This was the first year I decided to set distinct (serious) stretch goals for myself and I loved working towards them over the course of the year! Looking towards 2019 at the end of last year, I made sure to set reasonable goals that would still push me to learn new things and build new habits without being too burdensome to achieve. Overall, I’m pretty stoked with how many I was able to accomplish and I’ll be dreaming up new ones for 2020! 2019’s recap is below, here’s to another full year of life!
STOP EATING COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST: I did successfully stop eating cookies [for breakfast]! Though, I had a short period of time where I switched to Pringles. Specifically the sour cream and onion variety. I’m now on a healthy bandwagon and kicked both the cookies and Pringles, progress was made.
TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY: I visited my brother, Rex, during his study abroad in Madrid, Spain earlier this year. We had 10 days of catching-up, meeting his adorably sweet girlfriend Laura, adventuring, and eating all of the best foods! The BEST news is that he’s now MOVING THERE!! I’m vicariously BEYOND EXCITED for him and Laura!!! Cheers to the start of happily ever after and endless tapas.
GO BACK TO CANADA: I didn’t meet this goal, but it wasn’t for lack of trying!! Angie and I tried about 6 times over to make this happen, but just couldn’t get a trip to line up between both our schedules and price.. so here’s to a Leah and Angie trip 2020?! YES.
COMPLETE 100 VOLUNTEER HOURS: I completed 118 volunteer hours this year and 79% of those hours were at the California Wolf Center! I absolutely love everything about this organization and it’s sincerely a dream come true to work with the incredible people and animals at the CWC. The 4-hr drives round trip, long days, freezing cold, and sometimes snow are ALWAYS worth it. I can’t say enough good things about how my life is truly so much better because of the friends I’ve met through the CWC. <3
COMPLETE A NEW CERTIFICATION AT WORK: I didn’t complete a new certification, but next best thing? Experience! I’ve worked in a Compliance capacity for the past four years and towards the end of last year, I actively sought for increased Information Security opportunities at my company. I moved into an expanded role in early January and was promoted within the Information Security team this summer. I’ve been LOVING the challenge and can’t wait to see where our team continues to grow from here!
SEE A NEW US STATE, NEW TO ME: Lakes and I have a tradition where we are on a mission to visit all 50 US states before we turn 50! This year, we road tripped to New Mexico. We enjoyed cool and stormy weather to the south in Saguaro National Park, and as we moved up towards Albuquerque it started to snow! We spent a very snowy Thanksgiving in Santa Fe and Lira LOVED making new friends at the park and romping around in the snow. We weren’t able to see all that we wanted to, but we made the most out of a new trip!
HIKE ANOTHER 14ER: I wasn’t able to accomplish this one, though it also wasn’t for a lack of trying! The snowpack was SO THICK into the summer this year and we do NOT have enough mountaineering experience to have felt comfortable tackling a Sierra 14er in those conditions. Maybe next year!
DOUBLE RAMBLESTATE SITE TRAFFIC: Exciting news! Even though I published fewer posts in 2019 as compared to 2018, traffic still increased 160% year over year! I instead focused on backend metrics like improving search results, tagging, and photo quality. And honestly, this has been an extremely busy year and I haven’t had the time to write like I’d like to – I’ve been too tired (keeping it real). Come 2020, I’ll hopefully have more time to write and can use my newfound skills to help share new adventures. <3
TAKE A BACKPACKING TRIP: Another valiant effort, but we did not make this one happen! We camped about half a dozen times though, so I felt like I got my fix in.
WALK STAIRS DAILY AT WORK: DONE! Every day, I walk the four flights up to the office – exception of a handful of days where I was recovering from being sick or carrying heavy items. It was an easy way to get my heart pumping in the morning because I am in no way a morning workout person. This is an easy habit I’ll keep moving forward!
FLOSS DAILY: This is another easy habit I’ll continue into next year! I also doubled down and finally got one of those Sonicare toothbrushes my dentist has been pressuring me to get for years. Honest verdict? Game. Changer.
TRY COOKING WITH ONE NEW FOOD/VEGGIE PER MONTH: This was a fun goal to break me out of my usual meal-prep routine! Here were my two favorites:
I tried mafe, a Senegalese dish, for the first time when I visited Rex in Spain and could hardly wait to try making it myself when I came home! It’s a peanut butter based pot roast, which may sound weird, but it’s SO GOOD.
My Grandad always used to make spaghetti with okra, and after he passed earlier this year, I decided the perfect time to try it myself was a recent cozy and rainy weekend. I catch myself missing him often and rounding out December by cooking with okra for the first time seemed a good way to pay homage.
Aside from those, I also tried pickling my own cucumbers and cooked with figs, radishes, water chestnuts, fennel, beets, apricots, cherries, bean sprouts, and Persian cucumbers for the first time!
As for 2020, here are the dreams/goals I’m shooting for:
1. Kayak in four new bodies of water.
2. Travel internationally.
3. Circumvent Coronado Island by kayak.
4. See a new US state (new to me!).
5. Purge day: we’re talking a full house audit of books, clothes, gear, etc. to donate.
6. Go crabbing or clamming in Washington.
7. Set aside one rest weekend per month.
8. Use my instant pot (SSRY LAKEN).
9. Launch Dad’s website.
10. Go kayak-in camping.
11. Start DuoLingo again, so I can visit Rex and Laura and speak fluently!
12. Apply for my dream volunteer event.
Thanks so much for reading along, it seriously means so much!! If you would like to join in on any goals or need someone to support you in yours - give me a shout out and I am HERE FOR IT!!!
Happy rambles into 2020!!
xoxo, Leah