August 2018 – Reaching for The Stars

Happy first day of August! It’s time for this month’s edition of Reaching For the Stars,  a monthly goal post. ( Who can believe school is almost here?! )

Let’s recap July’s goals:

1. Really sit with the planner as I am readjusting to new hours: 3:30pm – 12am 5x a week (8 hrs + 30 min break) instead of varying times of 10 hour shifts 4x a week (AND getting schedule a week in advance vs the whole month in advance)
2. Revisit, recreate and stick to new budgets since I’ll no longer have a commission check to have a cushion with. The difference between the raise I got and a normal (non-busy) season commission check is about the same + I can still do UberEats. I’ll be getting one last commission check so I’ll be squirreling that one away into savings.
3. Put these goals in a visual place where I’ll always see it and not “out of sight, out of mind”
4. Continue to cut back on costs that I can no longer justify/use (looks like time to revisit my How Not to Freak Out with Money post)
5. Use Book Catalog app to scan books so I know that I’m not spending money on books I already have
6. Continue to make Crescent Moon & Stars active and not be a stagnant blog
7. Play along with my Summer Bucket List/Bingo Game – 100 activities to do this summer
8. Do the free Daily check in on Greater Good – easy clicks and not much time – put into planner to remember to do it!
9. Continue to remember to water my plants! (I forgot for a couple days in a row and with this Summer heat I thought I had lost them – a good watering at night and they were back! They really do bring me joy.)
10. Light some candles to help wind down, make our home smell good and cross one off the Bucket list/Bingo Game
11. Continue to keep on my AM & PM vitamin/supplement schedule that I started halfway in the month. I think I was taking too many supplements at one time and doing the “12 hour” work shift, they were wearing off quickly.
12. When feeling overwhelmed, write in a journal or clean instead of on social media. I think if I see that something got done, I’ll feel better about it since mindlessly scrolling through a feed (although some of your Instagram’s are totally on point!)
13. Go to the beach at least once this month – #SaltTherapy for the win

This month was an emotional rollercoaster: July 4th holiday, coworker’s last day, my last day before I transitioned into a new position, new training, new hours (will change later this month to a new typical schedule hired for), 4 birthdays this month, company coming over… just whew. Very busy month but it went by so quick!

Unfortunately didn’t get much done with this month’s goals, but I’ll do a quick run down:

1. I started the month with my planner but then trailed off.  I will give myself some points because I was using my work-only planner I bought, just not everything into the Passion Planner I had intended to use the entire month.
2. Didn’t get to squirrel away my last commission check like I wanted to but I didn’t go crazy spending either. Sorta disappointed as I thought part 2 of the commision check (they couldn’t get it in time before July 4th holiday) was DEF not what I thought it would be (expected: about $175-$200, actual: $35. Yup, ouch).
3.  I did write out the July goals and put it in a walk thru area but I think I put it in an area too busy
4. Eh, I ate out more than I should have but I did cut back other in other ways
5.  Check!
6. Not so check. Got some posts started but with new training schedule, I honestly forgot to go back to finish #oops haha
7. Did get some things crossed off – baseball game, bingo game,
8. Started strong but also trailed off
9. Did MUCH better remembering to water my plants but the storms lately watered them mostly for me 🙂
10. Check! Did this a couple times this month (and while writing this post!)
11. Started strong til about halfway thru the month and TOTALLY forgotten in my rush to get out in the morning or thinking I already taken them and realized that night that I didn’t
12. I haven’t felt too overwhelmed this month, but instead of writing in a journal or scrolling thru social media, I pretty much called my Mom everyday after work which is really nice
13. Almost went but then a storm whipped in #planscancelled

So not productive like I’d want to, but I’m not gonna beat myself over it. I ended a job, had 1 day and then started a new one, waking up earlier (6-7am) and working and doing errands/shopping/activities/UberEats/etc and then trying to go to bed “early” so I wouldn’t be a zombie the next day. Mid month I got REALLY tired, I got home around 6pm, apparently (Accordingly to FitBit), fell asleep around 7pm, woke up 11pm – 12am, then back up at 7 (total hours slept: 10 hours 15 minutes. Daaaaaaaaaamn).

1. Commit to a sleep schedule/wake up schedule as I transition to a new work schedule (3:30pm – midnight, then about 45 min to an hour drive home).  Adjust vitamin regimen as needed.
2. Test out the new blogging/social media schedule I created as I prepare for the new schedule
3.  Continue to work on the Summer Bingo (focus on reading at least ONE book)
4. Check out the moon rise schedule to see if I can’t catch a moon rise after work
5. Continue with the work breaks/lunches – I’ve been eating at work in the cafeteria ($3 meals!) and I’ve been eating salads along with the theme menu of the day and eating slower during my 30 minute break

I’m keeping this month’s list small because A) I’m transitioning schedules, B) Some of these are time dependent/schedule allowing, C) Number 2 is a beta test for a posting schedule for social media – since I do a “mini
blog on my weekly reflection posts, I’m ok right now without having to write a 1500 word post like I usually do and  D) 2 months in a row I haven’t made at least half my goals I created. This month’s goals will be going on the fridge so I’ll HAVE TO see it along with the schedules on the fridge and I’m gonna screenshot it in my phone so when I’m looking for a picture, BAM – there it is haha. Also gonna put it in the weekly notes section of my planner to keep myself accountable and I’ll be reaching out to my Voxer buddies to make sure I keep myself accountable.

That’s it for this edition of Reaching for the Stars. What are your goals for August? Summer is beginning to wind down and school is gearing up. I’d love to know what your plans are this month. Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest using @cresmoonstars and #letshinebrightogether.

Happy August!