Last Updated on December 16, 2024 by The Smetz Files
Simple musings of a small town mom: a year in review.
As is customary this time of year for me, I’ve been reflecting on the past year and rereading the intentions I set as we rang in 2024.
Just a mere 365 days ago I posted five intentions or goals I had for myself, both personally and creatively for this year. Read my 2024 intentions.
It’s fun to reread my previously posted content. As a reader, I instantly go back to the moment in time I drafted the piece. I recall what was going on in my world that prompted me to write it and craft it in such a way.
If you’re a statistician, I upheld four out of the five intentions I set for this year! Progress, not perfection!
How’d I Do?
80% progress towards goal is pretty good. In fact, it definitely tracks with my desire to focus on progress over perfection.
Small Successes
One of my writing goals this year was to expand my readership and attempt to publish pieces beyond the blog. I’m proud to say I had four pieces featured on Her View From Home, a site I’ve read for years and finally worked up the courage to submit my own original work.
This small success has motivated me to continue refining my writing and seek additional opportunities to sharpen my work and share my simple musings more broadly.
Consistent Steps Towards Success
In the last year I’ve been intentional about maintaining my fitness goals. While there is still plenty of room for improvement, my efforts to be fit at 40 are important to me. And I’m proud of the work I’ve put in, while recognizing all I can still accomplish.
It’s been fun to workout with the kids as they train and model healthy habits for them. Which brings me to…
Maximizing the Moments
Being present with family and loved ones will perpetually be one of my intentions. This year I feel good about my abilities to maximize the moments with the kids.
We got to travel and take them on new adventures. If you follow my blog on social media, you’ll recall we surprised the kids with a cruise as their experience gift last Christmas.
A mid winter Caribbean getaway was well received! So much so, they added cruising to their wishlists for this year…I think we created a monster!
Over the summer we ventured west and took in the sights and scenes in Montana and Yellowstone. A truly unforgettable adventure!
And between sports seasons we snuck in some quiet family time at the beach, our home away from home.
Where I Fell Short
So, I said I achieved four out of five of my goals for 2024. The one I didn’t come close to hitting was playing more tennis.
In 2023 when S decided to step away from competitive gymnastics she wanted to try tennis. So, she and I took tennis lessons together and really enjoyed it.
Sadly, our schedules haven’t aligned for us to play as much as we wanted to this year. So, there’s always next year!
What’s to Come?
Overall, I’m proud of the output of my year. I connected with more readers than ever before. So, if you’ve followed, liked a post, commented, or shared my writing…thank you!
I appreciate you supporting my blog!
As I look towards 2025, I want to continue writing. I intend to look for ways to grow as a writer and expand my readership. I am also looking at potential opportunities for authorship…stay tuned!
I will continue to support my friends and their small businesses and creative endeavors. The blog has connected me with some really talented people and I love learning and growing alongside them.
2025 will be another year of actively supporting my kids and following their lead as they explore their interests. I’m so excited to see where the year takes us. Maximizing the moments with my family are my greatest joys.
I endeavor to continue my quest for being healthy and active. I should really add better eating habits to the routine! And yes, the goal is to play more tennis!
Simply put, it’s been a great year and I’m eager to see what’s up next for The Smetz Files!
Thanks for going on this blogging journey with me and reading my simple musings of a small town mom!
Let’s connect!
