my new planner in the same way. Having it on my desk where I work every day has been a great motivator to take a few minutes every day to write in it.

GET RID OF EXCESS STUFF.

I am not sure if I should just plan to do a couple of “purging days” this year or go about this more strategically by giving away/throwing out one item per day (which would remove 365 items from my house this year). I am already behind if that was my approach, so I probably go with a more random approach. I just know that I feel the “clutter” in our (comparatively small) apartment and I wouldn’t mind feeling a little lighter from stuff.

COOK MORE VEGETARIAN DISHES.

We’ve been cutting down on our meat consumption last year already, but I’d like to further work on cooking more vegetarian dishes (especially ones that make Jon feel full/satisfied and not miss meat). One example that has been a great “meat substitute” has been a lentil-based bolognese sauce. I am taking your tried-and-true suggestions (please and thank you).

MAKE AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT SMALL/LOCAL BUSINESSES.

I must admit that Amazon has been a lifesaver during the pandemic. I have a love-hate relationship with Amazon. I know that I shouldn’t support it but you can’t beat the convenience, and so many times when I was out of luck finding certain items locally, Amazon came to the rescue. I know, excuses, right? While I can’t see cutting myself off completely just yet, I vow to do better and try to buy locally or from companies directly more often whenever possible. At least, I am not one of those people who get a gazillion packages each week (I think we averaged 4 items/month last year).

BUY A BED FRAME.

Don’t laugh. We’ve been living without a bed frame for 2+ years. When we bought our Tempurpedic (best bed ever, btw!) many years ago, it came with one of those standard metal bed frames (on wheels) on which I repeatedly bumped my foot. Let’s just say, it was painful. When we moved from our house to our apartment over two years ago, I insisted that we get rid of that metal frame… and we have been living without a bed frame ever since. Jon doesn’t think we need one, but I definitely feel like a bed frame will tie our bedroom together. (This goal is for you, Tanja.)

LIMIT MY SOCIAL MEDIA TIME.

Oh boy, dare I say it. Last year was not good when it comes to spending time on my phone. I felt like it was worse than before with all the doom-scrolling and also trying to keep up with everyone and everything going on in the world. I really do want to try and be more intentional with the time I spend online (and on social media sites especially). I have no idea if I can manage (or what exactly my expectation is here), but I want to be more mindful and I’d think that it would be a least a little bit easier with the news not being all crazy all the freakin’ time. Wish me luck on this one.

READ 30 BOOKS.

Why 30? Why not 30! I ‘only’ managed 22 books last year, so I am just throwing out a random number to motivate me to read more this year, but also to keep the goal realistic. In the end, I only want to just accomplish one thing: enjoy the books that I do get to read this year.

Did you set goals for this year?

  1. I really hope you can go to Germany this year! That would be so fab :)

    This is a great list! It really sounds like Peleton offers so much, you could totally do 365 days with them.

    That is the bed frame we have too. We just put a headboard on them like that, and call it good. Ha.

    You’d think I would have good vegetarian ideas since I am vegan and my husband is vegetarian and runs a vegetarian/vegan company but… he is the cook, not me. We make pastas (incl. lasagna), enchiladas, beans and rice, stir fry, skillets, chili, burgers, We don’t always add a fake meat or meat substitute to it though :)

    I don’t have goals for the year but I did make some for February that I will post this weekend :)

    1. Oh, a headboard would have been a good idea, but yeah, I just bumped my foot on the stupid metal frame one too many times.

      I didn’t know you were vegan and your husband vegetarian and runs a vegetarian company. I am definitely not looking for meat substitutes in the traditional sense (think, “tofu”), just meals that are filling without Jon missing the meat part ;)

  2. Well, if you could only have one of the things on your list my wish would be for the trip to Germany! 365 days of Peloton is completely do-able. My book goal is the same as yours: enjoy every book that I read (and move on if I don’t).

    1. Thank you – I really hope travel is in the cards this year.

  3. I really hope you can go to Germany! Fingers and toes crossed it will work out. The 365 streak is an impressive goal. But sometimes it’s easier to try to do something every day because there isn’t a question of whether you will do it that day – it’s a question of which workout.

    Have you tried screen time in the iPhone to limit social media? I lock myself out of IG/FB at certain times of the day (4:30-6:30pm) and limit myself to 20 minutes between the 2 aps. I can’t trust myself to self regulate my time on the aps.

    I don’t have much on my list of things to do this year. The first year after having a baby is so hard so I am giving myself a break. I do want to cull my photos on Google so each month I am going through photos from past years. I’ve done jan and feb – felt good to delete duplicate photos and screen shots!

    1. Thanks friend. Traveling in 2021 would be huge!

      Right, totally agree… a 365 streak sounds daunting, but it’s really just getting into a habit of doing something everyday (it makes it easier to not talk yourself out of it). :)

      I have not tried the screen time limit on iphone but that’s a great suggestion. Thank you. I might give that a try. 20 minutes for IG seems like I’d never catch up with anything (but maybe catching up is not the goal, haha. I just always feel like I am missing out. The funny thing is: when I travel to Germany, I go days without looking at social media because I am so busy with other things).

      I love that you’re going through your photos! That is definitely something I should do more often.

  4. Yeah! I’m all for the bedframe goal – as you know!

    Supporting the Peloton 365 streak idea. Girl, we are already on day … who knows…. but we have been doing so good and I know we are going to finish strong, in about eight and a half months!

    Even though I am still planning to come see you in the next few weeks, I can’t wait for you (and Jon hopefully) to travel to Germany and meet up there.

    I have a feeling that I might start reading more again, when tied to the house due to miserable weather. Be prepared – I will ask for recommendations :)

    1. We’re on day 36 and doing pretty well, I’d argue … LOL only 329 days to go!
      Can’t wait to see you! <3
      I'd be happy to give you some book recommendations. Maybe you'll join Goodreads after all.

  5. I really hope you make it to Germany this year! I set a reading goal too :) And a purging/organizing goal! I’m hoping to do one area per month, and I’m better at just setting a block of time aside to do it. I made it through 2 closets last month, so far, so good! Good luck with all of your goals!

    1. That’s impressive that you’ve already gone through 2 closets! Kudos!

  6. Yassss Germany! Fingers and toes crossed you can see your family this year!

    As you know, I’m trying my best to stick to my 30-minute Instagram limit. It’s not easy (I’ve already hit it today and it’s not even 2pm – wah!) and I don’t always follow it, but I do like that it forces me to acknowledge how much time I’m spending on the app.

    I need to reckon with my Amazon habit. I don’t go crazy but I’m definitely ordering at least a couple times a month from there.

    1. Thanks so much, friend. Traveling would be huge in 2021!!

      30 minute IG limit sounds like I would never catch up LOL but maybe that’s not the goal.

  7. I hope you will be able to travel to see your family this year. <3

    I definitely to follow your trend on taking care of my body every day and doing things to stay healthy. We're really fortunate that I've been able to stay well even with schools reopening last year, but I'm always cognizant of how I need to make sure my body is prepared to fight infections and heal if I do get exposed to anything.

  8. Like everyone else, my biggest wish for you for 2021 is that you get to see your family. Sending all the positive thoughts that way. Other than that, I could get in line with nearly all of these goals – well, not the bedframe one, but the other ones! I, too, am still approaching COVID as I was in March and April. I go to three stores, total, go to my gym when it is empty and leave as the morning crowd comes in, and am working remotely. I also LOVE the goal of doing one good thing for my body for 365 days. I feel like I already try to do this – working out / yoga / quiet time is integrated into my daily routine – but it would be fun to confirm it!

  9. I hope you can make it to Germany by the end of the year!! Good luck with all of your goals. I could use more veggies in my life so if you find any good recipes, please do share.

    -Lauren

  10. Exciting stuff. Hope you get to travel to Germany!

    I have declutter on my 21 for 2021 and did the 31 days minimalism game in January. It felt so good. I’m planning to do later in the year.

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