2020 is in three months. Yikes. 😱
Did a friend forward this to you?
In January I made a list of goals for 2019, separated into four categories - Creative, Financial, Emotional, and Physical. (I like to keep things organized.)
As of October 1st, there will be three months left of this year. Call it Q4, if want to be corporate. Unlike , I’m not panicked or worried, and I don’t feel like time is slipping through my fingers. Life generally slows down with the start of fall and shift toward winter, a transformation I appreciate. There’s more time to read and write, to bake bread and go to yoga. Unlike summer’s endless IPAs and random beach trips, there are planned activities - pumpkin carving, fall festivals, all the Friendsgivings. Give me structure, watch me thrive.
Looking back over my list of goals, I can see that it has evolved over the course of the year. For example, I didn’t know back in January that we would buy a house in June, or that my husband would break his collarbone, or that poetry is a nice idea but not a good use of my writing time. And that’s okay. Life is unpredictable, in good ways and not-so-good ways. You can make a plan, set a budget, write an outline, and all hell might break loose anyway. The important thing is to not abandon your goals entirely - to instead revise the plan, adjust the budget, write a new scene that will help you find your way to the end of the story.
As for goals, I’ve done pretty well overall. Got a promotion at work, finished my novel (for now), set a new personal record for the 5K, found a good skin care routine, got really good at houseplants. (I'm a firm believer that some of your goals should be fun and low stakes.) But there’s plenty left to do, and the next three months are a great time to cross a few more things off my list. After all, it’s not just the end of a year. It’s the end of a decade! How will we spend it?
For me, Q4 will (hopefully) go something like this: write a really terrible draft of a new novel; read 10 books for a grand total of 30; bake sourdough bread; build up our emergency fund; get as fit as I was before I sprained my ankle; celebrate all the upcoming holidays and events with people I love.
It’s a pretty good list - some hard things (a whole draft???) and some easier ones (friends!!!). Overall, though, it shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve them, as long as I’m intentional with my time, mindful of my energy, and willing to put in a little work.
Here's to Q4! 💛
🍍 Plant of the Week 🍍
Did you know that when you buy a pineapple, you can cut off the top, stick it in a pot of soil, and grow a NEW PINEAPPLE? It takes two to three years to bear fruit so not the most efficient way to get groceries, but still! Plus they're very beautiful and dramatic in the meantime, which IMHO makes them worth the wait. We've been growing the pineapple pictured here for almost two years and it has yet to do anything but look pretty. In the meantime, we've planted about five more and I have no regrets.
Relatable Reads
Caroline Calloway and the Gossip Sites Built to Bitch About Influencers, VICE. This article is less about CC and more about gossip forums, which, I must admit, I've lurked on for years. Lately, though, I've found myself turning away from these sites, or at least feeling worse about the time I spend on them. There are some silver linings (like when the snarked-upon subject sparks a deep conversation about feminism, or privilege, or motherhood, or fame) but overall they're just petty and mean. If I want deep conversations, there are better, less destructive places to have them. 😿
How to Cancel Plans Without Losing Friends and Feeling Like a Jerk, SELF. "If you’re going to be there physically but will be on another planet emotionally and mentally, that’s a strong sign you should cancel or reschedule." Rachel is one of my favorite internet writers, and I can always count on her for excellent, timely advice! 📅
Labradoodle Creator Says the Breed Is His Life’s Regret, New York Times. Three words: Adopt, don't shop. That said, I dare you to find a cuter regret than a Doodle. 🐕
A Tiny Challenge
One of the goals I forgot to mention was to get this newsletter up to 500 subscribers by the end of the year. Full disclosure: I'm currently at 295. This week, your challenge is a favor to me: please forward this newsletter to someone who enjoys ambitious goals, the internet, and good snacks. Let's break 300 - we're so close!
Thanks, and I'll see you next Sunday! 💌
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